Kinematograph year book (1939)

316 The Kinematograph Year Book. Made Lady," "Men of Steel," "Tiger Bay," "Shepherd's Warning," "House of Trent," "Night Mail," "Warn London," "Gay Love." Address: 10-12, Cork Street, W.i. Phone : Regent 6862. Lt.-Col. A. C. Bromhead, C.B.E. {Director, Moss Empires, Ltd.) Colonel Bromhead founded the original Gaumont business in London in 1898 in the form of an agency for Leon Gaumont of Paris. Opened one of the first film studios in this country, and one of the first kinematograph theatres. He was one of the pioneers of the film hire service, and the originator of the "exclusive" film and "booking by contract." With M. Gaumont exhibited " Chronochrome " in 1913. In 1914 the Gaumont Co. constructed and equipped the first large modern film studios in London. In 1922 the Gaumont Company came entirely under British control, the majority proprietary interest being acquired by Col. Bromhead and his British associates. In 1922 the Company installed a large plant of the most modern automatic machinery for developing at their laboratory at Shepherd's Bush, and considerable extensions were completed early in 1927. In the same year a large new studio was built and in 1929 the first sound-prool studio in England was constructed for the production of " Talkies " by the British Acoustic process. The Gaumont-British Picture Corporation was formedin 1927 to acquire "The Gaumont Co., Ltd." The Ideal Film Renting Co. and the W. & F. Film Service, Ltd., together with a group of 22 theatres, subsequently acquired the ordinary share capital of Denman Picture Houses, Ltd., General Theatre Corporation, Ltd. and P.C.T., and other companies, thereby achieving control of more than 300 theatres and becoming, under the Chairmanship of Col. Bromhead, the most important concern of its kind in Europe. Col. Bromhead withdrew from the Chairmanship and severed his connection with the Gaumont Britisn Corporation and its Associated and subsidiary companies in August 1929. Club: Royal Societies. Address: — Douglas House, Petersham, Surrey. Phone: — Richmond 0240. Ralph Sidney Bromhead, A.C.A. Qualified as chartered accountant 1928. Theatre controller, Gaumont British and P.C.T. 1927-29. Later assistant general manager, A.B.C., Ltd., then managing director Regent Circuit, Ltd. ; Chairman, L. & H.C. Branch of the C.E.A. 1935. Delegate to C.E.A. General Council, and member of Councils of C.T.B.F. and Provident Institutions. Director and General Manager of County Cinemas and Entertainments and General Investment Corporation, Ltd., also Founder-Chairman of the London Cinema Luncheon Club, and a member of the Legal Finance and Parliamentary Committee, C.E.A. Club. — Badminton. Addresses : — Frith Knowle, Westcar Lane, Hersham, Waltonon-Thames, Surrey and Dean House, Dean Street, W. Phone: — Gerrard 4543. Reginald C. Bromhead, F-C.A. Associated with the Gaumont Company since 1903, Mr. Bromhead was appointed secretary in 1915, becoming Joint Managing Director in 1921. Managing Director Gaumont British Picture Corporation, Ltd., and subsidiary companies, 1927. Vice-Chairman, Denman Picture Houses, LtrL ; Vice-Chairman, Genera) Theatres Corporation, Ltd. January, IQ29; Joint Man. Dir. and Vice-Chairman P.C.T. and subsidiary companies. Resigned August, 1929. Director, Moss Empires, Ltd. Fellow Institute of Chartered Accountants, Past-President K.R.S , Chairman Executive Committee, Kinematograph Sports Association, Cinematograph Trade Provident Institution and Benevolent Fund Committees. Clubs : — Royal Societies, St. James's. Private Address: — 9, Cavendish Road, St. John's Wood, N.W.8. Clive Brook. In British silent films 1920-4 ; ten years Paramount contract in Hollywood, returned 1934. Star in "The Kin'? Steps Out," " Lonely Road," " The Dictator," " Action for Slander," "The Ware Case." E. Oswald Brooks. Twenty years in film business. Successively with Gaumont Company of America, Mutual Film Corporation (U.S.A.), Pathe Exchange, Inc., and Paramount News, in New York up to 1931, holding positions as serial sales manager, general sales manager, and serial production manager. Transferred from the New York office of Paramount News when the British Paramount News was inaugurated in 1931. Executive Assistant British Paramount News, 1931-36. Later, lessee and manager, Picture House, Broadstairs. Address : — 50, St. George's Road, Broadstairs. Phone : Broadstairs 86. Henry Anthony Browne. Born in 1875 in Warwickshire. Educated at Cheltenham and Birmingham University. After some years on the renting side is now chiefly interested as an exhibitor. Clubs : — Ranelagh, Union. Thatched House. Adrian Brunei, F.R.G.S. Director and Scenarist. Author of "Filmcraft," "Only Yesterday," "Eve Had No Father," and "Film Production." Joined Moss Empires Bioscope in 1915 ; 191 7, Manager of Prgductions and Scenario Departments of the Ministry of Informa'ion. Joined British Actors' Film Company 1919 as Scenario-Editor ; 1920, directed A. A. Milne comedies for Minerva Films. In 1922 directed Ivor Novello and Nina Vanna in "The Man Without Desire." Later joined Gainsborough, directing " Blighty," "The Constant Nymph," "A Light Woman," "The Vortex," and "The Crooked Billet." Has since made "A Taxi to Paradise," "I'm an Explosive," "Badger's Green," "Variety," "City of Beautiful Nonsense," "Menace," ' ' Important People , " " Little Napoleon, ' ' "The Rebel Son," and "While Parents Sleep." Address : 28, Park Mansions, Knightsbridge, W.2 Phone : Kensington 9383. C, L. Cabirol. Born 1889. Educated at Bordeaux University and a member of the French Bar. Pilot in the Air Force 1914-18. Joined Pathe, Paris, in 1919 ; in charge of the Sub-standard Dept. of Pathe of France, Lta. (London), in 1924; managing director of Pathescope, Ltd., since 1927. Addresses : — 10, Great Marlborough Street, W.i, and 23, Neeld Crescent, N.W.4. Phones : Gerrard 5736 and Hendon 2312. Shiavax Cawasjee Cambata, J.P. Justice of Peace, and Honorary Presidency Magistrate for the City of Bombay. Member of the Bombay Municipal Corporation, Municipal Standing Committee, and other public bodies and commercial associations . Managing Director of Shiavax C. Cambata & Co., Ltd., Bombay. Director of the Hirdagarh Collieries, Ltd. Director of several other commercial firms. A pioneer