History of Pinewood Studios

This was originally posted in my Spotlight World Trivia Series. I've tweaked it a bit and have decided to re-post it here on Java's Journey.

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Pinewood Movie Studios , located in Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, has a remarkable range of titles under its belt: from the James Bond action series; to the famous My Fair Lady (1964) precursor, Pygmalion (1938); to family-friendly flights of fancy like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1967); to the latest moody Batman film, The Dark Knight(2008).

Long before Hayley Mills ran around the studios in that beautiful pink outfit, the land had been used as a residential estate for many years. Building tycoon Charles Boot bought the land, and the accompanying Georgian Mansion called Heatherden Hall, during the economic crisis of the 1930s. He "snapped up Heatherden and immediately set about recouping his investment by turning the hall into a country club for the rich and famous. Yet Boot’s main aim . . . [was] to turn the land into a film studio." -- Pinewood

old gate

new gate

The tycoon officially renamed Heatherden Hall, Pinewood, because "…of the number of trees which grow there and because it seemed to suggest something of the American film centre in its second syllable." -- Pinewood

Gregory Peck at the studios, circa 1959.

Pinewood states that from its inception the studios became a home to large and small productions and to directors and producers from all filming backgrounds. It seems to be continuing in its goals to appeal to any filmmaker out there with its recent announcement to expand and build studio lots that recreate New York, Venice, New Orleans and other places.

Glimpse the studio's history in pictures.