SPONSORED 9.5MM FILMS

Grahame N's Web Pages

9.5MM SPONSORED FILMS

From early 1932, the Pathescope Monthly (the 'house' magazine of the main UK 9.5mm cine company Pathescope Ltd) began mentioning 9.5mm printed films available on free loan. These were what today we would refer to as 'sponsored films' - in other words, films made by, or for larger companies with a view to providing advertising. Often the films would be directly about the product or products made by the sponsoring company, although in some cases companies were content just to see their name appear on the credits.

Naturally one had to pay postage, but normally there was no hire fee involved. Although listed in the Pathescope Monthly magazine generally the films were distributed direct from the sponsoring organisation, but returned to Pathescope Ltd (presumably for checking). A number of other sponsored films were made available on 9.5mm details appearing either as a 'one off' in the Pathescope Monthly or in other cine magazines. . In my youth in the middle / late 1950's I myself remember a number of times hiring the 9.5mm version of a colour film extolling the virtues of Bournemouth with the title "Beautiful Bournemouth" - this was actually a Walton Films production and probably the last of the 9.5mm sponsored films made available. (This was regularly advertised in the "Amateur Cine World" magazine in both 9.5mm and 16mm versions).

The following list is in alphabetical order showing the 9.5mm films that were regularly listed in the Pathescope Monthly and others that were advertised as a 'one off' in this and other cine magazines. Where a date appears after the film's title this refers to the date the film was announced in the Pathescope Monthly as being available in the 9.5mm film gauge. A further date refers to the date the film was deleted. Where there is no deleted date one must assume the film remained in the Pathescope 9.5mm film library until it was sold off by Pathescope Ltd when they closed their Malborough Street premises (and hence the film library as a result of World War 2 London bombings). The prefix PA indicates the film was in the Pathescope Monthly 9.5mm sponsored film lists. Other titles have details of the supplier and original date. For purists many of the dates refer to the first of the two months covered by that issue of the Pathescope Monthly magazine.

©GLN '04     9.5  SPONSORED  SILENT  FILMS  -  ALPHABETIC  ORDER  LISTING      19/11/2004
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    Length   9.5mm Film Title                    Company             Issue    - Delete  

    1 reel * ALL SEASONS                         Bournemouth Council ??? 1950  
 PA 1 reel   ARABELLA'S DREAM                    D.&W. Gibbs Ltd     Mar 1934   Oct 1934
 PA 1 reel   ARABELLA'S DREAM (re-issued)        D.&W. Gibbs Ltd     Oct 1935   Dec 1937
    1 reel * BEAUTIFUL BOURNEMOUTH (Kodachrome)  Bournemouth Council ??? 1950's
 PA 1 reel   BISCUIT TIME                        Co-Op Wholesale Soc Mar 1935  
    1 reel * BOURNEMOUTH                         Bournemouth Council Oct 1936
    3 reels  BRISTOL, BIRTHPLACE OF AMERICA      Bristol Dev. Board  Mar 1933 
    1 reel   CARDIFF - THE CAPITAL OF WALES      Mr Holley           Feb 1934 (5/6 hire fee)
 PA 1 reel   THE COCOA BEAN                      Cadbury Bros Ltd    Apr 1934   Aug 1937
 PA 1 reel   THE COCOA BEAN   (re-issued)        Cadbury Bros Ltd    Aug 1938           
 PA 1 reel   COUNTRY FARE                        Cadbury Bros Ltd    Mar 1938  
 PA 1 reel   CYCLING FOR HEALTH                  Enfield Cycle Co    Aug 1935   Aug 1935
 PA 1 reel   A DAY AT BOURNEVILLE (notched)      Cadbury Bros Ltd    Mar 1932   Jan 1935
 PA 1 reel   A DAY AT BOURNEVILLE (re-issued)    Cadbury Bros Ltd    Feb 1935   Feb 1939
 PA 1 reel   FROM BACK TO BACK                   Co-Op Wholesale Soc Jun 1934  
 PA 1 reel   THE HAPPY ISLE                      Isle of Man Pub Bd  Mar 1937  
 PA 1 reel   HERRINGS                            Co-Op Wholesale Soc Jan 1935  
 PA 1 reel   THE HOME OF GOOD HEALTH             A Wander Ltd        Aug 1933  
 PA 1 reel   HOW A CAR ENGINE WORKS              Shell Mex BP Ltd    Feb 1937   Mar 1940
 PA 1 reel   IN THE LAND OF THE SHAH             Anglo Iranian Oil   Apr 1933   Nov 1937
 PA 1 reel   IVORY CASTLES                       Gibbs Toothpaste    Oct 1931   Dec 1937
 PA 1 reel   LIQUID HISTORY                      Shell Mex BP Ltd    Mar 1933   Mar 1940
    1 reel   LONDON                              R.H. Giles          Mar 1933 (1/6 hire fee)
 PA 1 reel   LUBRICATION BY SHELL                Shell Mex BP Ltd    Dec 1936   Oct 1938
 PA 1 reel   THE MAGIC SEAPLANE                  D.&W. Gibbs Ltd     Nov 1937  
 PA 2 reels  OIL FROM IRAN                       Anglo Iranian Oil   Aug 1939  
 PA 2 reels  PARAFFIN YOUNG                      Scottish Oils Ltd   Dec 1939   Jun 1940
 PA 4 reels  PORT SUNLIGHT (notched)             Lever Bros Ltd      Jun 1932   Jun 1935
 PA 1 reel   PORT SUNLIGHT (re-issued)           Lever Bros Ltd      Aug 1935   Nov 1937
 PA 1 reel   SCOTTISH SHALE INDUSTRY             Shell Mex BP Ltd    Dec 1932   Mar 1940
 PA 1 reel * A SONG OF THE SHIRT                 Co-Op Wholesale Soc Feb 1935  
 PA 3 reels  THE STORY OF CHOCOLATE AND COCOA    J.S. Fry & Son      Dec 1934   Feb 1936
 PA 3 reels  THE STORY OF CHOCOLATE AND COCOA    J.S. Fry & Son      Apr 1938   Oct 1938
 PA 2 reels  THEN CAME THE SWAN                  Mabie Todd & Co     Apr 1933   Feb 1937
    1 reel   TREASURE ISLAND                     Isle of Man Pub Bd  ??? 1950's
 PA 1 reel   TRUST PEGGY                         Spillers Ltd        Oct 1936  
    2 reels  A VISIT TO KNARESBOROUGH            Knaresborough UDC   Nov 1933
    1 reel   A VISIT TO KNARESBOROUGH            Knaresborough UDC   Dec 1936
    1 reel   A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY               J.S. Fry & Son      ??? 1930  
    5 reels  WHEN SCOUTING WON                   Maidenhead Scouts ? Jan 1931(12/6 hire fee)
 PA 1 reel   WHERE DREAMS COME TRUE              Isle of Man Pub Bd  Apr 1933  
    2 reels  THE WYE VALLEY                      Mr Holley           Dec 1935 (3/- hire fee)
 PA 2 reels  WORK - A - DAY                      Cadbury Bros Ltd    Mar 1941  

                                                                     ( 37 entries )
 (* indicates 9.5mm copy in GLN collection)

SOME RELEVANT NOTES (By Alan Richardson - Group 9.5 Magazine Number 69 Spring 1992)

It seems that "Cycling For Health" may never have been issued as it is only mentioned in the August/September 1935 issue of the Pathescope Monthly.

"Ivory Castles" was obviously made as a silent film with sub-titles and reflects upper class Britain of the 1920's or before. The film is interesting because it is so dated (and so bad).

"In the Land of the Shah" is a good documentary / travel film with interesting scenes of Persia, and of early aircraft.

"Herrings" is a fascinating documentary of the herring fishery, and gives no hint of its commercial sponsoring until the C.W.S. advert which ends the film.

"Trust Peggy" was the only film in the series to be available in a 9.5mm sound version. ("Trust Peggy" and "Liquid History" were also available in 17.5mm sound versions). This is a film obviously aimed at children and justly popular. It is rather less than 200ft long and comes complete with censor certificate.

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