Media    From 1934 

Hammer Films

Categories: Cinema

Film company famous for its Gothic horror genre. Prominent during the 1960/70s. Peter Cushing and Sir Chistopher Lee starred in many of their Dracula and Frankenstein films. It ceased production in the 1980s, but the brand and the film library live on.

The company began life in a three-room office suite at Imperial House, Regent Street. Its founder was comedian William Hinds whose stage name was Will Hammer, after his home area, Hammersmith. By 1949 Hammer had been through bankruptcy and recovered to set up offices at 113-117 Wardour Street.

For studios they used a series of large houses around London. In 1951 they moved to what would become Bray Studios near Windsor. This began as a derelict house which Hammer remodelled for their requirements. That was their main base until 1966. They then shot 4 films at Elstree Studios.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Hammer Films

Commemorated ati

Peter Cushing

Peter Cushing, star of Hammer Films and many other motion pictures, 'A true g...

Read More

Other Subjects

Sir Ralph Richardson

Sir Ralph Richardson

Actor. Born Ralph David Richardson in Cheltenham. Along with Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud, he dominated British theatre throughout the latter half of the 20th century. He started his career wi...

Person, Cinema, Theatre, TV & Radio, USA

1 memorial
Vivien Leigh

Vivien Leigh

Born Darjeeling, India.  She and her husband Laurence Olivier, managed the St James's Theatre from 1950 to its closure in 1957. She led a vigorous but unsuccessful campaign to try and save it.  Die...

Person, Cinema, Theatre

4 memorials
Alastair Sim

Alastair Sim

Character actor. Born Edinburgh. Only became a professional actor aged about 30. Worked in Shakespeare at the Old Vic and then spent the 1950s making many British films, such as the 1954 The Belles...

Person, Cinema, Theatre, Scotland

1 memorial
Peggy Ashcroft

Peggy Ashcroft

Actor. Born Edith Margaret Emily Ashcroft in Croydon.

Person, Cinema, Theatre, TV & Radio

1 memorial
Sid James

Sid James

Comedy actor.  Born in Johannesburg (on Hancock Street), South Africa, to a pair of British music hall performers and brought up in both South Africa and England.  Worked as a diamond sorter and th...

Person, Cinema, Humour, TV & Radio, South Africa

4 memorials

Previously viewed

Skiffle

Skiffle

A short lived music genre of the 1950s. A mixture of jazz, blues and folk music, it originated in the United States earlier in the century. In Britain, its main performer was Lonnie Donegan, who be...

Media, Music / songs

1 memorial
Daniel Mendoza

Daniel Mendoza

Pugilist.  Born in the Aldgate parish, date uncertain (possibly 1765). Champion who proudly billed himself as 'Mendoza the Jew'.   He also taught the sport and wrote 'The Art of Boxing', published ...

Person, Sport / Games

2 memorials
17 Bruton Street

17 Bruton Street

The London home of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore from 1920. The house from which their daughter married the Duke of York (the future King George VI) and the house to which the couple moved ju...

Building, Royalty

1 memorial
H. King
War dead, WW1
1 memorial
A. Cave
War dead, WW1
1 memorial