John E. Blakeley (1 October 1888 – 20 February 1958) was a British

film producer A film producer is a person who oversees film production. Either employed by a production company or working independently, producers plan and coordinate various aspects of film production, such as selecting the script, coordinating writing, di ...

director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''Di ...

and

screenwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based. ...

, the founder of

Mancunian Films Mancunian Films was a British film production company first organised in 1934. From 1947 it was based in Rusholme, a suburb of Manchester, and produced a number of comedy films, mostly aimed at audiences in the North of England. History Founded ...

. Born in

Ardwick Ardwick is a district of Manchester in North West England, one mile south east of the city centre. The population of the Ardwick Ward at the 2011 census was 19,250. Historically in Lancashire, by the mid-nineteenth century Ardwick had grown from ...

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

, son of James Blakeley (born c. 1862; Manchester), and Margaret Quirk (born c. 1861; Glasgow, Scotland), he was of Lancashire (Church of England) descent on his father's side of the family and

Irish Catholic Irish Catholics are an ethnoreligious group native to Ireland whose members are both Catholic and Irish. They have a large diaspora, which includes over 36 million American citizens and over 14 million British citizens (a quarter of the British ...

on his mother's. His father had become an early

film distributor A film distributor is responsible for the Film promotion, marketing of a film. The distribution company may be the same with, or different from, the production company. Distribution deals are an important part of financing a film. The distributo ...

in 1908 after previous work as a travelling draper. Blakeley joined his father's business and soon came to understand the tastes of the emerging

cinema Cinema may refer to: Film * Cinematography, the art of motion-picture photography * Film or movie, a series of still images that create the illusion of a moving image ** Film industry, the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking * ...

audiences in the northern industrial towns. By the 1930s, the younger Blakeley was making films starring the idols of northern

music hall Music hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment that was popular from the early Victorian era, beginning around 1850. It faded away after 1918 as the halls rebranded their entertainment as variety. Perceptions of a distinction in Bri ...

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

George Formby George Formby, (born George Hoy Booth; 26 May 1904 – 6 March 1961) was an English actor, singer-songwriter and comedian who became known to a worldwide audience through his films of the 1930s and 1940s. On stage, screen and record he s ...

Frank Randle Frank Randle (born Arthur Hughes, also known as Arthur McEvoy or Arthur Twist; 30 January 1901 – 7 July 1957) was an English comedian. A contemporary of fellow Lancastrians George Formby and Gracie Fields, he was regarded as more subv ...

and Sandy Powell. Dickenson Road Studios

Initially relying on studios in London, rising costs encouraged him to found the Mancunian Film Studios in his hometown in 1947. With £70,000

capital Capital may refer to: Common uses * Capital city, a municipality of primary status ** List of national capital cities * Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences * Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used f ...

, a former Methodist chapel on Dickenson Road in

Rusholme Rusholme () is an area of Manchester, England, two miles south of the city centre. The population of the ward at the 2011 census was 13,643. Rusholme is bounded by Chorlton-on-Medlock to the north, Victoria Park and Longsight to the east, Fallo ...

was converted into a film studio. The studios produced a sequence of profitable films, often on shoestring budgets, until Blakeley's retirement in 1953. He died in

Stockport Stockport is a town and borough in Greater Manchester, England, south-east of Manchester, south-west of Ashton-under-Lyne and north of Macclesfield. The River Goyt and Tame merge to create the River Mersey here. Most of the town is within ...

aged 69.

Filmography

Director

* '' Dodging the Dole'' (1936) * ''

Somewhere in England ''Somewhere in England'' is the ninth studio album by English musician George Harrison, released on 1 June 1981 by Dark Horse Records. The album was recorded as Harrison was becoming increasingly frustrated with the music industry. The album's ...

'' (1940) * ''

Somewhere in Camp ''Somewhere in Camp'' is a 1942 British comedy film directed by John E. Blakeley and starring Frank Randle, Harry Korris and Robbie Vincent. The film continues the adventures of Private Randle from the 1940 film ''Somewhere in England''. It was ...

'' (1942) * ''

Somewhere on Leave ''Somewhere on Leave'' is a 1943 British comedy film directed by John E. Blakeley and starring Frank Randle, Harry Korris and Dan Young. It was the third in the series of ''Somewhere'' films following Private Randle and his comrades. It was fo ...

'' (1942) * ''

Home Sweet Home Home Sweet Home may refer to: Film * ''Home, Sweet Home'' (1914 film), a film about the life of John Howard Payne * ''Home Sweet Home'' (1917 film), a British silent film * ''Home Sweet Home'' (1926 film), a silent film drama * ''Home, Swe ...

'' (1945) * ''

Demobbed Demobilization or demobilisation (see spelling differences) is the process of standing down a nation's armed forces from combat-ready status. This may be as a result of victory in war, or because a crisis has been peacefully resolved and militar ...

'' (1946) * ''

Under New Management ''Under New Management'', also known as ''Honeymoon Hotel'', is a 1946 British comedy film directed by John E. Blakeley and starring Nat Jackley, Norman Evans and Dan Young. The screenplay concerns a chimney sweep inherits a hotel and calls on ...

'' (1946) * ''

Holidays with Pay ''Holidays with Pay'' is a 1948 British comedy film directed by John E. Blakeley and starring Frank Randle, Tessie O'Shea and Dan Young. The film follows the Rogers family as they go on holiday to Blackpool and enjoy a series of adventures. P ...

'' (1948) * ''

Cup-Tie Honeymoon ''Cup-tie Honeymoon'' was the first motion picture to be filmed at the Dickenson Road Studios by the Mancunian Film Corporation in 1948, themed around football. Plot summary A business man's son (Powell) has to choose between playing for his ...

'' (1948) * '' What a Carry On!'' (1949) * ''

Somewhere in Politics ''Somewhere in Politics'' is a 1949 British comedy film directed by John E. Blakeley and starring Frank Randle, Tessie O'Shea and Josef Locke. It was the fifth film in the ''Somewhere'' series of films featuring Randle followed by ''It's a Gran ...

'' (1949) * ''

School for Randle ''School for Randle'' is a 1949 British comedy film directed by John E. Blakeley and starring Frank Randle, Dan Young and Alec Pleon. The plot concerns a school caretaker who turns out to be the father of one of the pupils. When she runs away fro ...

'' (1949) * ''

Over the Garden Wall ''Over the Garden Wall'' is an American animated television miniseries created by Patrick McHale for Cartoon Network. The series centers on two half-brothers who travel across a mysterious forest to find their way home, encountering a variet ...

'' (1950) * ''

Let's Have a Murder ''Let's Have a Murder'' is a 1950 British comedy crime film directed by John E. Blakeley and starring Jimmy Jewel, Ben Warriss and Lesley Osmond.British Comedy Cinema p.61 It was made by Mancunian Films at their studios in Manchester. Two priv ...

'' (1950) * ''

It's a Grand Life ''It's a Grand Life'' is a 1953 British comedy film starring Frank Randle and Diana Dors. Music hall comedian Frank Randle who had previously starred in a film series of World War II army comedies (''Somewhere in England'' (1940), ''Somewhere i ...

'' (1953)

Producer

* ''

The Penny Pool ''The Penny Pool'' is a 1937 British comedy film directed by George Black (producer), George Black and starring Douglas Wakefield, Billy Nelson (English actor), Billy Nelson and Chuck O'Neil. It was made at Highbury Studios.Wood p.96 Cast Refe ...

'' (1937) * '' Calling All Crooks'' (1938)

Bibliography

*Williams, Philip Martin & David L. (2001) New Edition (2006) ''Hooray for Jollywood - The Life of John E. Blakeley & The Mancunian Film Corporation''

References

External links

*
Biography
from the

British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Blakeley, John E. 1888 births 1958 deaths People from Ardwick English film producers 20th-century English businesspeople