 | |
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film and media industry |
| Founded | 23 April 1937; 88 years ago (1937-04-23) asJ. Arthur Rank |
| Founder | J. Arthur Rank |
| Defunct | 7 February 1996; 29 years ago (1996-02-07) |
| Fate |
|
| Successor | Company: Rank Group Library: ITV Studios |
| Headquarters | London,England,United Kingdom |
Key people | J. Arthur Rank (chairman) |
| Products | Film production, distribution and exhibition (diversified: radio, television and photocopying manufacturing, record label) |
| Subsidiaries |
|
The Rank Organisation (founded as theJ. Arthur Rank Organisation) was a British entertainmentconglomerate founded in 1937 by industrialistJ. Arthur Rank. It quickly became the largest and mostvertically integrated film company in the United Kingdom, owning production, distribution, and exhibition facilities, as well as manufacturing projection equipment and chairs.[1] It diversified into the manufacture of radios, TVs, and photocopiers (as one of the owners ofRank Xerox). The company name lasted until February 1996, when the name and some of the remaining assets were absorbed into the newly structuredRank Group plc. The company itself became a wholly owned subsidiary of Xerox and was renamed XRO Limited in 1997.[2]
The company's logo, theGongman, first used in 1935 by the group's distribution company,General Film Distributors[3] and seen in the opening titles of the films, became a celebrated and enduring film emblem.[4]
The company founder J. Arthur Rank, born inKingston upon Hull, UK, was already a wealthy industrialist through his father'sflourmilling business,Joseph Rank Ltd, before making his start in filmmaking by financing short religious subjects in line with hisMethodist beliefs. Rank was a MethodistSunday school teacher and wished to introduce these beliefs to a wider audience.
The Rank Organisation was established, as a means for Rank to consolidate his filmmaking interests, in 1937.[5]
A loose collective of filmmakers was established by Rank under the banner of Independent Producers includingThe Archers, consisting ofMichael Powell andEmeric Pressburger,Cineguild Productions, consisting ofDavid Lean,Ronald Neame,John Bryan, andAnthony Havelock-Allan, the filmmaking duo ofFrank Launder andSidney Gilliat, and the directorsKen Annakin andMuriel Box.[6]
The Company of Youth, the Rank Organisation's associated acting school often referred to as "The Charm School", was founded in 1945. It launched several careers, including those ofDonald Sinden,Dirk Bogarde,Diana Dors, andChristopher Lee.
Although she was not a member of the school,Petula Clark was under contract to Rank for a period of time and starred in a number of films released by the studio, includingLondon Town (1946), one of the costliest flops in British film history. Also under contract to Rank was the Canadian actorPhilip Gilbert.
The company grew quickly, largely through acquisition. Significant developments included:
By the late 1940s, J. Arthur Rank (or the Rank Organisation as it was now called), owned:
Despite funding films which were both popular and critically acclaimed, Rank was in crisis by 1949, having built up a debt of £16 million,[9] and reported an annual loss of £3.5 million.[10] Managing directorJohn Davis cut staff, reduced budgets, and concentrated film production at Pinewood. Other studio facilities (inIslington) were closed, sold (Lime Grove Studios) or leased (Denham).[9] The Rank Organisation closed Independent Producers. The policies of Davis alienated many in the industry; in particular, they led film directorDavid Lean, responsible for some of Rank's most critically and financially successful films, to look elsewhere for backing.[11] J. Arthur Rank stepped down as managing director of the Rank Organisation in 1952, but remained as chairman until 1962.[12][13]
In February 1952,Earl St John of Rank announced the company (in conjunction with the National Film Finance Corporation) would make a slate of 12 movies at a cost of £1,500,000.[14] In August 1952, St John declared Rank would make more films abroad.[15]
In January 1955, Rank announced it would make 12 films at a cost of £1,750,000, with new stars including Peter Finch, Jean Carson, and Diane Cilento.[16]
In October 1955 the company reported its film production was "satisfactory".[17][18]
In 1945, the company bought theBush Radio manufacturing facility and began to diversify its interests. In 1962, Rank took over control ofMurphy Radio[19] to form theRank Bush Murphy Group (which was eventually sold toGreat Universal Stores in 1978).
In 1956, Rank began a partnership with theHaloid Corporation to formRank Xerox, to manufacture and promote its range of plain paper photocopying equipment. In later years, the waning film company assets were hastily converted and pressed into 'Rank Xerox' service. This venture was a gamble but ultimately the company's saving grace until, once more in financial difficulties, it signed off increasing percentages of its holdings to the parent company, finally becoming fully integrated into Xerox in the late 1990s.[20]
In 1962, Rank merged with Gaumont British to form a single streamlined trading Organisation with nineteen divisions:[21]
Rank was also a significant shareholder (37.6%) in the consortium which becameSouthern Television, the firstITV television contract holder for the south of England.
In 1968, they acquired an 18% interest in manufacturerGeorge Kent Ltd. In 1969, control of Ranx Xerox was lost and by 1970, the company and its subsidiaries had the following principal activities:[22]
In the late 1950s, The Rank Organisation set upRank Records The record label division was namedTop Rank Records andJaro Records (a US subsidiary).
In 1960, Top Rank Records was taken over byEMI, and in 1962 they replaced it withStateside Records. Top Rank artists includedGary US Bonds,the Shirelles,B. Bumble and the Stingers,Wilbert Harrison,Skip & Flip,Andy Stewart,Craig Douglas andJohn Leyton. A US branch operated from 1959 to 1961; its artists includedJack Scott,Dorothy Collins, andThe Fireballs.
Top Rank was also used for their theatres, ballrooms and bowling alleys. By 1962, they were operating 360 theatres in the UK, 535 theatres overseas, 25 Top Rank Ballrooms, eight tenpin bowling centres, 21Victor Silvester dance studios and two health clubs.[21] They also operated Top Rank Home and Leisure Service shops, selling and renting household electrical goods. By 1963 Rank had opened Top Rank Coin-Operated Laundries.[23] By 1967, they were operating 50 full-time Top Rank Clubs for bingo; 24 bowling centres in the United Kingdom; 17 hotels in the UK and Europe; 22 suites and ballrooms; eight Top Rank 'Rendezvous' clubs for dancing; and two indoor ice rinks.[24]
In 1968, Rank withdrew from the television rental business selling 102 stores toGranada plc for £4.1 million and 26 stores and its television and radio relay business toRediffusion for £3.5 million. It retained 37 retail radio and television shops.[25] By 1970, the group abandoned its interests intenpin bowling, selling all its bowls, due to lack of popularity in the UK.[22]
Rank Audio Visual was created in 1960, bringing together Rank's acquisitions in multimedia, includingBell & Howell (acquired with Gaumont British in 1941), Andrew Smith Harkness Ltd (1952) andWharfedale Ltd (1958). In 1964 they acquired The Pullin Group which made Rank the UK's largest distributor of photographic equipment.[26] Subsequent acquisitions includedStrand Electric Holdings (1968) andH.J. Leak & Co. (1969). In the mid and late 1970s, Rank Audio Visual made a 3-in-1 stereo music centre, as well as TV sets in conjunction withNEC of Japan. The production of the "classic" Rank TV ran in the mid to late 70s, and a "modern" Rank TV appeared in the early 1980s. The NEC badge did not appear in thePAL/220/240 volt countries until the mid-1980s.
Top Rank was one of the early operators ofmotorway service areas in the UK, opening its first services atFarthing Corner on theM2 in Kent in May 1963.[23]Knutsford Services on theM6 in Cheshire followed in November 1963.[27] After the opening of theAust services on theM4 in Gloucestershire in 1966, they were operating four in the UK.[24] Top Rank operated a portfolio of 10 service areas until the takeover ofMecca Leisure Group by the Rank Group in 1991, when they were spun off to ex-Mecca CEOMichael Guthrie under the name Pavilion (later acquired byGranada and now forming part ofMoto Hospitality).[citation needed] They also operated a number of Motor Inns in Ireland and the UK, starting with one outside Dublin.[23][26]
During this period, Rank started focusing on primarily solidly commercial ventures, largely aimed at the family market. These included the popularNorman Wisdom comedies, theDoctor films series and, later, Rank took on theCarry On film series fromAnglo-Amalgamated. Films of note produced during this era includeCarve Her Name with Pride,Sapphire,A Night to Remember andVictim, as well as a clutch of prestige topics such as theCoronation of Elizabeth II and filmed performances by theRoyal Ballet.
In February 1956, Davis announced Rank would make 20 films at over £3 million. He said "great care will be taken to ensure that, while retaining essentially British characteristics the films will have the widest international appeal. This is part of an intensified drive to secure ever widening showing in overseas markets which already return more than half the revenue earned by Pinewood films."[28] That year, Rank announced it would set up distribution in the United States. In October, Davis listed the Rank actors he thought could become international stars:Dirk Bogarde,Peter Finch,Kay Kendall,Jeannie Carson,Virginia McKenna,Belinda Lee,Michael Craig,Tony Wright,Maureen Swanson andKenneth More.[29][30]
In October 1957, at the 21st birthday celebrations for Pinewood Studios, Davis said Rank would make 18 films that year and 20 the next, with the latter costing £5 million.[31]
In January 1958 Rank announced it would be stopping four films and sacking over 300 workers in an economy measure due to an overall fall in cinema attendances. (Four films it were making at the time wereA Night to Remember,Nor the Moon by Night,The Wind Cannot Read andInnocent Sinners which cost £1.1 million in total.)[32][33]
In September 1958 the company had lost £1,264,000 on films causing the group's profit to drop from £5 million to £1.8 million. John Davis wound up several long term contracts Rank had with talent. "The trouble with some of them is they won't work," he said. "They lose their sense of proportion."[34] To recoup some of their losses, Rank soldEaling Studios and its library toAssociated British Picture Corporation.
In the late 1950s, Sydney Box became head of production; he retired from the industry in 1959.
In January 1960, John Davis announced that Rank would concentrate on bigger budgeted, internationally focused productions.[35]
In 1961, they announced a production slate of a dozen films worth £7 million.[36]
In October 1962, Lord Rank resigned as chairman of the company and was replaced by managing director Davis. That year, the company made a group profit of over £6 million and stated 41% of its film production income came from overseas.[37]
In October 1964, Davis reported profits of £4.6 million.[38]
From 1959 to 1969, the company made over 500 weekly short cinema films in a series entitledLook At Life, each film depicting an area of British life.
By 1970, the organisation ceased direct distribution of films overseas.[22]
From 1971 to 1976, Rank only invested around £1.5 million a year in film production. According to executive Tony Williams, "the two main streams that they were down to was Carry On pictures and horror films made by Kevin Francis".[39] However, in 1976, Rank enjoyed much success withBugsy Malone (which they co-produced withParamount Pictures, who held its American rights). This encouraged them to re-enter film production.
In 1977, Rank appointedTony Williams head of production[40] and over two years Rank made eight films worth £10 million, includingEagle's Wing,The Shout,The Thirty Nine Steps,Riddle of the Sands andSilver Dream Racer.[41][42] (Another account said the company committed £4 million a year over three years.[43]) Many of these stories were set in the past. "You have to go back in time to tell a story that doesn't have to face seventies problems", said Williams in 1978. "What people are nostalgic for isn't necessarily any particular period, but the happier values that are missing today."[44] Few of these new Rank films performed well at the box office, losing £1.6 million overall. The Rank cinemas refused to play some of the movies.[43]
At the Cannes Film Festival in 1980, Ed Chilton of Rank announced a £12 million slate of projects. However, by June, they withdrew from production once again.[45][46][47] "The decision was made to plunge on in and then it was pulled back", said Williams.[39] The Rank films that had been announced for production – including an adaptation ofHMS Ulysses,The Rocking Horse Winner and a film version ofTo the Manor Born – were cancelled.[46][48] "It now takes too long to recoup money on films," said a spokesman for Rank.[49]
The following year, Rank reported a record pre-tax profit of £102 million.[50] According to Tony Williams:
After a time Rank Film Distributors was in trouble because they hadn't got any new product. So Rank Film Distributors was then given chunks of money to go and buy into pictures because they made a blunder. And they carried on, on that basis, not directly making them and they had no direct control over what they made at all, no influence. They just bought into pictures. They did an output deal withOrion and that carried on until they sold the shooting match. Then the decision was made to get out of (the) film (industry), so RFD was closed down, Rank Film Advertising was sold off, eventually, the laboratories went. Cinemas was the last one to go.[39]
In 1982, the company partnered withAndre Blay Corporation to license its British title library to home video.[51] In 1986, Rank Film Distributors and archrivalCannon Screen Entertainment signed a deal with theBBC to gain access to Rank's nineteen feature offerings.[52] In 1987, the Rank Film Distributors group received a $100 million fund for film financing, and the Rank Film and Television division had invested in $32 million that they would take the budget against non-US rights.[53]
In 1995, theRank Group acquired all the outstanding shares of the Rank Organisation. In spring 1997, the Rank Group sold Rank Film Distributors, including its library of 749 films, toCarlton Communications for £65 million and immediately became known as Carlton/RFD.[54] Pinewood Studios and Odeon Cinemas were both sold off in February 2000 for £62 million and £280 million respectively.[55] The company finally severed its remaining connections with the film industry in 2005, when it sold its DVD distribution business and Deluxe technical support unit.[56]
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