Gongman

2025-10-25T23:35:06Z

2601:41:4005:740:C929:FD00:30EB:7C45: Stunt actor Martin Grace was also the gongman.

{{short description|Trademark/Logo of the Rank Organisation}}
{{refimprove|date=January 2011}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Gongman
| industry = Logo of the Rank Organisation
| fate = Shut down in 1997
| founded = 1935 with the GFD logo
| founder = J. Arthur Rank
| defunct = 1997
| hq_location = United Kingdom
| products = Logo
| aum = The Rank Group
}}
The '''Gongman''' (also known as the "Man-with-the-Gong") is a company trademark for [[the Rank Organisation|the J. Arthur Rank Organisation]]. It was used as the introduction to all Rank films, many of which were shot at their [[Pinewood Studios]], and included those Rank distributed. The Gongman logo first appeared on films distributed by [[General Film Distributors]], which was established in 1935 by the British producer [[C. M. Woolf]] and [[J. Arthur Rank]]; it was C.M. Woolf's secretary who thought of the man-with-a-gong trademark.<ref name="Independent">[https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituary-sir-john-woolf-1103490.html The Independent 1 July 1999: Obituary: Sir John Woolf] Retrieved 2011-09-02</ref> The Man-with-the-Gong was first seen on screen in 1936.<ref>{{cite web|page=51|url=https://memoriesofrxmp.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Rank-Organisation-ARA-1962.pdf|title=The Rank Organisation Annual Report and Accounts 1962|website=Memories of Rank Xerox at Mitcheldean}}</ref> When the Rank Organisation was established in 1937, with General Film Distributors as one of its cornerstones, the logo was adopted for the whole organisation.

The Gongman film logo sequence depicts a man striking a huge gong with a deep resonant sound. The gongs used in the sequence were props made of plaster or [[papier-mâché]]. The sound came from [[James Blades]] striking a real [[gong]]—specifically a Chinese instrument called a [[gong|tam tam]] that was much smaller than the prop. During the sequence, the text "General Film Distributors", " J. Arthur Rank Film Distributors", "J. Arthur Rank presents" or "'The Rank Organisation" appeared over the gong.

The first "Gongman" was Carl Dane, a circus strong man who was paid a one-time fee by General Film Distributors. Athletes who played the Gongman in the film sequence over the years included boxer [[Bombardier Billy Wells]], the second "Gongman", who was actually the first contracted by J.A. Rank – a subtle but important difference. In later years this position was filled by wrestler [[Kenneth Richmond|Ken Richmond]]. Also, George Francis Moss Snr and stunt actor [[Martin Grace]] played the Gongman.

In 2012, to celebrate the Gongman's 75th anniversary, [[The Rank Group]], the gambling company that in 1996 acquired the remaining business interests of the Rank Organisation as well as the rights to its logo and name, announced a nationwide competition to find a new Gongman for the 21st century, Chris Rowley from Stoke-on-Trent won the competition and is the new official Rank Gongman.

==Parodies/Pastiches==
The Gongman's recognisability meant it was often parodied.
* In ''[[Carry On up the Khyber]]'', [[Kenneth Williams]]' character refers to an over-enthusiastic gongman's attitude as "rank stupidity". This was effectively an [[in-joke]] as the ''Carry On'' films were produced and distributed by the Rank Organisation.
* The opening to the ''ATV Thursday Picture Show'' used an animated version. According to Sub-TV, which has a video of the opening, "the gong-smasher here is a non-muscley man in an old-fashioned swimming costume and a cloth cap!" The man hits an [[Associated TeleVision|ATV]] logo, not a gong, and the logo smashes into pieces.
* The [[Mad (magazine)|''Mad'' magazine]] article "Pizza Pie" (issue #40, July 1958), written and illustrated by longtime contributor [[Dave Berg (cartoonist)|Dave Berg]], humorously suggests that [[Pizza|pizzas]] may one day be used in the future by the Gongman in lieu of his traditional gong.
* In the ''[[E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial]]'' spoof ''El E.T.E. y el OTO'', there is a logo at the beginning and end of the film for the company "Manuel Esteba P.C." that shows a muscular man in red briefs hitting a gong that immediately breaks. At the end, he is shown trying to fix the gong, but he fails and cries in frustration.
* The production company ident for American television series ''[[Foul-Ups, Bleeps & Blunders]]'' had two men that were about ready to strike a gong (a la the "Gongman"), with the man on the right (holding the gong mallet) [[groin attack|striking the man on the left in the groin]] region and leaving him in agony (this was followed by the sound of the gong falling on the floor).
* In the closing seconds of the video to [[Queen (band)|Queen]]'s "[[Bohemian Rhapsody]]", percussionist [[Roger Meddows-Taylor|Roger Taylor]] mimics the Rank gong man by striking a large [[Tamtam|tam tam]] whilst stripped to the waist.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Walden |first1=Joshua. S. |title=Representation in Western Music. Chapter 5 - Video cultures: 'Bohemian Rhapsody',Wayne's World, and beyond |date=2013 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |page=81}}</ref>
* The [[Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band]] song "[[The Intro and the Outro]]" includes a reference to J. Arthur Rank playing the gong in the band's fictional line-up.
* On ''[[The Muppets Go to the Movies]]'', the [[Muppets]] parody the Gongman with "J. Arthur Link", showing Muppet pig [[Link Hogthrob]] in the nude, swinging at the gong, missing, spinning around losing his balance, and hitting the gong with his head.
* In [[Terry Pratchett]]'s Discworld novel [[Moving Pictures (novel)|''Moving Pictures'']] the gong exists in a temple that is a portal to the Dungeon Dimensions. Standing in for the gongman is a suitably proportioned [[troll]] made of living rock.<ref>"Moving Pictures", Terry Pratchett, HarperTorch; Reissue edition (February 5, 2002) {{ISBN|978-0061020636}}</ref>
* The now-defunct Swedish film distributor Triangelfilm had a similar vignette with an animated man hitting a triangle.
* During the ''[[Gilligan's Island]]'' episode in which the castaways produce a film explaining their situation, Gilligan performs their own version of the Rank logo sequence; when he strikes the gong, he shakes uncontrollably at the vibrations it creates.
* The Hungarian animated movie ''[[Cat City|Macskafogó]]'' opens with a round cat's face which a mouse strikes like a gong.
* The title sequence of [[The Mickey Mouse Club|the ''Mickey Mouse Club'']] TV show's original run ended with [[Donald Duck]] striking a gong, with varying results.
* The opening sequence of ''[[Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom]]'' has the [[Paramount Pictures]] logo fade into a similar image of a mountain imprinted on a gong, which is then struck by a gongman. Later on the title character and his love interest use the gong as a shield and means of escape from an attacking gangster.
* In the ''Pasadena Jones'' segment of the ''[[Tiny Toon Adventures]]'' episode ''Cinemaniacs'', the opening after the prelude shows [[Hamton J. Pig]] swinging at the gong and ringing it.
* ''[[An Extremely Goofy Movie]]'' opens with [[Goofy]] striking a gong with a heavy drumstick. Afterward, the gong falls on his foot, causing him to yell in pain, and it falls over to reveal the title of the movie on the backside.
* In series 3 of the British comedy game show ''[[Taskmaster (TV series)|Taskmaster]]'', comedian [[Al Murray]] recreates the logo sequence as part of a task requiring contestants to "do something that looks brilliant when sped up or slowed down". When doing so, he strikes the gong with such force that a wig he is wearing falls off, to his surprise.

* [[Jack Webb]]'s production company [[Mark VII Limited]] used an ident sequence of a strong man's hands stamping the "VII" into a steel plate with one or two ringing blows; Webb freely admitted that the Gongman sequence was the direct inspiration.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20111003203646/http://www.sub-tv.co.uk/atvzooms.asp sub-TV page that contains the open to the ATV Thursday Picture Show in MPEG format]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060925055347/http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/film/news/article1217569.ece Article in The Independent] about the death of final Gongman Ken Richmond and a little about the role

[[Category:British mascots]]
[[Category:Cinema of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Corporate mascots]]
[[Category:Film studio mascots]]
[[Category:Mascots introduced in 1935]]
[[Category:Male characters in film]]
[[Category:Male characters in advertising]]

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