THE BIRTH OF BUNGALOW TOWN

The genesis of the film industry at Shoreham By Sea began at the turn of the century when Marie Loftus, a renowned music hall actress at the time featuring in Brighton, came to visit the quaint seaside town of Shoreham on the recommendation of a friend. Marie was so enchanted that she immediately took it apon herself to commission the building of a bungalow by the sea, among the few already in existence for local residents.

Gradually, as theatrical friends accepted invitations to visit and stay with Marie, the word spread about the enthralling 'Bungalow Town' of Shoreham and before long the area was awash with theatre types. The area was ideal , it was refreshing to be by the sea and the London and Brighton theatres were both within easy commuting distance.

For those reasons, in conjunction with the immediate access to a pool of talented actors and actresses and an almost unmatched quality of natural light, Shoreham's 'Bungalow Town' offered both a viable and attractive proposition to film production and film producers and technicians soon joined the community.

'Bungalow Town' was dubbed during the early twenties, by the leading Shoreham film company, Progress, as being 'undoubtedly the L.A. of British film production....' 'Bungalow Town's' first studio was 'The Old Fort', by Shoreham's harbour entrance, built originally to withstand Napoleonoc invasions, but used during the early 1900's by The Sunny South Film Company

TITLE PAGE    SEALIGHT AND SUNNY SOUTH FILM COMPANIES    PROGRESS FILM COMPANY   

THE HOLLYWOOD EFFECT    BACK TO HOMEPAGE   

© Sarah Baker 1998