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Post by Jeff Leach on Aug 4, 2019 16:51:11 GMT
Dont know if anyone can solve this, but there is a British
Kitchen sink type drama from 1962 called Live now, Pay later that seems to have fallen into rights limbo.
It has a great cast starring Ian Hendry, June Ritchie and John Gregson an was originally released by Regal films and distributed by Viscount productions who also dealt with the carry on ish What a carve up. There is a reasonable copy on You Tube but the whereabouts of the actual film elements and the rights holders remain a mystery - Can anyone help ?
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Post by Neil Hendry on Aug 4, 2019 18:58:36 GMT
Hi Jeff, I've just carried out a quick search and the good news is that the BFI hold a copy of the original B+W film: BFI Identifier: 35979 35mm BW Positive CTA Combined 8162 feet Further details:Production Company was Woodlands Productions [spelling as per BFI archive entry]. So far, I've not found any mention of Viscount Productions. Distributed by Regal Films International. In the opening credits it mentions 'A Jay Lewis Production'. Directed by Jay Lewis, also known as Jay Andrew Lewis [1914 – June 4, 1969]. Jay Lewis bio > www.imdb.com/name/nm0507316/Produced by Jack Hanbury A book which goes by the same title as the film, was written by Jack Trevor Story. But it seems as though he was just the screenwriter. > en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Trevor_StoryThe original literary source is listed in 'The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film' - edited by Alan Goble - as being a novel by: Jack Lindsay - All On The Never Never [1961].Wikipedia > en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_LindsayWebsite > jacklindsayproject.com/The Complete Index Of Literary Sources in Film entry also mentions 'Regal Films International' and 'Woodlands'. > books.google.co.uk/books?id=Yyqc0Qa6b60C&pg=PA287&lpg=PA287&dq=woodlands+productions+jay+lewis&source=bl&ots=Ka_iATpZFa&sig=ACfU3U0jHbZ-zDqT-rM1LCT2Bj0gcdiAuA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjo_8LZ6-njAhUEqXEKHfEwBlEQ6AEwGHoECAUQAQ#v=onepage&q=woodlands%20productions%20jay%20lewis&f=falseInitial ThoughtsMy initial thoughts are whether Jay Lewis purchased the film rights from Jack Lindsay? That could, perhaps, explain 'A Jay Lewis Production' in the opening credits. And a distribution agreement was obviously struck with Regal Films International. [Edit: Wikipedia incorrectly stated that the film was released in the US under the title 'Flight From Treason' but as Peter has pointed out below: ' Flight From Treason' was indeed a rare occasion when something got exported to the USA in those days. However, it was not a version of 'Live Now Pay Later' but a play from The Armchair (Theatre)Mystery TV series. The US showed this single play from the Armchair Theatre/Mystery stable in their anthology Kraft Mystery show.'] The good news is that both 'Flight From Treason' and Ian's other AM play 'Time out of Mind' are both thought to still exist.] It appears that Jack Trevor Story was brought in to write the screenplay and a book, to accompany the film, was produced under the same title, with the book author credit going to Jack Trevor Story. So who are Woodlands Productions? That I don't know yet. The BFI only list one entry under that company name - Live Now, Pay Later. So it may just be possible that it was a company set up for the film by Jay Lewis. Woodlands Productions BFI entry > www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b94525dc2I'd certainly like to get to the bottom of this. And wouldn't it be great if the film could be re-released at some point? Perhaps Network could be interested, as they re-released 'This Is My Street' [1964] a couple, or so, years back. Also with Ian Hendry and June Ritchie. The BFI may be able to provide some further details. If I find out more, I'll add it to this thread. |
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Post by John Green on Aug 4, 2019 20:31:54 GMT
There's a copy on Youtube.
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Post by Ray Langstone (was saintsray) on Aug 4, 2019 21:25:14 GMT
Hi Jeff, I've just carried out a quick search and the good news is that the BFI hold a copy of the original B+W film: BFI Identifier: 35979 35mm BW Positive CTA Combined 8162 feet Further details:Production Company was Woodlands Productions [spelling as per BFI archive entry]. So far, I've not found any mention of Viscount Productions. Distributed by Regal Films International. In the opening credits it mentions 'A Jay Lewis Production'. Directed by Jay Lewis, also known as Jay Andrew Lewis [1914 – June 4, 1969]. Jay Lewis bio > www.imdb.com/name/nm0507316/Produced by Jack Hanbury A book which goes by the same title as the film, was written by Jack Trevor Story. But it seems as though he was just the screenwriter. > en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Trevor_StoryThe original literary source is listed in 'The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film' - edited by Alan Goble - as being a novel by: Jack Lindsay - All On The Never Never [1961].Wikipedia > en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_LindsayWebsite > jacklindsayproject.com/The Complete Index Of Literary Sources in Film entry also mentions 'Regal Films International' and 'Woodlands'. > books.google.co.uk/books?id=Yyqc0Qa6b60C&pg=PA287&lpg=PA287&dq=woodlands+productions+jay+lewis&source=bl&ots=Ka_iATpZFa&sig=ACfU3U0jHbZ-zDqT-rM1LCT2Bj0gcdiAuA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjo_8LZ6-njAhUEqXEKHfEwBlEQ6AEwGHoECAUQAQ#v=onepage&q=woodlands%20productions%20jay%20lewis&f=falseInitial ThoughtsMy initial thoughts are whether Jay Lewis purchased the film rights from Jack Lindsay? That could, perhaps, explain 'A Jay Lewis Production' in the opening credits. And a distribution agreement was obviously struck with Regal Films International. Interestingly, the film was released in the US under the title 'Flight From Treason' but there is very little information available about that. It appears that Jack Trevor Story was brought in to write the screenplay and a book, to accompany the film, was produced under the same title, with the book author credit going to Jack Trevor Story. So who are Woodlands Productions? That I don't know yet. The BFI only list one entry under that company name - Live Now, Pay Later. So it may just be possible that it was a company set up for the film by Jay Lewis. Woodlands Productions BFI entry > www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b94525dc2I'd certainly like to get to the bottom of this. And wouldn't it be great if the film could be re-released at some point? Perhaps Network could be interested, as they re-released 'This Is My Street' [1964] a couple, or so, years back. Also with Ian Hendry and June Ritchie. The BFI may be able to provide some further details. If I find out more, I'll add it to this thread. I was doing this at the same time for Jeff Leach. It's safe. No legal DVD release yet (note the word 'legal'), but....nothing to fret about majorly, it's not lost. |
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Post by Peter Stirling on Aug 5, 2019 9:31:24 GMT
My initial thoughts are whether Jay Lewis purchased the film rights from Jack Lindsay? That could, perhaps, explain 'A Jay Lewis Production' in the opening credits. And a distribution agreement was obviously struck with Regal Films International. Interestingly, the film was released in the US under the title 'Flight From Treason' but there is very little information available about that. It appears that Jack Trevor Story was brought in to write the screenplay and a book, to accompany the film, was produced under the same title, with the book author credit going to Jack Trevor Story. So who are Woodlands Productions? That I don't know yet. The BFI only list one entry under that company name - Live Now, Pay Later. So it may just be possible that it was a company set up for the film by Jay Lewis. Woodlands Productions BFI entry > www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b94525dc2I'd certainly like to get to the bottom of this. And wouldn't it be great if the film could be re-released at some point? Perhaps Network could be interested, as they re-released 'This Is My Street' [1964] a couple, or so, years back. Also with Ian Hendry and June Ritchie. The BFI may be able to provide some further details. If I find out more, I'll add it to this thread. Neil..I know you know your Ian Hendry but have to disagree on a point. 'Flight From Treason' was indeed a rare occasion when something got exported to the USA in those days. However, it was not a version of 'Live Now Pay Later' but a play from The Armchair (Theatre)Mystery TV series. The US showed this single play from the Armchair Theatre/Mystery stable in their anthology Kraft Mystery show. The good news is that both 'Flight From Treason' and Ian's other AM play 'Time out of Mind' are both thought to still exist. For finding 'Live Now pay Later' as well as the Armchair Mystery plays I think your first port of call would be Studiocanal at Pinewood. . |
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Post by Neil Hendry on Aug 5, 2019 10:30:27 GMT
Hi Peter, Thanks for this information and the correction. The Flight From Treason information came from Wikipedia, so there is a good reminder not to believe everything you read there  Will edit that entry now. It would certainly be good if we can get some of this material 'out of the vault'. Will update on any developments, as and when. |
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Post by John Green on Aug 5, 2019 17:36:08 GMT
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Post by Peter Stirling on Aug 5, 2019 19:21:15 GMT
Hi Peter, Thanks for this information and the correction. The Flight From Treason information came from Wikipedia, so there is a good reminder not to believe everything you read there Will edit that entry now. It would certainly be good if we can get some of this material 'out of the vault'. Will update on any developments, as and when. Neil ..a bit more.. 'Flight from Treason' had the pairing of Ian and John Gregson as a couple of troubleshooters. The powers that be were liking what they saw (as well as that sale to the US) and were considering them to have their own adventure series. So they made another one called 'The Omega Mystery' however it looks like Ian had probably become a busy man by then and was not able to do it, so they paired Gregson with somebody else but it was not pursued any further after that. . |
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Post by Jeff Leach on Aug 5, 2019 19:36:47 GMT
Thanks for the detailed info guy's
I believe the films producers also were involved
In the Carry-on esque What a carve up from 1961.
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Post by Neil Hendry on Aug 6, 2019 10:30:36 GMT
Bit more on the writing credits. The BFI credit Jack Hanbury for writing/ original novel and Jack Trevor Story with the script. Click on 'Show More' to reveal the additional credits: www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6af0b136Jack Hanbury's book, 'All On The Never Never' was published in 1961. Live Now, Pay Later was released as a hardback first edition in January 1963, so following the release of the film. It was clearly a film tie-in as it has a picture of Ian Hendry and June Ritchie on the back cover. And also mentions 'Screenplay by Jack Trevor Story'. The copyright for this book belongs to Jack Trevor Story. I think Jack Trevor Story then decided to develop the trilogy based on the characters in the film. If the film's characters were named differently from Hanbury's novel, then there was probably no issue for Jack Trevor Story to then keep using them in his subsequent books. But I am not an IP rights lawyer! Peter: Thanks for shedding more light on 'Flight From Treason'. The fact that both Ian Hendry and John Gregson were in that too helps to explain the confusion with Live Now, Pay Later. |
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Will edit that entry now.