George Berthold Samuelson (6 July 1889 – 17 April 1947) was a director and film producer. Born in Southport,

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...

, Samuelson was the youngest son of Henschel and Bertha Samuelson, tobacconists originally from Prussia. By 1891, his mother was widowed and was carrying on the business.

1891 United Kingdom census The United Kingdom Census 1891 was a census of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland carried out on Sunday 5 April 1891. A question was added to record the number of rooms in a household, in response to concerns about overcrowding in ci ...

41, Nevill Street, Southport
at ancestry.co.uk, accessed 5 May 2020 Samuelson had an extensive film career and was the creator of

Southall Studios Southall Studios was a film studio located in Southall, Middlesex (now west London) which operated between 1924 and 1958. The studio was constructed on the site of a former aircraft hangar by the silent film director and producer G.B. Samuelson. ...

, one of the earliest film production companies in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

. He also ran G. B. Samuelson Productions from 1914 to 1933. He was the brother of

Julian Julian may refer to: People * Julian (emperor) (331–363), Roman emperor from 361 to 363 * Julian (Rome), referring to the Roman gens Julia, with imperial dynasty offshoots * Saint Julian (disambiguation), several Christian saints * Julian (give ...

and

Lauri Wylie Lauri Wylie (25 May 1880 – 28 June 1951), originally Maurice Laurence Samuelson Metzenberg, was a British actor and author. He is primarily remembered as the author of the play "Dinner for One", the 1963 screen adaptation of which went on to be ...

and the father of Sir

Sydney Samuelson Sir Sydney H. Wylie Samuelson (7 December 1925 – 14 December 2022) was a British film director and cinematographer. He was appointed in 1991 by the government of the UK as the first British Film Commissioner. Early life Sydney Wylie Samuelso ...

Selected filmography

Producer * '' Sixty Years a Queen'' (1913) * '' A Study in Scarlet'' (1914) * ''

John Halifax, Gentleman ''John Halifax, Gentleman'' is a novel by Dinah Craik, first published in 1856. The novel was adapted for BBC Radio 4 in 1970 and on television on BBC in 1974. Plot summary The action is centred on the town of Tewkesbury, scarcely disguised b ...

'' (1915) * '' The Valley of Fear'' (1916) * ''

Little Women ''Little Women'' is a coming-of-age novel written by American novelist Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888). Alcott wrote the book, originally published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869, at the request of her publisher. The story follows the lives ...

'' (1917) * ''

The Elder Miss Blossom ''The Elder Miss Blossom'' (also released under the titles ''Wanted a Wife'' and ''Choosing a Wife'') is a 1918 British silent drama film directed by Percy Nash and starring Isobel Elsom, Minna Grey and Owen Nares. It was shot at Isleworth Studio ...

'' (1918) * '' Linked by Fate'' (1919) * '' Edge O' Beyond'' (1919) * ''

Damaged Goods Damaged goods or Damaged Goods may refer to: * Goods that have been damaged, where goods are items that satisfy human wants and provide utility * A person considered to be less than perfect psychologically, as a result of a traumatic experience ...

'' (1919) * ''

The Pride of the Fancy ''The Pride of the Fancy'' is a British silent motion picture of 1920 directed by Richard Garrick and Albert Ward, produced by G. B. Samuelson, and starring Rex Davis, Daisy Burrell and Tom Reynolds. A drama, it was based on a novel by George ...

'' (1920) * ''

The Last Rose of Summer "The Last Rose of Summer" is a poem by the Irish poet Thomas Moore. He wrote it in 1805, while staying at Jenkinstown Castle in County Kilkenny, Ireland, where he was said to have been inspired by a specimen of Rosa 'Old Blush'. The poem is s ...

'' (1920) * '' Nance'' (1920) * '' Her Story'' (1920) * '' The Grip of Iron'' (1920) * '' A Temporary Gentleman'' (1920) * ''

The Husband Hunter The Husband Hunter is a 1920 American comedy-drama film directed by Howard M. Mitchell starring Eileen Percy and Emory Johnson Alfred Emory Johnson (March 16, 1894 – April 18, 1960) was an American actor, director, producer, and writer. A ...

'' (1920) * ''

The Night Riders The Night Riders was the name given by the press to the militant, terrorist faction of tobacco farmers during a popular resistance to the monopolistic practices of the American Tobacco Company of James B. Duke. On September 24, 1904, the tobacco p ...

'' (1920) *''

David and Jonathan David and Jonathan were, according to the Hebrew Bible's Books of Samuel, heroic figures of the Kingdom of Israel, who formed a covenant, taking a mutual oath. Jonathan was the son of Saul, king of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, and David w ...

'' (1920) * ''

Love in the Wilderness ''Love in the Wilderness'' is a 1920 British silent drama film directed by Alexander Butler and starring Madge Titheradge, C. M. Hallard and Campbell Gullan. It was adapted from Gertrude Page's 1907 novel '' Love in the Wilderness''. The film ...

'' (1920) * '' The Ugly Duckling'' (1920) * ''

Mr. Pim Passes By ''Mr Pim Passes By'' is a three act comedy by A. A. Milne, first produced in 1919, and seen in the West End theatre, West End in 1920 and on Broadway theatre, Broadway and in Australia in 1921. There were later stage revivals in London and New ...

'' (1921) * '' For Her Father's Sake'' (1921) * '' The Magistrate'' (1921) * ''

Stable Companions ''Stable Companions'' is a 1922 British silent sports film directed by Albert Ward and starring Clive Brook, Lillian Hall-Davis and Robert English. It is set in the world of horse racing. Cast * Clive Brook as James Pilkington * Lillian Hal ...

'' (1922) * ''

A Couple of Down and Outs ''A Couple of Down and Outs'' is a 1923 British silent drama film directed by Walter Summers and starring Edna Best, Rex Davis and George Foley. Production It was made at Isleworth Studios.Harris p.67 The film sought to raise public sympathy ...

'' (1923) * ''

Married Love ''Married Love or Love in Marriage'' is a book by British academic Marie Stopes. It was one of the first books openly to discuss birth control. The book begins by stating that "More than ever to-day are happy homes needed. It is my hope that thi ...

'' (1923) * ''

The Knockout ''The Knockout'' is a 1914 American silent comedy film starring Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle. It also features Charlie Chaplin in a small role, his seventeenth film for Keystone Studios. It is one of only a few films in which Chaplin's Little ...

'' (1923) * '' A Royal Divorce'' (1923) * ''

The Cost of Beauty ''The Cost of Beauty'' is a 1924 British silent romance film directed by Walter Summers and starring Betty Ross Clarke, Lewis Dayton and James Lindsay. It was made at Isleworth Studios.Harris p.67 Cast * Betty Ross Clarke Betty Ross Clark ...

'' (1924) * ''

The Unwanted ''The Unwanted'' is a 2014 American thriller film written and directed by Bret Wood. It is based on the novel ''Carmilla'' by Sheridan Le Fanu but was transposed from a Gothic tale set in Austria to a Southern Gothic setting. It stars Christen ...

'' (1924) Director * '' The Admirable Crichton'' (1918) * ''

The Bridal Chair ''The Bridal Chair'' is a British silent motion picture of 1919 directed by G. B. Samuelson and starring Miriam J. Sabbage, C. M. Hallard, Daisy Burrell and Mary Rorke. A drama, it was written by Samuelson and Roland Pertwee. The film was prem ...

'' (1919) * '' Convict 99'' (1919) * ''

The Game of Life ''The Game of Life'', also known simply as ''Life'', is a board game Board games are tabletop games that typically use . These pieces are moved or placed on a pre-marked board (playing surface) and often include elements of table, card, rol ...

'' (1922) * '' Afterglow'' (1923) * '' A Royal Divorce'' (1923) * ''

I Pagliacci ''Pagliacci'' (; literal translation, "Clowns") is an Italian opera in a prologue and two acts, with music and libretto by Ruggero Leoncavallo. The opera tells the tale of Canio, actor and leader of a commedia dell'arte theatrical company, who mu ...

'' (1923) * ''

Who Is the Man? ''Who Is The Man?'' (1924) is a British silent film drama directed by Walter Summers. The film was based on the successful French play ''Daniel'' by Louis Verneuil and is notable as the first screen appearance of John Gielgud. Plot Daniel Arna ...

'' (1924) * ''

She She most commonly refers to: *She (pronoun), the third person singular, feminine, nominative case pronoun in modern English. She or S.H.E. may also refer to: Literature and films *'' She: A History of Adventure'', an 1887 novel by H. Rider Hagga ...

'' (1925) * '' Motherland'' (1927) * ''

Two Little Drummer Boys ''Two Little Drummer Boys'' is a 1928 British silent comedy film directed by G. B. Samuelson and starring Georgie Wood, Derrick De Marney and Alma Taylor. The film was based on the 1899 play ''Two Little Drummer Boys'' by Walter Howard and wa ...

'' (1928) * '' The Forger'' (1928) * '' For Valour'' (1928) * '' Valley of the Ghosts'' (1928) * '' Spanish Eyes'' (1930) * ''

The Wickham Mystery ''The Wickham Mystery'' is a 1931 British mystery film directed by G. B. Samuelson and starring Eve Gray, John Longden and Lester Matthews. It was based on a play by John McNally. It was shot at Isleworth Studios in London and distributed by U ...

'' (1931) * '' The Other Woman'' (1931) * '' Collision'' (1932) *'' Threads'' (1932) * ''

The Callbox Mystery ''The Callbox Mystery'' is a 1932 British crime film directed by G.B. Samuelson and starring Warwick Ward, Harold French and Wendy Barrie. It was made at Cricklewood Studios as a quota quickie.Chibnall p.266 Cast * Warwick Ward as Leo Mount * ...

'' (1932) * '' The Crucifix'' (1934)

References

External links

* * Gabriel A. Sivan:
George Berthold Samuelson (1889-1947): Britain's Jewish film pioneer
' in ''Jewish Historical Studies'', vol. 44 (2012) pp. 201–229 {{DEFAULTSORT:Samuelson, G. B. 1889 births 1947 deaths People from Southport English film producers G.B. 20th-century English businesspeople