Welsh-Pearson

{{short description|British film production and distribution company}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}

{{Infobox company | name = Welsh-Pearson Company | industry = {{ubl|Film production|Film distribution}} | founded = {{start date and age|1918}} | founders = {{ubl|George Pearson|Thomas Welsh}} }}

The '''Welsh-Pearson Company''' was a British film production and distribution company active during the silent and early sound eras. It was founded in 1918 by two pioneering film figures, George Pearson and Thomas Welsh, with the single-stage Craven Park Studios as their base.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/506360/index.html|title=BFI Screenonline: Pearson, George (1875-1973) Biography|website=www.screenonline.org.uk}}</ref> Because of the cramped conditions there, Welsh-Pearson had to use other studios such as Islington for larger scenes.<ref>Warren p. 21</ref>

Pearson recruited Betty Balfour for the company's films, and she was transformed into the leading British female star of the 1920s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/571997/index.html|title=BFI Screenonline: Balfour, Betty (1903-1978) Biography|website=www.screenonline.org.uk}}</ref> Amongst her most popular roles were the series of films that began with ''Squibs'' in 1921.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmovie.com/movie/squibs-v111525|title=Squibs (1921) - George Pearson - Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related - AllMovie|website=AllMovie}}</ref> In 1929 the company moved into sound production, with a tie-up with Gainsborough Pictures to make ''Journey's End'', which was filmed in America. It launched the directing career of James Whale. who quickly became a leading figure in Hollywood.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmovie.com/artist/james-whale-p116539|title=James Whale - Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos - AllMovie|website=AllMovie}}</ref>

Shortly afterwards the company abandoned film production and Pearson, who had once been a leading force in British direction, drifted into making quota quickies.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/apr/03/lost-silent-film-love-life-and-laughter-dutch-archive-bfi|title=Lost British silent film classic Love, Life and Laughter found in Dutch archive|first=Mark|last=Brown|date=2 April 2014|website=The Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.culhamcollege.co.uk/history-of-the-college/famous-culhamites/george-pearson|title=George Pearson - Culham College|website=www.culhamcollege.co.uk}}</ref>

==Selected filmography== * ''The Romance of Old Bill'' (1918) * ''Journey's End'' (1930)

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Bibliography== * Low, Rachael. ''The History of the British Film, 1918-1929''. George Allen & Unwin, 1971. * Warren, Patricia. ''British Film Studios: An Illustrated History''. Batsford, 2001.

Category:British film studios Category:Film production companies of the United Kingdom Category:Film distributors of the United Kingdom