Difference between revisions of "Leon D. Britton"
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| − | (b. Boston, 10/12/ | + | (b. Boston, 10/12/1889 – d. 09/01/1966). Producer, sales executive. Born Leon Baum, Leon Britton joined the newly formed Hallmark Pictures Corporation in 1919, but it was not long afterwards that he became well-known as a producer of films providing exciting records of notable boxing matches, from Jack Dempsey vs. Jess Willard (1919) to Max Schmeling vs. Jack Sharkey (1930). In the absence of television, these screenings drew large audiences all over the United States and elsewhere. During this time he also made a film of the rodeo staged by Tex Austin at the newly opened Wembley Stadium (1924). His only link with South Africa seems to have been his work as production manager on [[Swallow]] and the ship’s manifest of the Balmoral Castle records that in 1920 he, director [[Leander De Cordova]] and cameraman [[Edward C. Earle]] were all on the ship headed for East London. |
Early in the 1930’s he embarked upon a long relationship with filmmaking in the Far East when he launched a film studio in Shanghai, hoping to make both features and documentary shorts and sending an expedition to Mongolia, Tibet and Turkestan. His presence in Shanghai also resulted in him obtaining footage of the 1932 conflict between China and Japan. In 1936 he was with the Peacock Motion Picture Co. and in 1939 he became the General Manager for RKO in the Far East. World War II resulted in him have to leave China and in 1942 RKO sent him to represent the company in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. However, after the war he returned to his old stamping grounds, working for RKO and then for Seven Arts Productions. Later he served with Associated Artists Productions and finally with United Artists Television. | Early in the 1930’s he embarked upon a long relationship with filmmaking in the Far East when he launched a film studio in Shanghai, hoping to make both features and documentary shorts and sending an expedition to Mongolia, Tibet and Turkestan. His presence in Shanghai also resulted in him obtaining footage of the 1932 conflict between China and Japan. In 1936 he was with the Peacock Motion Picture Co. and in 1939 he became the General Manager for RKO in the Far East. World War II resulted in him have to leave China and in 1942 RKO sent him to represent the company in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. However, after the war he returned to his old stamping grounds, working for RKO and then for Seven Arts Productions. Later he served with Associated Artists Productions and finally with United Artists Television. | ||
| − | (Notes: There seems to be some confusion about his date of birth. Documents recording his entries into the United States give it variously as 1886, 1887, 1888 and 1889. There is also a record of “Leon Britton, a British engineer” bringing the first sound films to the Philippines in October 1929. However, the Leon Britton who came to South Africa was definitely American, as was the RKO representative | + | (Notes: There seems to be some confusion about his date of birth. Documents recording his entries into the United States give it variously as 1886, 1887, 1888 and 1889. There is also a record of “Leon Britton, a British engineer” bringing the first sound films to the Philippines in October 1929. However, the Leon Britton who came to South Africa was definitely American, as was the RKO representative.)(FO) |
== Sources == | == Sources == | ||
Revision as of 08:23, 13 December 2013
(b. Boston, 10/12/1889 – d. 09/01/1966). Producer, sales executive. Born Leon Baum, Leon Britton joined the newly formed Hallmark Pictures Corporation in 1919, but it was not long afterwards that he became well-known as a producer of films providing exciting records of notable boxing matches, from Jack Dempsey vs. Jess Willard (1919) to Max Schmeling vs. Jack Sharkey (1930). In the absence of television, these screenings drew large audiences all over the United States and elsewhere. During this time he also made a film of the rodeo staged by Tex Austin at the newly opened Wembley Stadium (1924). His only link with South Africa seems to have been his work as production manager on Swallow and the ship’s manifest of the Balmoral Castle records that in 1920 he, director Leander De Cordova and cameraman Edward C. Earle were all on the ship headed for East London.
Early in the 1930’s he embarked upon a long relationship with filmmaking in the Far East when he launched a film studio in Shanghai, hoping to make both features and documentary shorts and sending an expedition to Mongolia, Tibet and Turkestan. His presence in Shanghai also resulted in him obtaining footage of the 1932 conflict between China and Japan. In 1936 he was with the Peacock Motion Picture Co. and in 1939 he became the General Manager for RKO in the Far East. World War II resulted in him have to leave China and in 1942 RKO sent him to represent the company in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. However, after the war he returned to his old stamping grounds, working for RKO and then for Seven Arts Productions. Later he served with Associated Artists Productions and finally with United Artists Television.
(Notes: There seems to be some confusion about his date of birth. Documents recording his entries into the United States give it variously as 1886, 1887, 1888 and 1889. There is also a record of “Leon Britton, a British engineer” bringing the first sound films to the Philippines in October 1929. However, the Leon Britton who came to South Africa was definitely American, as was the RKO representative.)(FO)
Sources
The Film Daily, 16 October 1919
The Film Daily, 13 August 1932
The Film Daily, 4 June 1942
The Film Daily, 14 September 1945
International Television Almanac 1964
Steible, Dan - Fight pictures: a history of boxing and early cinema
http://nlpdl.nlp.gov.ph:9000/shares/finders/CC01/NLP00VM052mcd/v8/v2.pdf
Return to
Return to ESAT Personalities B
Return to South African Theatre Personalities
Return to The ESAT Entries
Return to Main Page
