Grand National Films Inc.
| Industry | Los Angeles, California , United States |
|---|---|
Key people | Edward L. Alperson |
Grand National Films, Inc (or Grand National Pictures, Grand National Productions and Grand National Film Distributing Co.) was an American independent motion picture production-distribution company in operation from 1936 to 1939.[1] The company had no relation to the British Grand National Pictures (although the British firm used the American company's logo).
History and releases
In April 1936, Alperson took over First Division's film exchanges, existing product line, and contracts.[2] The First Division name had become associated with low-budget productions, so Alperson renamed the company Grand National Film Distributing Company, aiming to release higher-grade features for independent theaters, just like fellow upstart Republic Pictures. By the summer, he had begun development of a California-based production entity, Grand National Productions, sharing the production facilities of comedy-shorts company Educational Pictures. By October, he had his first original films ready for release. Alperson created the studio's logo, a futuristic clock tower, with an idea to advertise "it's time to see a Grand National release."[3]
Producer
The studio had an overseas distribution agreement with
In 1936, Grand National succeeded in signing James Cagney, after he had a falling out with his home studio, Warner Bros. After making Great Guy for Grand National, Cagney was offered a gangster story, Angels with Dirty Faces, which Grand National had acquired. Cagney was worried about being typecast as a gangster, as he had been at Warner Bros., and opted instead for a musical satire on Hollywood called Something to Sing About, directed by Victor Schertzinger. The Cagney name was a huge coup for Grand National, and the company invested much more money than usual in its Cagney films, expecting a boxoffice bonanza. Despite Cagney's presence, however, neither picture turned a profit. The Cagney films were simply too expensive for the intended market. Grand National's customer base consisted of small, neighborhood movie theaters -- outside the major studios' theater networks, and accustomed to paying cheap rentals for low-budget films. Thus, Grand National was unable to recoup its investment, a key factor in the company's imminent collapse.[3] The Angels with Dirty Faces property went to Warner Bros., as did Cagney himself.
In 1938, film executive
Partial filmography
Grand National released a total of 100 films in its three-year run. Many of its titles have lapsed into the public domain and are legally accessible online. Following is a list of representative Grand National releases.
- Captain Calamity (with George Houston, 1936)
- The Devil on Horseback (with Lili Damita, 1936)
- Headin' for the Rio Grande (with Tex Ritter, 1936)
- Lonely Road (British, with Clive Brook, 1936)
- Great Guy (with James Cagney, 1936)
- Trailin' Trouble (with Ken Maynard, 1937)
- Navy Spy (with Conrad Nagel and Eleanor Hunt, 1937)
- Renfrew of the Royal Mounted (with James Newill, 1937)
- Something to Sing About (with James Cagney, 1937)
- Swing It, Sailor! (with Wallace Ford and Ray Mayer, 1938)
- Here's Flash Casey (with Eric Linden, 1938)
- Mr. Boggs Steps Out (with Stuart Erwin, 1938)
- Long Shot (with Gordon Jones, 1939)
- Exile Express (with Anna Sten, 1939)
- Isle of Destiny (with William Gargan, bought by RKO for release in 1940)
- Half a Sinner (with Constance Collier, bought by Universal for release in 1940)
- Miracle on Main Street (with Margo, bought by Columbia for release in 1940)
References
- ^ Fernett, Gene Hollywood's Poverty row 1930-1950 Coral Reef Publications 1973
- ^ "First Division".
- ^ a b p.41 Fernett, Gene L. Hollywood's Poverty Row 1930-1950 1973 Coral Reef Publications
- ^ "Edward L. Alperson Obituary" Variety 9 July 1969
- ^ Motion Picture Herald, "Ample Supply of Financing in Sight: Hammons," Mar. 25, 1939, p. 34.