Head of Exclusive Films, Enrique Carreras teamed up with William Hinds to form Hammer Productions in 1936. After World War 2 he was instrumental in securing a deal with Robert Lippert to distribute he films through Exclusive. Lippert, in turn, would distribute Hammer Films in the US. Enrique died in 1950 with his place on the Hammer/Exclusive board taken over by his grandson, Michael.
Son of Enrique, James Carreras was described by Jimmy Sangster as “the basic architect of Hammer”. After the war, by which time he had achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel (and received an MBE) he joined the family business and set about expanding Exclusive and developing the Hammer brand. James resigned his directorship along with his wife, Vera, in 1973, leaving son Michael in sole charge.
Son of James, and grandson of Enrique, Michael was a writer, producer director, and company executive. He began his long association with Exclusive/Hammer in 1943 as Director of Publicity, and later personal assistant to producer Anthony Hinds. He left Hammer to form his own production company Capricorn Productions in 1960, returning in 1963 as Director of “Maniac”
Freddie Francis directed five Hammer productions. His son, Kevin, worked on Dracula has Risen from the Grave as a production runner and went on to form Hammer’s rival company, Tyburn Productions.
Mother and Daughter actresses, Thora Hird and Janette Scott, have 6 Hammer credits between them. Thora has 4 including 1958’s Clean Sweep, and Janette 2 – Paranoiac and The Old Dark House.
Jill Milford had already appeared in 3 Hammer films, before her father, veteran actor Jack, played the Bishop in 1971’s Lust for a Vampire – which was to be his final film.
Jenny Hanley, daughter of Jimmy Hanley and Dinah Sheridan, starred in Hammer’s 1970 film Scars of Dracula
Bernard Braden appeared in 1961’s The Full Treatment. His daughter, Kim, played Alice in Wolfshead.
Brother and sister Don Weeks and Molly Arbuthnot both had long careers with Hammer. Between them they amassed 82 credits for the Company, Molly in the wardrobe department for 52, and Don as a production manager for 30.
Twin sisters Mary and Madeline Collinson, born 22 July 1952, played the title characters in Twins of Evil
Actor/Stuntmen brothers Joe and Eddie Powell. Joe’s appearances included the Yeti in The Abominable Snowman and Eddie’s included the mummy in The Mummy’s Shroud.
Stuntman/Actor Eddie Powell and Wardrobe Mistress Rosemary Burrows married on 10 Aug 1966
Assistant Director Hugh Harlow and Continuity Supervisor Pauline Wise married in 1963
Hammer’s most prolific actor, Michael Ripper married Catherine Finn (Elsie Cole in the Journey to the Unknown episode Paper Dolls) in 1972. They divorced in 1978.
Hugh Harlow (Assistant Director) and Pauline Wise (continuity) have 45 Hammer productions between them.
Director and writer Jimmy Sangster married Hammer’s 1950’s hairstylist Monica Hustler in 1950.
John Harvey, a veteran of 13 Hammer appearances was married to Diana King who played Madge Bircher in the Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense episode, Black Carrion
Ten-time Hammer actor Edwin Richfield married Jan Holden who made 4 appearances for the Company.
Nanette Newman, Alex in Man at the Top, was married to Bryan Forbes from 1955 until his death in 2013. Bryan appeared in Quatermass 2 and Yesterday’s Enemy.
Production designer Bernard Robinson married Margaret Carter in 1960. She worked on four films as a model/mask maker, including 1959’s The Mummy.
Married couple Jack Armstrong and Alecia St Leger both appeared as Old Time Dancers in 1959’s The Ugly Duckling
Casting Director James Liggat married Lorraine Clewes in 1940. She appeared as Martha Blackthorne in 1962’s The Pirates of Blood River.
Five time Hammer actor Ralph Bates and Virginia Wetherall (Inge, in Demons of the Mind) were married in 1973.
Actors Thomas Kempinski (The Damned 1964) and Frances de la Tour (To the Devil a Daughter 1976) were married in 1972.
Simon Williams, Bob Appleyard in The Late Nancy Irving married Lucy Fleming, Wide Eyes in Rasputin the Mad Monk in 1986.
Peter Sellers (Up the Creek) and Lynne Frederick (Vampire Circus) were married for 3 years between 1977 and 1980
Jimmy Hanley appeared in 2 Hammer films and his wife, Dinah Sheridan appeared in the Hammer House of Horror episode The Thirteenth Reunion. They Married in 1942.
Actress Anna Calder-Marshall played Janet in the Hammer House of Horror episode The Two Faces of Evil. Her husband David Burke appeared ac PC Collins in 2012’s The Woman in Black.
Yutte Stensgaard (Mircalla in Lust for a Vampire) married Tony Curtis (Production Draughtsman, on The Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb) in 1967. They divorced in 1971.
