8mm Forum: GB Film distributor?

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Posted by John Yapp (Member # 2873) on April 09, 2012, 01:58 PM:

I recently purchased from ebay 6 200ft paterson film tins with metal reels inside. All but one of the reels had standard 8mm film on them. One of the films, a compilation of three minute "sooty and Sweep" episodes form the mid sixties is currently attracting interest on ebay. The film cans are all labeled "Belsize Pharmacy Ltd" of SwissCottage. It would appear that the films were originally supplied to purchasers in these tins. There are also a couple of Disney silent shorts in the tins that have end credits giving the name of GB film library as the distributor. I hadn't come across this before and wondered if any of you knowledgable bods had any info about the distributor or the retailer?

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on April 09, 2012, 04:06 PM:

GB were a division of the Rank Organization. They distributed the American designed Bell & Howell projectors, and a range of 8mm silent and 16mm sound/silent short films known as Moviepacks.

[ April 09, 2012, 05:35 PM: Message edited by: Paul Adsett ]

Posted by John Yapp (Member # 2873) on April 09, 2012, 04:14 PM:

Thanks for the info Paul.

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on April 09, 2012, 07:42 PM:

Makes me weep to see these old Bell and Howell ads, to think that this magnificent equipment was once manufactured in this country (USA). This once proud name has long ago been sold off to a supplier of dirt cheap TV info-mercial products such as razors and vegetable slicers! [Frown]

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