History
The company was founded in 1971 when three Thames executives, Lloyd Shirley, George Taylor and Brian Tesler realised there was a market for a new type of television drama. To facilitate this new-style of quick-changing action, Euston utilised the use of two crews filming different scenes of the same programme at the same time, which ensured production times were quicker. Euston eschewed studio filming and all material was filmed on location using the more expensive but higher quality 16mm film stock.
Initial shows such as Special Branch gained reasonable praise but it was the series The Sweeney which first gave the company its first critical and commercial success. Using a storyline style known as kick, bollock and scramble, this formula continued in such shows as Fox and Widows. In 1979, the company created Minder as a vehicle for Sweeney star Dennis Waterman giving the company its longest running show.
With the demise of parent company Thames as an ITV company, Euston's output reduced. It continued to make Minder but for Central Television but when this series was axed in 1994, further work was not coming. The company eventually disbanded and no longer exists.
Read more about this topic: Euston Films
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