Old Mother Riley’s New Venture
Date: 1949
Director: John Harlow
Production Company: Harry Reynolds Productions
Stars: Arthur Lucan, Kitty McShane
Location(s): London, Paris
Region(s): France, London O-Q
Storyline:
Chaos ensues when Old Mother Riley is promoted from kitchen dishwasher to the manageress of a hotel.
Additional Information:
Page compiled by Phil Wilkinson
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Can you help:
If you have any information regarding this production, the locations or, even better, some comparison shots please contact us. Images submitted must be in Landscape orientation, as would be seen on the cinema screen, not Portrait.
We are aware that there are films on the site that were added when the criteria for the inclusion of locations was very different from today and, as a result, there may be scenes missing from some productions. Please do not forward additional screen captures to us but bring the detail to our attention, for we do, and are, 're-addressing' these older entries as time allows.
- Capture 1
- 'Now' required
The film's announcer introduces the story "This is London." The Eiffel Tower on Avenue Gustave Eiffel in the 7th arrondissement of Paris.
- Capture 2
- 02 Jan 2026
"Trafalgar Square." Facing the Houses of Parliament from Lambeth SE1.
A day heavy with cloud. SJ
- Capture 3
- 'Now' required
"Tower Bridge." The Arc de Triomphe on Place Charles de Gaulle in Paris's 8th arrondissement.
- Capture 4
- 02 Jan 2026
"St. Paul's Cathedral." Piccadilly Circus W1.
This nicely illustrates the movement of Anteros to the south-east in the mid 1980s. SJ
- Capture 5
- 'Now' required
"Piccadilly Circus." Tower Bridge crossing from Bermondsey SE16 to the City of London in EC3.
- Capture 6
- 02 Jan 2026
"Big Ben." The top of Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square WC2.
A sparkling day! SJ
- Capture 7
- 02 Jan 2026
"Marble Arch . . . deep in the heart of the great metropolis is a small hotel." Trafalgar Square with the National Gallery crossing the left background and the globe atop the Coliseum Theatre on St. Martin's Lane on the right.
This was taken from the eastern end of The Mall. SJ
- Capture 8
- 03 Sep 2026
Left in charge of the hotel by John Grigsby the proprietor, Old Mother Riley visits a boutique to buy clothes more appropriate to her new role. Dave W found this to be 20 South Molton Street, London W1. (RL)
Unfortunately there's little to see here at the moment while transition takes place. SJ
- Capture 9
- 20 May 2026
Having landed in prison, Old Mother Riley escapes in the back of a dustcart. Dave W, influenced by the Marylebone streetlamp style in C11, finds the corner of Harrowby Street and Forset Street W1 with the rear elevation of Forset Court still identifiable in its detail. (RL)
Change on the left corner but as was on the right. SJ
- Capture 10
- 20 May 2026
The dustcart turns off the main road. The production was based at Nettlefold Studios in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey but the buildings on this and the following streets look a little tall to be from the market town. That is because Berkeley Buildings in Harrowby Street, London W1 would have looked completely out of place in the Walton-on-Thames of 1949 says Dave W. (RL)
Some scaffolding mars a colourful shot. SJ
- Capture 11
- 20 May 2026
Jumping from the back of the truck, Old Mother Riley flees along the road. Following the course of events Dave W locates the vehicle as having turned off Harrowby Street into Brendon Street giving us a distant view of Shouldham Street and Seymour Place. (RL)
Panning left to look further east. SJ
- Capture 12
- 20 May 2026
Old Mother Riley reaches her home near the gasworks. Specifically, Dave W tells us outside 11 Nutford Place W1 looking north-eastwards towards Brown Street. (RL)
Trees have sprung up from nowhere, but one can just make out, at 1 Nutford Place, the Sylvia Young Theatre School, formerly Eleventh Church of Christ, Scientist, on the right. SJ