Spanish Eyes (film)
Encyclopedia
Spanish Eyes is a 1930 British
musical film
directed by G.B. Samuelson and starring Anthony Ireland
, Donald Calthrop
and Dennis Noble
. It had a gypsy
theme and was made at Twickenham Studios in West London
. The film was made at night, to allow other more important productions to use the studio in the daytime - a common practice at Twickenham dring the era.
The film became known for the death of Nita Foy, a West End chorus girl
who was working on the film, in what became known as "the Film Studio Horror". Foy was invited to Donald Calthrop's dressing room for a drink where her costume caught fire. Although the inquest
exonorated him Calthrop's career never entirely recovered from the incident.
Cinema of the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom has had a major influence on modern cinema. The first moving pictures developed on celluloid film were made in Hyde Park, London in 1889 by William Friese Greene, a British inventor, who patented the process in 1890. It is generally regarded that the British film industry...
musical film
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
directed by G.B. Samuelson and starring Anthony Ireland
Anthony Ireland (actor)
-Selected filmography:* Spanish Eyes * The Water Gipsies * Three Maxims * Jump for Glory * Just Like a Woman * Mrs. Pym of Scotland Yard * The Prime Minister...
, Donald Calthrop
Donald Calthrop
Donald Calthrop was an English stage and film actor. He starred as the title character in the hit musical The Boy in 1917. He then appeared in 63 films between 1916 and 1940, including five films directed by Alfred Hitchcock.He was born in London and died in Eton from a heart attack.He was the...
and Dennis Noble
Dennis Noble
Dennis Noble was a noted British baritone and teacher. He appeared in opera, oratorio, musical comedy and song, from the First World War through to the late 1950s. He was renowned for his enunciation and diction, and for the metallic timbre of his voice...
. It had a gypsy
Gypsy
-Ethnic groups:* Romani people, a group widely dispersed throughout Europe* Dom people, an Indo-Aryan group** Lyuli, a Dom subgroup from Central Asia* Lom people, a group from East Anatolia and Armenia* Banjara, a group from India* Irish Travellers...
theme and was made at Twickenham Studios in West London
West End of London
The West End of London is an area of central London, containing many of the city's major tourist attractions, shops, businesses, government buildings, and entertainment . Use of the term began in the early 19th century to describe fashionable areas to the west of Charing Cross...
. The film was made at night, to allow other more important productions to use the studio in the daytime - a common practice at Twickenham dring the era.
The film became known for the death of Nita Foy, a West End chorus girl
Chorus Girl
A chorus girl is a female performer in a chorus or chorus line.It may also refer to:*Chorus Girl , a compilation from Atomic Records*Chorus Girls , a 1981 musical*"The Chorus Girl", a story by Anton Chekhov...
who was working on the film, in what became known as "the Film Studio Horror". Foy was invited to Donald Calthrop's dressing room for a drink where her costume caught fire. Although the inquest
Inquest
Inquests in England and Wales are held into sudden and unexplained deaths and also into the circumstances of discovery of a certain class of valuable artefacts known as "treasure trove"...
exonorated him Calthrop's career never entirely recovered from the incident.
Cast
- Anthony IrelandAnthony Ireland (actor)-Selected filmography:* Spanish Eyes * The Water Gipsies * Three Maxims * Jump for Glory * Just Like a Woman * Mrs. Pym of Scotland Yard * The Prime Minister...
- Chechester - Dennis NobleDennis NobleDennis Noble was a noted British baritone and teacher. He appeared in opera, oratorio, musical comedy and song, from the First World War through to the late 1950s. He was renowned for his enunciation and diction, and for the metallic timbre of his voice...
- Amalio - Donald CalthropDonald CalthropDonald Calthrop was an English stage and film actor. He starred as the title character in the hit musical The Boy in 1917. He then appeared in 63 films between 1916 and 1940, including five films directed by Alfred Hitchcock.He was born in London and died in Eton from a heart attack.He was the...
- Mascoso - Edna DaviesEdna Davies-Selected filmography:* Spanish Eyes * Song of Soho * Loose Ends * Sometimes Good * Side Street Angel...
- Estrella - Antonia BroughAntonia Brough-Selected filmography:* The Farmer's Wife * Under the Greenwood Tree * Spanish Eyes * Song of Soho * Maria Marten, or The Murder in the Red Barn * Dandy Dick...
- Landlady