Michael balcon biography

Whatever limitations may now be ascribed to the Ealing Studios output of the 1940s and 1950s, it is undeniably at the centre of any account of the British film industry's most prestigious period - and is above all the achievement of Michael Balcon.

In an industry short of -style , Balcon emerges, along with Alexander Korda and J.

Arthur Rank, as a key figure, and an obdurately British one too, in his benevolent, somewhat headmasterly approach to the running of a creative organisation.

Balcon entered the industry as a regional distributor in 1919, and in 1921 co-founded Victory Motion Pictures with Victor Saville.

In 1924, he and Graham Cutts founded Gainsborough Pictures, which he presided over for twelve years, as director of production for Gaumont-British from 1931. During his incumbency, he oversaw production of some of Alfred Hitchcock's most charming entertainments, as well as Jessie Matthews' highly successful musicals.

After two frustrating years