Bevan and Radclyffe were partners in pop music promotional company, Aldabra, and set up Working Title Films in London in 1983 where they were commissioned by newly created UK broadcaster, Channel 4, to make a television film, My Beautiful Laundrette (1985), directed by Stephen Frears. My Beautiful Launderette was a success at the Edinburgh Film Festival and received a theatrical release, where it was successful internationally. Accountant Graham Bradstreet joined as a third partner in 1986.[2]
In 1988, Michael Kuhn of PolyGram started to work with the company and in 1989 PolyGram acquired 49% of the company and they jointly launched Manifesto Film Sales.[3] Manifesto's first third-party pick up for distribution was the Coen brothers' Barton Fink (1991).[4] Bradstreet left the company in 1990 and Radclyffe a year later, with Eric Fellner, a fellow independent film producer, joining the company in 1991.[5][3][2] The same year, Kuhn set up PolyGram Filmed Entertainment which acquired 100% of Working Title in 1992.[3][2] The company produced a variety of films for PolyGram Filmed Entertainment which became a major Hollywood competitor.
Although contractually allowed to produce any film with a budget of up to $35 million, on a practical basis, Bevan and Fellner consult with studio executives at Working Title's parent company NBCUniversal.[7] Working Title company renewed its first look deal with Universal Pictures in 2020.[8]
WT2 Productions
In 1999, Bevan and Fellner launched a subsidiary company named Working Title 2 Productions, commonly known as WT2. The company is an independent film production arm run by Natascha Wharton, and has produced films that include Billy Elliot, Shaun of the Dead and The Calcium Kid.[5]
Television division
Working Title has been active in television production since the beginning of the 1990s.[9] In February 2010, Working Title officially launched its television division as a joint venture with parent company NBCUniversal, itself owned by Comcast.[10] Since then, they have produced content for both British and American television.[11][12] Notable productions and co productions developed by Working Title Television (WTTV)[13] include NBC's About a Boy, and Showtime's The Tudors.[9]
WTTV has offices in London and Los Angeles.[14][15]
In 1991, Working Title was involved in a bid for the London Weekend ITV licence. Working Title, Mentorn, Palace and PolyGram wanted to take over from London Weekend Television and broadcast to London under the name London Independent Broadcasting. In the event LWT retained its licence; London Independent Broadcasting's proposals were deemed by the Independent Television Commission, which was overseeing the bid process, to fail the quality threshold.[16]
