During the early to mid-1920s it was the largest film company in Britain and one of the biggest in Europe. Its major domestic rival was the
Ideal Film Company. Stoll's films were primarily made at its
Cricklewood Studios, although the smaller
Surbiton Studios were also used during the early years of the company's existence. The company takes its name from its founder Sir
Oswald Stoll, better known today as a
theatre owner. Stoll produced a series of expensive films during the early 1920s such as
The Four Feathers and
The Prodigal Son - which cost £37,000 (equivalent to £ in ), and was at the time the most expensive British production ever. The film's original release length of 18,454 feet made it the longest commercially made British film. The studio was a major victim of the
Slump of 1924 and cut back production, relying on several co-productions with European firms. The company became particularly known for its
film series such as
Fu Manchu and
Sherlock Holmes. The company ran its own magazine ''
Stoll's Editorial News''. ==See also==