Often tested
Cinema: from Chaplin to 007
Britain has played a big part in the story of modern cinema. The first public film shows in the UK took place in 1896, and going to "the pictures" soon became a hugely popular pastime. From the very start, British film-makers were known for clever special effects, and this is still something Britain does especially well.
Since the days of silent films, British actors have worked in both Britain and America. The most famous example is Sir Charles "Charlie" Chaplin: his silent-film character, a tramp (a homeless wanderer) with a bowler hat and a walking stick, made him a Hollywood star.
The 1930s were a golden age for British film studios. Leading directors included Sir Alexander Korda and Sir Alfred Hitchcock. Hitchcock later moved to Hollywood and remained an important director until he died in 1980. During the Second World War, British films such as In Which We Serve helped to keep up people's spirits. Later, directors such as Sir David Lean and Ridley Scott did very well both in Britain and abroad.
Hitchcock, who was born in London, had a famous habit: he appeared for a second or two in the films he directed, for example as a passer-by getting on a train with a musical instrument case. Fans still enjoy spotting where he is hiding.
The 1950s and 1960s were the high point of British comedy films. Classic examples are The Ladykillers and Passport to Pimlico, followed a little later by the Carry On series.
Today many films made in Britain are paid for by companies from other countries but use British skills and talent. A number of the most successful films ever were made in the UK, including Harry Potter and James Bond, two of the biggest-earning film series of all time. Ealing Studios in London says it is the oldest film studio in the world that has never stopped working.
Britain is still especially strong in special effects and animation. Nick Park, for example, has won four Oscars, three of them for his Wallace and Gromit films.
Among actors, Richard Burton, David Niven, Sir Rex Harrison and Sir Laurence Olivier all starred in many popular films. More recent British Oscar winners include Kate Winslet, Colin Firth, Tilda Swinton, Dame Judi Dench and Sir Anthony Hopkins.
Britain's own version of the Oscars is the British Academy Film Awards, presented every year by BAFTA (the British Academy of Film and Television Arts).
Quiz
Is the statement below TRUE or FALSE? The first public film screenings in the UK took place in 1896.
True: 1896, near the end of the 19th century. Cinema-going quickly became popular after that.
Quiz
Charlie Chaplin became a star of silent films playing which character?
Chaplin's best-known character was a tramp, a homeless wanderer with a bowler hat and a walking stick. The detective Sherlock Holmes comes from Conan Doyle's stories, the secret agent James Bond was created by Ian Fleming, and the pantomime Dame is a stage tradition, not a film role.
Quiz
Which TWO of these are British actors who have won Oscars, according to the handbook?
Kate Winslet and Colin Firth are among the recent British Oscar winners, together with Sir Anthony Hopkins, Dame Judi Dench and Tilda Swinton. Mary Quant is a fashion designer, and Seamus Heaney was a poet who won the Nobel Prize in Literature.