Film studios
A little bit of Hollywood comes to WGC
By Llinos Thomas
The film industry
The film studios in Broadwater Road opened in 1928. Reports from newspapers of the time noted the development as the ‘last word in studio design and construction’. The studios produced over 80 features until its closure in 1952- most notably 1947 film Brighton Rock starring Richard Attenborough.
It was not unusual for the extras to repair to the Cherry Tree, between takes, to take some refreshment. During the making of the World War One drama, I Was A Spy, the whole restaurant was taken over by actors wearing German uniforms.
Listen to reminiscences on the location filming of “I was a Spy” here
This page was added on 01/06/2009.
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My Grandfather was also a set carpenter at the studios in WGC and moved to Elstree in 1950. He was also Skipper of the Welwyn Film Studios football team after being captain for Welwyn Garden FC 1946-48.
My Grandfather was a set carpenter at the studios in WGC and moved to Elstree in 1950.
Originally he had been a carpenter for Welwyn Builders and helped construct the town in the 1920s and 1930s.