1508:
27:
122:
During the 20 years
General Film Distributors had its original name, the company distributed over 450 mainstream films. A British DVD distributor, active since 2005, uses the same name but is not related to the original company.
111:
trademark which was adopted by the Rank
Organisation when it was founded in 1937. Athletes who played the Gongman in the film sequence over the years, included boxer Bombardier
309:
1410:
81:, convinced him to make it a daughter company to their General Cinema Finance Corporation, which just had acquired the British distribution rights for all
1532:
1313:
213:
302:
1095:
1085:
1511:
1432:
295:
277:
201:
139:
227:
1454:
1318:
1353:
1338:
78:
185:
158:
1465:
1358:
1348:
334:
1245:
67:
1420:
1394:
1230:
1105:
1049:
922:
170:
1343:
859:
854:
849:
844:
839:
834:
829:
824:
819:
814:
809:
804:
799:
794:
789:
784:
779:
774:
769:
764:
759:
754:
749:
744:
739:
734:
729:
724:
719:
714:
709:
704:
699:
694:
689:
684:
679:
674:
669:
664:
659:
654:
649:
644:
639:
634:
629:
624:
619:
614:
609:
604:
599:
594:
589:
584:
579:
574:
569:
564:
559:
554:
549:
544:
539:
534:
529:
524:
519:
514:
509:
504:
499:
494:
489:
484:
479:
474:
469:
464:
459:
454:
449:
444:
439:
434:
429:
424:
419:
414:
409:
404:
399:
394:
389:
384:
379:
374:
369:
364:
359:
354:
349:
344:
339:
51:
film distribution company based in London. It was active between 1935 and 1996, and from 1937 it was part of
1437:
872:
318:
1415:
1145:
1100:
92:
General Film
Distributors kept its own name within the Rank Organisation until 1955, when it was renamed
1477:
1448:
982:
1277:
1240:
1110:
85:
titles (by buying a large chunk of
Universal in the US). One year later it became the cornerstone in
1471:
1170:
1019:
1363:
1297:
947:
1389:
1323:
1115:
1024:
326:
101:
1488:
1272:
1205:
1150:
912:
86:
52:
1426:
1328:
1292:
1120:
897:
20:
8:
1200:
1195:
1185:
1165:
1130:
1064:
1210:
1180:
1080:
1012:
967:
902:
887:
82:
1175:
1059:
977:
932:
1267:
1215:
1135:
1007:
997:
1459:
1373:
1368:
1282:
1190:
992:
962:
942:
927:
63:
1483:
1220:
1039:
1002:
987:
952:
917:
287:
74:
48:
58:
General Film
Distributors was created in 1935 by the British film distributor
1526:
1333:
1235:
1225:
1125:
1044:
26:
1155:
1029:
972:
957:
116:
261:
1287:
1090:
112:
59:
1493:
1140:
1054:
937:
1442:
907:
173:
Past and
Present - National Identity and the British Historical Film
892:
250:
108:
1034:
159:
119:. Also, George Francis Moss Snr played the Gongman.
1524:
317:
100:in 1957. Rank Film Distributors was acquired by
107:It was C.M. Woolf's secretary who devised the
303:
228:"Carlton int'l distrib'n arm to be shuttered"
154:
152:
188:J. Arthur Rank and the British Film Industry
310:
296:
149:
278:Francis Donald Klingender, Stuart Legg:
140:Francis Donald Klingender, Stuart Legg:
25:
1533:Film distributors of the United Kingdom
62:(1879–1942) after he had resigned from
1525:
1086:Associated British Picture Corporation
291:
262:IMDb: General Film Distributors (GFD)
225:
1455:History of British film certificates
1319:British Board of Film Classification
192:, pages 21-23 - Retrieved 2012-10-31
66:and closed his distribution company
1354:National Film and Television School
1339:British Society of Cinematographers
13:
14:
1544:
1359:National Science and Media Museum
1246:Woolf & Freedman Film Service
271:
176:, page 114 - Retrieved 2012-10-30
68:Woolf & Freedman Film Service
1507:
1506:
94:J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors
41:J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors
1421:British Independent Film Awards
1349:Cinema Exhibitors' Association
1231:Tigon British Film Productions
1106:British National Films Company
1050:Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden
255:
244:
219:
207:
202:BFI: General Film Distributors
195:
179:
164:
133:
1:
126:
1438:Cinematograph Films Act 1927
319:Cinema of the United Kingdom
96:, which in turn was renamed
7:
1416:British Academy Film Awards
1146:G. B. Samuelson Productions
1101:British Instructional Films
226:Boehm, Erich (1997-09-22).
214:BFI: Rank Film Distributors
98:Rank Film Distributors Ltd.
45:Rank Film Distributors Ltd.
16:British film releasing firm
10:
1549:
1344:Children's Film Foundation
983:Mister Smith Entertainment
18:
1502:
1403:
1382:
1306:
1278:Documentary Film Movement
1258:
1241:Woodfall Film Productions
1161:General Film Distributors
1073:
880:
868:
325:
36:General Film Distributors
1171:Hemdale Film Corporation
1020:Recorded Picture Company
19:Not to be confused with
1364:Northern Ireland Screen
1298:Gainsborough melodramas
948:Hammer Film Productions
280:Money Behind the Screen
142:Money Behind the Screen
1324:British Film Institute
1116:Clarendon Film Company
1111:Butcher's Film Service
1025:Scott Free Productions
102:Carlton Communications
77:and the paper magnate
39:(GFD), later known as
31:
1489:National Theatre Live
1273:British horror cinema
1206:The Rank Organisation
1151:Gainsborough Pictures
1096:British and Dominions
913:Double Negative (VFX)
87:The Rank Organisation
53:the Rank Organisation
29:
1472:London Film Festival
1329:BFI National Archive
1293:Kitchen sink realism
898:Big Talk Productions
869:Production companies
284:Retrieved 2012-10-31
264:Retrieved 2012-10-31
216:Retrieved 2012-10-30
204:Retrieved 2011-09-02
161:Retrieved 2011-09-02
146:Retrieved 2012-10-31
104:in 1997 and closed.
21:General Film Company
1201:Merton Park Studios
1196:MGM-British Studios
1186:London Film Company
1166:Halas and Batchelor
1131:Denham Film Studios
1065:Working Title Films
282:(1937), pages 37-41
144:(1937), pages 37-41
1181:Ideal Film Company
1081:Amicus Productions
1013:Shepperton Studios
968:Jellyfish Pictures
903:British Lion Films
888:Aardman Animations
83:Universal Pictures
32:
1520:
1519:
1460:Home Video Charts
1254:
1253:
1176:Hepworth Pictures
1060:Wimbledon Studios
978:Longcross Studios
933:Film4 Productions
186:Geoffrey Macnab:
1540:
1510:
1509:
1268:British New Wave
1216:Southall Studios
1136:Eagle-Lion Films
1008:Pinewood Studios
998:Passion Pictures
878:
877:
312:
305:
298:
289:
288:
265:
259:
253:
248:
242:
241:
239:
238:
223:
217:
211:
205:
199:
193:
183:
177:
168:
162:
156:
147:
137:
1548:
1547:
1543:
1542:
1541:
1539:
1538:
1537:
1523:
1522:
1521:
1516:
1498:
1399:
1378:
1374:UK Film Council
1369:Scottish Screen
1302:
1283:Ealing comedies
1260:
1250:
1191:Mancunian Films
1121:Bryanston Films
1069:
993:Palace Pictures
963:The Imaginarium
943:Goldcrest Films
928:Eon Productions
923:Elstree Studios
870:
864:
321:
316:
274:
269:
268:
260:
256:
249:
245:
236:
234:
224:
220:
212:
208:
200:
196:
184:
180:
171:James Chapman:
169:
165:
157:
150:
138:
134:
129:
109:man-with-a-gong
64:Gaumont British
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1546:
1536:
1535:
1518:
1517:
1515:
1514:
1503:
1500:
1499:
1497:
1496:
1491:
1486:
1484:London in film
1481:
1474:
1469:
1462:
1457:
1452:
1445:
1440:
1435:
1430:
1423:
1418:
1413:
1407:
1405:
1401:
1400:
1398:
1397:
1392:
1386:
1384:
1380:
1379:
1377:
1376:
1371:
1366:
1361:
1356:
1351:
1346:
1341:
1336:
1331:
1326:
1321:
1316:
1310:
1308:
1304:
1303:
1301:
1300:
1295:
1290:
1285:
1280:
1275:
1270:
1264:
1262:
1256:
1255:
1252:
1251:
1249:
1248:
1243:
1238:
1233:
1228:
1223:
1221:Stoll Pictures
1218:
1213:
1208:
1203:
1198:
1193:
1188:
1183:
1178:
1173:
1168:
1163:
1158:
1153:
1148:
1143:
1138:
1133:
1128:
1123:
1118:
1113:
1108:
1103:
1098:
1093:
1088:
1083:
1077:
1075:
1071:
1070:
1068:
1067:
1062:
1057:
1052:
1047:
1042:
1040:Thin Man Films
1037:
1032:
1027:
1022:
1017:
1016:
1015:
1010:
1003:Pinewood Group
1000:
995:
990:
988:Number 9 Films
985:
980:
975:
970:
965:
960:
955:
953:HandMade Films
950:
945:
940:
935:
930:
925:
920:
918:Ealing Studios
915:
910:
905:
900:
895:
890:
884:
882:
875:
866:
865:
863:
862:
857:
852:
847:
842:
837:
832:
827:
822:
817:
812:
807:
802:
797:
792:
787:
782:
777:
772:
767:
762:
757:
752:
747:
742:
737:
732:
727:
722:
717:
712:
707:
702:
697:
692:
687:
682:
677:
672:
667:
662:
657:
652:
647:
642:
637:
632:
627:
622:
617:
612:
607:
602:
597:
592:
587:
582:
577:
572:
567:
562:
557:
552:
547:
542:
537:
532:
527:
522:
517:
512:
507:
502:
497:
492:
487:
482:
477:
472:
467:
462:
457:
452:
447:
442:
437:
432:
427:
422:
417:
412:
407:
402:
397:
392:
387:
382:
377:
372:
367:
362:
357:
352:
347:
342:
337:
331:
329:
323:
322:
315:
314:
307:
300:
292:
286:
285:
273:
272:External links
270:
267:
266:
254:
243:
218:
206:
194:
178:
163:
148:
131:
130:
128:
125:
75:J. Arthur Rank
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1545:
1534:
1531:
1530:
1528:
1513:
1505:
1504:
1501:
1495:
1492:
1490:
1487:
1485:
1482:
1480:
1479:
1475:
1473:
1470:
1468:
1467:
1463:
1461:
1458:
1456:
1453:
1451:
1450:
1446:
1444:
1441:
1439:
1436:
1434:
1431:
1429:
1428:
1424:
1422:
1419:
1417:
1414:
1412:
1409:
1408:
1406:
1402:
1396:
1393:
1391:
1388:
1387:
1385:
1381:
1375:
1372:
1370:
1367:
1365:
1362:
1360:
1357:
1355:
1352:
1350:
1347:
1345:
1342:
1340:
1337:
1335:
1334:BFI Southbank
1332:
1330:
1327:
1325:
1322:
1320:
1317:
1315:
1312:
1311:
1309:
1307:Organisations
1305:
1299:
1296:
1294:
1291:
1289:
1286:
1284:
1281:
1279:
1276:
1274:
1271:
1269:
1266:
1265:
1263:
1257:
1247:
1244:
1242:
1239:
1237:
1236:Warwick Films
1234:
1232:
1229:
1227:
1226:Tempean Films
1224:
1222:
1219:
1217:
1214:
1212:
1209:
1207:
1204:
1202:
1199:
1197:
1194:
1192:
1189:
1187:
1184:
1182:
1179:
1177:
1174:
1172:
1169:
1167:
1164:
1162:
1159:
1157:
1154:
1152:
1149:
1147:
1144:
1142:
1139:
1137:
1134:
1132:
1129:
1127:
1126:The Danzigers
1124:
1122:
1119:
1117:
1114:
1112:
1109:
1107:
1104:
1102:
1099:
1097:
1094:
1092:
1089:
1087:
1084:
1082:
1079:
1078:
1076:
1072:
1066:
1063:
1061:
1058:
1056:
1053:
1051:
1048:
1046:
1045:Vertigo Films
1043:
1041:
1038:
1036:
1033:
1031:
1028:
1026:
1023:
1021:
1018:
1014:
1011:
1009:
1006:
1005:
1004:
1001:
999:
996:
994:
991:
989:
986:
984:
981:
979:
976:
974:
971:
969:
966:
964:
961:
959:
956:
954:
951:
949:
946:
944:
941:
939:
936:
934:
931:
929:
926:
924:
921:
919:
916:
914:
911:
909:
906:
904:
901:
899:
896:
894:
891:
889:
886:
885:
883:
879:
876:
874:
867:
861:
858:
856:
853:
851:
848:
846:
843:
841:
838:
836:
833:
831:
828:
826:
823:
821:
818:
816:
813:
811:
808:
806:
803:
801:
798:
796:
793:
791:
788:
786:
783:
781:
778:
776:
773:
771:
768:
766:
763:
761:
758:
756:
753:
751:
748:
746:
743:
741:
738:
736:
733:
731:
728:
726:
723:
721:
718:
716:
713:
711:
708:
706:
703:
701:
698:
696:
693:
691:
688:
686:
683:
681:
678:
676:
673:
671:
668:
666:
663:
661:
658:
656:
653:
651:
648:
646:
643:
641:
638:
636:
633:
631:
628:
626:
623:
621:
618:
616:
613:
611:
608:
606:
603:
601:
598:
596:
593:
591:
588:
586:
583:
581:
578:
576:
573:
571:
568:
566:
563:
561:
558:
556:
553:
551:
548:
546:
543:
541:
538:
536:
533:
531:
528:
526:
523:
521:
518:
516:
513:
511:
508:
506:
503:
501:
498:
496:
493:
491:
488:
486:
483:
481:
478:
476:
473:
471:
468:
466:
463:
461:
458:
456:
453:
451:
448:
446:
443:
441:
438:
436:
433:
431:
428:
426:
423:
421:
418:
416:
413:
411:
408:
406:
403:
401:
398:
396:
393:
391:
388:
386:
383:
381:
378:
376:
373:
371:
368:
366:
363:
361:
358:
356:
353:
351:
348:
346:
343:
341:
338:
336:
333:
332:
330:
328:
327:Films by year
324:
320:
313:
308:
306:
301:
299:
294:
293:
290:
283:
281:
276:
275:
263:
258:
252:
247:
233:
229:
222:
215:
210:
203:
198:
191:
189:
182:
175:
174:
167:
160:
155:
153:
145:
143:
136:
132:
124:
120:
118:
115:and wrestler
114:
110:
105:
103:
99:
95:
90:
88:
84:
80:
76:
71:
69:
65:
61:
56:
54:
50:
46:
42:
38:
37:
28:
22:
1478:Look at Life
1476:
1464:
1449:Harry Potter
1447:
1425:
1211:Rock Studios
1160:
1156:Gate Studios
1030:Syncopy Inc.
973:London Films
958:Heyday Films
279:
257:
246:
235:. Retrieved
231:
221:
209:
197:
187:
181:
172:
166:
141:
135:
121:
117:Ken Richmond
106:
97:
93:
91:
72:
57:
44:
40:
35:
34:
33:
30:Opening logo
1288:Free Cinema
1091:Astra Films
113:Billy Wells
79:Lord Portal
60:C. M. Woolf
1494:Telecinema
1466:James Bond
1433:Censorship
1411:Box office
1259:Genres and
1141:Eros Films
1055:Warp Films
938:Framestore
237:2019-03-13
127:References
1443:Eady Levy
1395:Directors
1261:movements
1035:S4C Films
908:DNA Films
73:In 1936,
1527:Category
1512:Category
1427:Carry On
893:BBC Film
335:Pre-1920
47:, was a
873:studios
251:Gongman
232:Variety
49:British
1390:Actors
1383:People
1074:Former
881:Active
190:(1994)
1404:Other
1314:BAFTA
871:and
860:2024
855:2023
850:2022
845:2021
840:2020
835:2019
830:2018
825:2017
820:2016
815:2015
810:2014
805:2013
800:2012
795:2011
790:2010
785:2009
780:2008
775:2007
770:2006
765:2005
760:2004
755:2003
750:2002
745:2001
740:2000
735:1999
730:1998
725:1997
720:1996
715:1995
710:1994
705:1993
700:1992
695:1991
690:1990
685:1989
680:1988
675:1987
670:1986
665:1985
660:1984
655:1983
650:1982
645:1981
640:1980
635:1979
630:1978
625:1977
620:1976
615:1975
610:1974
605:1973
600:1972
595:1971
590:1970
585:1969
580:1968
575:1967
570:1966
565:1965
560:1964
555:1963
550:1962
545:1961
540:1960
535:1959
530:1958
525:1957
520:1956
515:1955
510:1954
505:1953
500:1952
495:1951
490:1950
485:1949
480:1948
475:1947
470:1946
465:1945
460:1944
455:1943
450:1942
445:1941
440:1940
435:1939
430:1938
425:1937
420:1936
415:1935
410:1934
405:1933
400:1932
395:1931
390:1930
385:1929
380:1928
375:1927
370:1926
365:1925
360:1924
355:1923
350:1922
345:1921
340:1920
43:and
1529::
230:.
151:^
89:.
70:.
55:.
311:e
304:t
297:v
240:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.