Rank Group, the BrE AmE
a British organization that was started by Joseph Rank(1888–1972) and used to be called the Rank Organisation. It played an important role in the development of 20th century British cinema as a producer and ↑ distributor (=owner of studios and cinemas) . Later it developed its business to include hotels and entertainment centres. It went on to form RankXerox, but in 1996 it became part of The Rank Group Plc and almost all of it has been sold off since then.