WELCOME to our new weekly series called, Ealing REWIND.

As part of Ealing REWIND, we will look back at famous buildings and locations throughout Ealing, talk about their history and how they've evolved over the years.

Where better to start than with Ealing's arguably most famous site, Ealing Studios.

Ealing Studios, just off St Mary's Road, next to Walpole Park is the oldest continuously working studio facility for film production in the world, having started in 1910 with a screen version of Hamlet.

The famous White House on the site's grounds was purchased by Will Barker for filmmaking in 1902.

The grade II listed sound stages were opened in 1931, under theatre producer Basil Dean.

Seven years later in 1938, legendary film producer, Sir Michael Balcon took over the Studios.

Sir Michael was in charge until 1955 and during his tenure Ealing Studios became one of the most important film studios in the country.

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During the 17 years under the leadership of Balcon, the Studios had its golden age with films such as King Hearts and Coronets (1949), Passport to Pimlico (1949), The Lavender Hill Mob (1951) and The Ladykillers (1955).

Apart from his knighthood in 1948 and the BAFTA for Outstanding Contribution to British Film that is presented in his honour, a pub in Ealing is also named after Sir Michael for his amazing work at the Studios.

The BBC eventually bought Ealing Studios in 1955 and based its Film Department there.

Countless iconic BBC shows were filmed there during the ensuing decades, such as Monty Python and Doctor Who.

In 2000, the Studios were taken over by a consortium that invested over £20 million in a wide-scale redevelopment, which brought the whole site up to date, while preserving the original sound stages.

Ealing Studios also started producing feature films again, such as The Importance of Being Earnst (2002), St Trinian's (2007) and Dorian Grey (2009).

Ealing's stages and studios continue to host the best of British drama and cinema to this day.

Hit TV shows such as Downtown Abbey and The Crown, all had scenes shot there, as well as acclaimed films like The Theory of Everything (2014) and The Darkest Hour (2017), with both leading actors - Eddie Redmayne and Gary Oldman - earning an Oscar for their performances.

Alan Brooker, a drapes master who has worked at Ealing Studios a number of times, including on ITV show, The Durrells, told Nub News: "The Studios were quite a shock, you drive down a residential street that looks like it leads nowhere and suddenly you see a barrier on your left and it's the entrance.

"It's so nice to work there, when you walk around the office spaces and up to the lovely café that they have on the top floor, you get a really nice buzz in the atmosphere.

"Working on film can sometimes feel a little industrial but working at Ealing Studios has a nice creative buzz."