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Euston Films

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Euston Films
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryTelevision production
Founded
  • 1971; 53 years ago (1971) (original)
  • 2014; 10 years ago (2014) (revived)
Founder
Defunct1994; 30 years ago (1994) (original)
Headquarters
London
,
United Kingdom
Area served
United Kingdom
ProductsTelevision programmes
Parent
WebsiteOfficial website

Euston Films is a British film and television production company. It was originally a subsidiary of Thames Television, and operated from 1971 to 1994, producing various series for Thames, which were screened nationally on the ITV network. Euston Films productions include Van der Valk (1977), The Sweeney (1975–1978), Minder (1979–1994), Quatermass (1979), Danger UXB (1979), and Reilly, Ace of Spies (1983). The Sweeney had two feature film spin-offs, Sweeney! and Sweeney 2, which were also produced by Euston.

In 2014, Euston Films was revived as a production company by the owner of Thames, Fremantle.

History

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The idea for Euston Films dated back to 1965, when writer Trevor Preston and directors Jim Goddard and Terry Green were working at ABC Television. They produced a detailed proposal for a specialist production unit that shot dramas on 16mm film, rather than standard videotape.[1]

The company was founded in 1971 when three Thames executives, Lloyd Shirley, George Taylor and Brian Tesler realised there was a market for a new type of television drama. To facilitate this new-style of on-location action, Euston used two crews filming different scenes of the same programme at the same time, which ensured production times were quicker. Euston eschewed the studio videotape shooting more commonly used in British television drama at the time, and material was filmed on location using the more expensive but higher-quality 16mm film stock.

Initial shows such as Special Branch gained reasonable praise, but it was The Sweeney that first gave the company critical and commercial success. Using a storyline style known as "kick, bollock and scramble", this formula continued in such shows as Fox and Widows. In 1979, the company created Minder as a vehicle for Sweeney star Dennis Waterman, giving the company its longest-running show. In September 1986, Euston Films announced it would increase its production of theatrical films in a joint venture with Film Four International.[2]

With the demise of parent company Thames as an ITV broadcast franchise holder in 1992, Euston's output reduced. It continued to make Minder for ITV franchisee Central Independent Television, but when this series was axed in 1994, further work was not forthcoming.

Euston Films was based at Colet Court in Hammersmith, London.

In September 2024, it was announced that all staff at Euston Films were laid off, with the Euston brand and IPs remaining at Fremantle.[3]

List of productions

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Year Title Notes
1973 Special Branch Series 3 and 4 only
1974–75 Armchair Cinema
1975–78 The Sweeney
1977 Van der Valk Series 3 only
Sweeney! Theatrical Film
1978 Sweeney 2 Theatrical Film
Out
The Sailor's Return Theatrical Film
1979 A Deadly Game TV movie
Danger UXB
Quatermass
The Knowledge TV movie
The Quatermass Conclusion Theatrical Film
1979–94 Minder Dennis Waterman (1979-1989) and Gary Webster (1991-1994)
1980 Fox
1981 Stainless Steel and the Star Spies TV movie
The Flame Trees of Thika
1983 Reilly: Ace of Spies
The Nation's Health
1983–85 Widows
1985 Monsignore Quixote TV movie
Storyboard: King & Castle TV movie
1986 Paradise Postponed
Prospects
The Fourth Floor
1987 A Month in the Country TV movie
Bellman and True Theatrical Film
Lost Belongings
1988 Jack the Ripper
Consuming Passions Theatrical Film
The Courier Theatrical Film
The Fear
1989 Dealers Theatrical Film
1989–90 Capital City
1991 Shrinks
Selling Hitler
1992 Anglo Saxon Attitudes
1995 Carrington Theatrical Film
2018 Hard Sun
2019 Because the Night TV movie
Dublin Murders
2020 Bagdad Central
The Sister
2022–24 Wreck
2024 Nightsleeper
TBC Tina In development

Revival

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In March 2014, it was announced that FremantleMedia (who had relaunched the Thames brand two years earlier) was to revive Euston Films as a production company.[4] Former BBC drama executive Kate Harwood was recruited to take charge of the company.[4] In December 2015, Euston announced it had secured a commission of a new drama series titled Hard Sun, written by Neil Cross, the creator of Luther. Filming took place in and around London, and the series was transmitted in early 2018.[5] In July 2017, Channel 4 announced a new crime thriller called Baghdad Central would be produced by Euston Films.[6]

Euston North/Castlefield

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Euston Films launched a second production company called Euston North in January 2017. While the company carries on with their work in London and the South of England, the MediaCityUK-based Euston North focuses on productions in Manchester and the North of England.[7][8][9] On 7 June 2019, Euston North was renamed Castlefield.[10]

References

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  1. ^ Gilbert, Pat (2010). Shut It!: The Inside Story of The Sweeney. Aurum Press. p. 55. ISBN 9781845136604. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  2. ^ "Euston Films To Crank Up Its Theatricals". Variety. 1986-09-03. p. 43.
  3. ^ Goldbart, Max (2024-09-05). "Fremantle Laying Off All Staff At Euston Films & Undeniable; Senior Execs Mandy Chang & Kate Harwood To Exit". Deadline Holywood.
  4. ^ a b Conlan, Tara (17 March 2014). "Freemantle set to resurrect Euston Films". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
  5. ^ "Euston Films wins first commission". FremantleMediaUK. 3 December 2015. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  6. ^ "C4 commissions Baghdad Central, a crime thriller set in a fallen city - Channel 4 - Info - Press". www.channel4.com. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  7. ^ "Q&A: Euston Films' Kate Harwood". Drama Quarterly. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  8. ^ "BBC Studios exec arrives at Euston". C21media. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  9. ^ "Growing drama slate". www.rtlgroup.com. Retrieved 2018-10-12.
  10. ^ Stephen Chapman (7 June 2019). "Fremantle seeks "creatively brave" dramas with Castlefield launch". Prolific North. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
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