Eros Films

Eros Films

Company type	Private company
Industry	Film distribution, film production
Founded	May 1947 (1947-05)
Founder	Philip Hyams, Sydney Hyams, Michael Hyams
Defunct	June 1961 (1961-06)
Fate	Declared bankruptcy
Headquarters	London , United Kingdom
Products	Film distribution, film production

Eros Films operated as a British company specializing in film distribution and production from May 1947 until June 1961. It was established by the Hyams siblings: Philip, Sydney, and Michael.

Hyams Bros

The Hyams family patriarch, a baker who emigrated from Russia, co-financed the Popular Cinema in Stepney, London, in 1912 alongside architect George Coles. Philip Hyams (1894–1997) started his career there that same year, with Sydney joining him in 1919. The brothers built and sold a chain of cinemas to Gaumont British in 1928 before developing another theatre network. In 1935, they collaborated once more with Gaumont to launch Gaumont Super Cinemas, this time including Michael Hyams in the venture.

During the economic hardships of the Great Depression, their cinemas drew crowds by offering double features, live variety performances, and talent contests. Due to declining attendance amid the London Blitz, they sold their cinema holdings back to Gaumont in 1944.

History

The Hyams brothers founded Eros Films in 1947 at 111 Wardour Street, London, presumably named after the iconic statue at Piccadilly Circus. Eros specialized in distributing American films while also financing independent British productions. This approach addressed a void left by major British studios that were hesitant to distribute films from smaller producers. Robert S. Baker of Tempean Films remarked that Eros handled distribution for 20 to 30 of their titles, frequently as secondary features accompanying well-known American movies licensed for UK release.

In the 1950s, Michael Hyams relocated to the United States and assumed the role of vice president at American British TV Movies Inc., which managed Eros’ British-made productions for American television audiences. This included series such as Colonel March of Scotland Yard and Scotland Yard, along with feature films produced by Eros.

Co-production and production

Eros participated in co-producing several British films including The Man Who Watched Trains Go By (1954), The Sea Shall Not Have Them (1955), as well as the American monster movie Behemoth, the Sea Monster (1959), where they insisted on featuring a creature resembling The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms.

The company independently produced just one film: the British World War II drama Battle of the V-1 (1958).

The end of Eros

In 1959, Warwick Films—led by Irving Allen and Albert R. Broccoli and previously allied with Columbia Pictures—acquired Eros from the Hyams brothers, who remained on its board. Their strategy was to increase profitability by establishing their own distribution arm that would focus on more sophisticated films compared to their typical action genres.

The inaugural Warwick-distributed movie through Eros was The Trials of Oscar Wilde. By May 1961, financial strains during distribution forced Eros to reduce its workforce. Four films were pending release: Johnny Nobody, Middle of Nowhere, Carolina, and Lies My Father Told Me. Ultimately, escalating debts led Eros to declare bankruptcy in June 1961.

External links

• Eros Films fanfare The International Jingle Collection