Denham Film Studios

Denham Film Studios stood in Buckinghamshire, on a 165-acre site near Denham village. Founded in 1935 by Alexander Korda, it became the largest film studio in the UK at the time. The site was designed by architects Walter Gropius and Maxwell Fry. Queen Mary visited in 1937 while *The Drum* was being filmed. The studios were also known as London Film Studios and later merged with Pinewood to form D&P Studios. The studios produced many notable films, including *Brief Encounter*, *Great Expectations*, and *Hamlet*. Bernard Miles noted that technicians’ applause meant a scene was truly excellent. Colin Sorensen recalled the smell of cellulose paint and newly cut wood. Mary Morris remembered aircraft noise disrupting a scene with Leslie Howard. The studios also hosted major composers like Bernard Herrmann and John Williams. After film production ended in 1952, the site became a recording centre for film music. *Vertigo* and *Star Wars* were scored there. The Stage One Music Theatre, designed by Cyril Crowhurst, could hold 120 performers. The remaining Art Deco buildings were later turned into luxury flats. The landscaped gardens, designed by Preben Jakobsen, are now on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.