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Private company

The Rank Organisation

Logo: http://www.writeopinions.com/rank-organisation, Non-free logo, via Wikipedia3

British entertainment conglomerate

The Rank Organisation (founded as the J. Arthur Rank Organisation) was a British entertainment conglomerate founded in 1937 by industrialist J. Arthur Rank. It quickly became the largest and most vertically integrated film company in the United Kingdom, owning production, distribution, and exhibition facilities, as well as manufacturing projection equipment and chairs. It diversified into the manufacture of radios, TVs, and photocopiers (as one of the owners of Rank Xerox).2 It was founded by J. Arthur Rank, 1st Baron Rank.1 It ceased to exist in 1995.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1937Founded1
  • Industryfilm industry1
  • HeadquartersLondon1
  • Legal formpublic company1

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The Rank Organisation (founded as the J. Arthur Rank Organisation) was a British entertainment conglomerate founded in 1937 by industrialist J. Arthur Rank. It quickly became the largest and most vertically integrated film company in the United Kingdom, owning production, distribution, and exhibition facilities, as well as manufacturing projection equipment and chairs. It diversified into the manufacture of radios, TVs, and photocopiers (as one of the owners of Rank Xerox). The company name lasted until February 1996, when the name and some of the remaining assets were absorbed into the newly structured Rank Group plc. The company itself became a wholly owned subsidiary of Xerox and was renamed XRO Limited in 1997.2

Corporate structure

The Rank Organisation sits at the top of its group. 4 entities, 2 countries on record. Switch between the flow chart and the network, and select any entity to see its details.

Built from subsidiaries, stakes and holdings from Wikidata (CC0); major holders from Schedules 13D and 13G. Each entity in the chart links to its source.

What it owns

What The Rank Organisation reports owning in its annual reports to the SEC: buildings, land and equipment, real estate and locations, investments, intangible assets and inventory, at the end of its latest fiscal year and a year before.

Stakes and holdings (Wikidata)

Things Wikidata records the company as owning, with the share when stated.1

The story

Founded by J. Arthur Rank, 1st Baron Rank in 1937.1

The company founder J. Arthur Rank, born in Kingston upon Hull, UK, was already a wealthy industrialist through his father's flour milling business, Joseph Rank Ltd, before making his start in filmmaking by financing short religious subjects in line with his Methodist beliefs. Rank was a Methodist Sunday school teacher and wished to introduce these beliefs to a wider audience.

The Rank Organisation was established, as a means for Rank to consolidate his filmmaking interests, in 1937.

From Wikipedia’s article on The Rank Organisation, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4

Leadership

Who has led The Rank Organisation, and when. Pick a name to see everywhere that person has worked.

Subsidiaries and ownership

Subsidiaries

Also owns

From Wikidata.1

Timeline

  1. 1995Dissolved Dissolved1
  2. 1937Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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