The Crown Film Unit was an organisation within the British Government's Ministry of Information during the Second World War. Formerly the

GPO Film Unit The GPO Film Unit was a subdivision of the UK General Post Office. The unit was established in 1933, taking on responsibilities of the Empire Marketing Board Film Unit. Headed by John Grierson, it was set up to produce sponsored documentary films ...

it became the Crown Film Unit in 1940. Its remit was to make films for the general public in Britain and abroad. Its output included short information and documentary films, as well as longer drama-documentaries, as well as a few straight drama productions. Music was an important element. The conductor Muir Mathieson was the director of music for many productions, and notable composers commissioned to write original scores included Walter Leigh,

Benjamin Britten Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976, aged 63) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, other ...

Ernst Meyer Ernst Meyer may refer to: * Ernst Heinrich Friedrich Meyer (1791–1858), German botanist * Ernst Meyer (painter) (1797-1861), Danish painter * Ernst Meyer (Swedish politician) (1847–1925), Swedish politician * Ernst Meyer (German politician) (1 ...

, Richard Addinsell, Benjamin Frankel,

Christian Darnton Philip Christian Darnton (30 October 1905 – 14 April 1981), also known as Baron von Schunck, was a British composer and writer. Early life and family He was born in Leeds as Philip Christian von Schunck, the son of Mary Gertrude Illingworth (18 ...

, Guy Warrack and Arthur Benjamin.Mathieson, Muir. 'Music for Crown', in ''Hollywood Quarterly''. Vol. 3, No. 3 (Spring, 1948), pp. 323-326
/ref> The Crown Film Unit continued to produce films, as part of the Central Office of Information (COI), until it was disbanded in 1952.

Notable productions

References

External links

* Film production companies of the United Kingdom Propaganda film units State-owned film companies 1940 establishments in the United Kingdom 1952 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Organizations established in 1940 Organizations disestablished in 1952 {{UK-film-company-stub