Studios and locations

I have always been pretty sure of this, but I wonder if anyone can
confirm. The first season of UFO was shot at the EMI Borehamwood film
studios, (of Star Wars fame etc.) - which is now a large Tescos. :(

However, the opening titles of "Harlington-Straker Studios" was shot
over the road at the then ATV TV studios (now BBC), that at one time
included Neptune House, which has since been demolished, where the
"Eastenders" set now stands.

I have worked at both Borehamwood and Pinewood studios, so I know the
places and geography, but there still seems to be some confusion in my
mind, as ITC, who produced UFO, were based in the ATV studios, so it
seemed logical to film there.

I read that on his first day, eager to impress, Ed Bishop stayed in a
guest house in Elstree the night before his first day on set, and
showed up at the wrong studio the next morning, ending up late for his
call. Seems we can all get it wrong, even the lead role.

Can anyone confirm or deny what was done and where?
Rob

> However, the opening titles of "Harlington-Straker Studios" was shot
> over the road at the then ATV TV studios (now BBC), that at one time
> included Neptune House, which has since been demolished, where the
> "Eastenders" set now stands.

I was hoping that someone more knowledgeable about these buildings
would reply, and indeed they did -- to my personal email account! :-)

Neptune House has not been demolished. The building that is
seen as SHADO HQ still exists today. You might be thinking of
Sudbury House, which was the building used for General Henderson's
office.

Marc

> Neptune House has not been demolished. The building that is
> seen as SHADO HQ still exists today.

By the way, here is a photo taken during the 2005 Fanderson
convention of Neptune House (SHADO HQ):

http://ufoseries.com/conventions/ctdShadoHQ.jpg

Marc

> I have always been pretty sure of this, but I wonder if anyone can
> confirm. The first season of UFO was shot at the EMI Borehamwood film
> studios, (of Star Wars fame etc.) - which is now a large Tescos. :(

The first batch of UFO episodes was not shot at EMI, but at MGM
Borehamwood, which closed down in 1970 and is now a housing
development. The STAR WARS movies were not filmed at the
same studio, but were filmed at Elstree. (I've never been
there, so I don't know how close these two studios were to
each other).

There are several web pages which detail the histories of these
various studios. For example:

http://www.freewebs.com/elstreecalling/abriefhistory.htm

Marc

> The STAR WARS movies were not filmed at the
> same studio, but were filmed at Elstree. (I've never been
> there, so I don't know how close these two studios were to
> each other).

Okay, here's another web page -- on the map, the location
where UFO was filmed (MGM Borehamwood) is marked with the
number "5", and was originally the Amalgamated studios
in 1936 and is now a housing development. The location
where STAR WARS was filmed (EMI Elstree) is marked with
the number "2", and was originally British National Studios
in 1926 and is now Elstree Film & Television Studios:
http://www.learnaboutmovieposters.com/newsite/INDEX/COUNTRIES/UK/BritishStudios/ELSTREE/elstree.asp

Marc

MGM became EMI. Elstree is a small village on the outskirts of
Borehamwood. I have no idea why it was ever used as a namesake, but
they can be assumed to be one and the same. However, there were two
studios within 5 mins walk of each other in Borehamwood, one for TV,
and one film. Star Wars was filmed at the MGM/EMI site. I know because
I worked on "Empire strikes back". Elstree has one pub and about ten
houses. :o)
Rob

I stand corrected, I was think of Sudbury House.
However, Neptune house is, as far as I know, part of the old ATV
studio complex, now owned by the BBC.
Rob

--- In [hidden email], "Marc Martin" <marc@...> wrote:

Sorry, but thats wrong.
EMI/MGM is #2, where I believe UFO was filmed, but Neptune House and
ATV were at #1
Rob

--- In [hidden email], "Marc Martin" <marc@...> wrote: http://www.learnaboutmovieposters.com/newsite/INDEX/COUNTRIES/UK/BritishStudios/ELSTREE/elstree.asp
>
> Marc
>

Rob Neal wrote:
> MGM became EMI.

If you search around on the net, you will find multiple references
stating that MGM studios closed down, and MGM temporarily moved
its productions across the street to EMI. So they weren't in
the same place. MGM studios were demolished in 1974, before EMPIRE
filmed.

Here are some photos of the demolition, from a PRISONER
website (which was also filmed at MGM):

http://www.theunmutual.co.uk/mgmbore.htm

And here is a photo of MGM Borehamwood in 1966:

http://www.tsf.net/~penrose/mgm.jpg

In the book A GUIDE TO AVENGERLAND, it notes that for the
episode COURT MARTIAL, when Straker leaves to get some
fresh air and later evades Mason, this is near Theatre
4 in this photograph. Later in this episode, when Foster
escapes, this is near stages 1 and 2 in this photograph.

And yes, Neptune House / ATV is location #1 on that map.

Marc

Oh, also in this call sheet from COMPUTER AFFAIR, you can
see that the Moonbase scenes were filmed in Stages 6 and
7:

http://ufoseries.com/scripts/computer.jpg

Also, I have another call sheet from COURT MARTIAL, which
shows that the scenes of them making films (e.g. Foster
in the rollercoaster) was done in Stage 5.

You can see Stages 5, 6, and 7 labelled in this photograph
of MGM Borehamwood:

http://www.tsf.net/~penrose/mgm.jpg

Marc

P.S. again... :-)

I believe this is where MGM Borehamwood used to be:

http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=51.662069&lon=-0.256668&z=16.4&r=0&src=ggl

Marc

--- In [hidden email], Marc Martin <marc@...> wrote:
Marc, do you (or anyone else on the group) know if the "Elstree Way
Hotel" seen on this website is the "Elstree Moat House Hotel" where
the Fanderson Convention was held? I seem to recall them saying that
there was a previous hotel that had been renovated and renamed. I
believe it is now part of the Holiday Inn chain.
Lorraine

> Marc, do you (or anyone else on the group) know if the "Elstree Way
> Hotel" seen on this website is the "Elstree Moat House Hotel" where
> the Fanderson Convention was held?

I don't know! Although I suspect that one could do a Google search
and find something out, as it seems that all sorts of things are
documented SOMEWHERE on the web...

Also, if one wants more details about MGM Borehamwood Studios, one
need look no further than Chris Bentley's THE COMPLETE BOOK OF UFO...
on page 33, it notes that UFO was mostly filmed in Stage 6, and they
also had occasional use of stage 7. And on page 51, it notes
that UFO was the last thing ever filmed at MGM Borehamwood. The
site was then bought by a cold storage company, and warehouse
buildings were built over the studio soundstages after being
demolished in 1974. The studio backlot remained the property
of EMI-MGM until the late 1970's (used during the filming
of THE SHINING in 1978). In the 1980's the backlot was sold
for redevelopment as a housing estate. Today, there is
an industrial park where the soundstages once were, and houses
where the backlot was.

Marc

--- In [hidden email], Marc Martin <marc@...> wrote:
>
> > Marc, do you (or anyone else on the group) know if the "Elstree
Way
> > Hotel" seen on this website is the "Elstree Moat House Hotel"
where
> > the Fanderson Convention was held?
>
> I don't know! Although I suspect that one could do a Google search
> and find something out, as it seems that all sorts of things are
> documented SOMEWHERE on the web...
<snip>
In the 1980's the backlot was sold for redevelopment as a housing
estate. Today, there is an industrial park where the soundstages
once
were, and houses where the backlot was.
>
> Marc

Marc, you are supposed to know EVERY possible detail related
to "UFO"! LOL Just kidding. I was hoping someone from the convention
would chime in with the answer.

We were there for the Fanderson convention in 2005 and we walked
around that housing development. A number of the streets were named
with studio related names. I will try to find the information sheet
from that convention and see if it has the answer to the question. I
tried "googling" the hotel and got nothing but Elstree hotel sites
like tripadvisor. I remember reading something from the literature we
received that the hotel we stayed at (and the con was held in) was
refurbished but was the original studio entrance. I'll see if I can
find the literature to verify that.
Lorraine

montgolfier100 wrote:

> Marc, you are supposed to know EVERY possible detail related
> to "UFO"!


I've met Marc, live and in-person and everything. You'd like him, he's
much like you might imagine him to be, except taller.

It's gotta be a real good day for you to catch an engineer on a mistake.

Paul

> Marc, you are supposed to know EVERY possible detail related
> to "UFO"! LOL Just kidding. I was hoping someone from the convention
> would chime in with the answer.

Heh, heh... well, one way to determine if it is the same place
is to look at a map. That hotel in that photo is on the corner
of Elstree Way and Warwick Road. Is the "Moat" hotel in the
same location? Looking at the satellite photo, I'd say that
no, there is a completely different building there now.

Marc

I still don't think that is correct, because the main EMI studio was
still fully up and running on that site in 1978, and I also saw "The
Shining" and "Dark Crystal" being made there about the same time.
There was also a large silent stage built at the back (studio 7?)
which was used for the ice hangar scenes in Empire Strikes back. I
seem to remember this later burnt down. At that time, the 30's clock
tower and reception was still there along with the security gate and
office seen in "ESP". You mention cold storage company, which was
Christian Salvesen, which was on the adjacent block to the studio on
Elstree Way, towards the A1(M) - This may have been the site of the
old MGM studios.
Rob

Elstree Way Hotel is on Elstree Way (surprise!), just down from where
the EMI studios were. Elstree way is a long road running from the main
London to the North East A1 to the small village of Elstree and then
continues on under another name towards Watford. The Elstree Moat
house is further down, on the corner of Elstree way and the roundabout
to the A1. Frankly, I wouldn't worry too much, as Borehamwood is a
dump full of drug dealers and inbreeding, so better to avoid. ;o)


> Marc, do you (or anyone else on the group) know if the "Elstree Way
> Hotel" seen on this website is the "Elstree Moat House Hotel" where
> the Fanderson Convention was held? I seem to recall them saying that
> there was a previous hotel that had been renovated and renamed. I
> believe it is now part of the Holiday Inn chain.
> Lorraine
>

> I still don't think that is correct, because the main EMI studio was
> still fully up and running on that site in 1978, and I also saw "The
> Shining" and "Dark Crystal" being made there about the same time.

Heh, heh, well, after looking at several different sources for this
information, you just have to realize that you are at-odds with the
official version of the story... :-)

That aerial photo shows quite clearly where UFO was filmed,
which I believe was your original question? In the photo you can
see the intersection of Elstree Way and Warwick Road (which
still exists today), and you can see where Stages 6 and 7 are
with respect to that.

http://www.tsf.net/~penrose/mgm.jpg

Marc

1l. Re: Studios and locations
Posted by: "Marc Martin" [hidden email] marcmartin2
Date: Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:20 pm ((PDT))

> Today, there is
an industrial park where the soundstages once were, and houses
where the backlot was.

One tree survives from Ed Straker and his son John's little tour round the
backlot in the vintage car in "A Question of Priorities"!

http://www.theunmutual.co.uk/harmonytree.htm

(It's the second photograph.)

Frank