Edward J Danziger and his brother Harry Lee Danziger
were pioneer independent TV producers famed for their "indifferent quality and low budgeting." So wrote Margaret Cowan, whilst conceding that they "remain a fantastic phenomenon." The pair rented space at the Riverside Studios, Hammersmith and then at Nettlefold Studios. Success enabled them to purchase their own headquarters, The New Elstree Studios in 1955. By December 1961, when production ceased, I calculate they had made 351 TV shorts as well at least 55 British cinema second features. Interestingly as the studios closed Harry prophesied: "we are not saying goodbye for all time to films and television, but it will be a long au revoir until conditions alter in favour of the independent producer." Indeed it was a very long wait, but in 2003 Harry Danziger made one final return when thru his nephew he reissued part of his final series, Richard the Lionheart. Some Danziger feature films and tv output also resurfaced thru the late Jeffrey Kruger, while in summer 2022 Network have released a fine collection of Danziger tv programmes. .
Do you know Joseph Losey worked as an early script editor? Brian Clemens was chief script writer and Richard Lester directed a few stories and Michael Winner a second unit director. It's high time for a kinder reappraisal of their output, that's what I'm doing on these Danziger pages.
The Danzigers have suffered from ill-informed criticism for too long, for example with complaints about poor acting, yet I have seen only a few examples of this, and considering two half hour tv programmes were often produced each week in the era 1955 to 1958, the standard of production was impressively high. Certainly there are few big name stars*, but this does not mean their output should be rejected. Indeed quite the opposite, the Danzigers pioneered independent tv production in this country and were sadly squeezed out by the big boys. The climate in the 21st century has changed and today the brothers would have been in their element, though I do worry just what type of shows they would be producing!
Calling Scotland Yard (1953) - 13 short films made for US tv, never shown on British screens. Some were made into cinema compilations.
The Vise (1954/5) - made for US again, but some of this series later showed up in Britain renamed 'Tension' (65 twenty five minute films= picture #13)
Mark Saber (1955-59) - later as Saber of London, the Danzigers' biggest success (65 Mark Saber, 91 Saber of London, total 156)
Man from Interpol (1959/60) - though this series of 39 stories amazingly received network status in America, that soon changed
The Cheaters (1960/1) - to my mind the Danzigers' most accomplished series (39 stories)
Richard the Lionheart (1961) - a last tv series of 39 stories, different to any of the preceding, one that deserved a better fate
New Elstree Feature Films
*Note- Some interesting early acting roles include Michael Caine, Patrick McGoohan, and Leslie Phillips
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