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 with a reissue of part of his final series, Richard the Lionheart. More recently some Danziger feature films have been reissued on dvd, and it is hoped Danziger tv series will soon follow suit.
Do you know Joseph Losey worked as an early script editor? Brian Clemens was chief script writer and Richard Lester directed a few stories. With Michael Winner a second unit director, it's time to reappraise their output.
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 like Lew Grade. 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!
Danziger TV series:
Calling Scotland Yard (1953) - 13 short films made for US tv, never shown on British screens. Some stories 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)
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
Abortive series: Ali Baba,
and
The World is My Beat Feature Films
*Note; Some interesting early acting roles include Michael Caine, Patrick McGoohan, and Leslie Phillips.
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CALLING SCOTLAND YARD A series of 13 individual films made 1953 and transmitted on NBC Summer 1956 under the title "Detectives Diary." Six were made into two compilations
and shown as second cinema features.
An article in Film Review 1953-4 states "a dozen short thrillers have already been
made" mentioning that "the first three films" were Ladies of Leisure, Falstaff's Fur
Coat, The Thief of London. It states they were made in association with Paramount
with George Routledge as the producer." Script editor is famous Hollywood director
Joseph Losey." However they are definitely the first TV series made by Edward and Harry Lee Danziger.
Here's a list of the stories made. I have never seen any of them.
1 The Missing Passenger - (probably also known as Ladies of Leisure) starring Patrick Barr and Kay Walsh
2 Falstaff's Fur Coat - with Howard Marion Crawford
3 The Thief Of London - starring Jack Watling and Gene Anderson, with Peter Gawthorne
4 Thirty Days to Die (Death) - with Hubert Gregg and Laurence Naismith. Arthur Lowe has a small part
5 The Wedding Gift - (a.k.a. Present For A Bride) starring Hazel Court, Derek Bond with David Horne
6 The Final Twist - with Karel Stepanek and Catherine Finn
7 The Javanese Dagger - with Anthony Nicholls, Yvonne Furneaux
8 The Ripper Strikes
9 The Wilful Widow - cast included George Baker
10 The Stranger on the Sea - starring Paul Carpenter and Hugh Latimer. Stephen Murray and Leslie Phillips are also credited
11 The Corpse of Pleasant Avenue
12 The Man who stayed Alive
13 The Sable Scarf - with John Laurie, Andrew Crawford