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1-50 of 205
- Actor
- Writer
- Director
With his bald head, firm jawline and bristling moustache, Lionel Jeffries played a nice line of English eccentrics. This belied his RADA training. Following military service in WWII, he played his major roles - everything from Grandpa Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) to the Marquis of Queensberry in The Trials of Oscar Wilde (1960) - in the 1960s.
His surprisingly brief career as a director included the highly popular family films The Railway Children (1970) and The Amazing Mr. Blunden (1972).- Writer
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
English writer, scholar and philologist, Tolkien's father was a bank manager in South Africa. Shortly before his father died (1896) his mother took him and his younger brother to his father's native village of Sarehole, near Birmingham, England. The landscapes and Nordic mythology of the Midlands may have been the source for Tolkien's fertile imagination to write about 'the Shire' and 'hobbits' in his later book the Hobbit (1937). After his mother's death in 1904 he was looked after by Father Francis Xavier Morgan a RC priest of the Congregation of the Oratory. Tolkien was educated at King Edward VI school in Birmingham. He studied linguistics at Exeter College, Oxford, and took his B.A. in 1915. In 1916 he fought in World War I with the Lancashire Fusiliers. It is believed that his experiences during the Battle of the Somne may have been fueled the darker side of his subsequent novels. Upon his return he worked as an assistant on the Oxford English Dictionary (1918-20) and took his M.A. in 1919. In 1920 he became a teacher in English at the University of Leeds. He then went on to Merton College in Oxford, where he became Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon (1925-45) and Merton professor of English Language and Literature (1945-59). His first scholarly publication was an edition of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (1925). He also wrote books on Chaucer (1934) and Beowulf (1937). In 1939 Tolkien gave the Andrew Lang Lecture at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland titled: "On Fairy-Stories". Tolkien will however be remembered most for his books the Hobbit (1937) and the Lord of the Rings (1954-55). The Hobbit began as a bedtime story for his children". He wrote Lord of the Rings over a period of about 14 years.
Tolkien also discussed parts of his novels with fellow Oxfordian and fantasy writer CS Lewis during their 'meetings'. He was trying to create a fantasy world so that he could explain how he had invented certain languages, and in doing so created 'Middle-earth'. However among his peers at Oxford his works were not well received as they were not considered 'scholarly'. It was after LOTR was published in paperback in the United States in 1965 that he developed his legendary cult following and also imitators. Tolkien was W. P. Ker lecturer at Glasgow University in 1953. In 1954 both the University of Liege and University College, Dublin, awarded him honorary doctorates. He received the CBE in 1972. He served as vice-president of the Philological Society and was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. He was made an honorary fellow of Exeter College. Despite the immense popularity of his books today Tolkien did not greatly benefit from their sales. His son Christopher Tolkien was able to publish some of his works posthumously after his manuscripts were found.- The British actor Ronald Howard was born in Norwood, London, England, in 1918. He and his younger sister Leslie Ruth Howard were raised by their mother Ruth Evelyn Martin and their father, the renowned actor Leslie Howard. After college, Howard became a newspaper reporter for a while but decided to follow in his father's footsteps and become an actor.
He got his first taste of acting when he appeared with his father in an uncredited bit part in 'Pimpernel' Smith (1941). In the early 1940s, Howard gained acting experience in regional theater, later on the London stage, and eventually in films, with his official debut in While the Sun Shines (1947). His chief claim to fame is in television with his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in the series Sherlock Holmes (1954), in which Howard Marion-Crawford played Dr. Watson. Boyishly handsome with a pleasant demeanor, Howard continued in film and television until the mid-1970s; however, he never caught on with audiences as well as his father had, prompting him to put aside his acting career to run an art gallery. In the 1980s, he wrote a biography of his father. - Director
- Producer
- Writer
Mike Hodges was born on 29 July 1932 in Bristol, England, UK. He was a director and producer, known for Flash Gordon (1980), Get Carter (1971) and Black Rainbow (1989). He was married to Carol Laws and Jean Alexandrov. He died on 17 December 2022 in Dorset, England, UK.- Robert Brown was born on 23 July 1921 in Swanage, Dorset, England, UK. He was an actor, known for A View to a Kill (1985), Octopussy (1983) and Licence to Kill (1989). He was married to Rita Becker. He died on 11 November 2003 in Swanage, Dorset, England, UK.
- Kate Lansbury trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama from 1958 to 1961. A very talented character actress, she excelled in the final year production of "Under Milk Wood". After leaving the Central School she went on tour with Rex Harrison and then pursued a career in both the theatre and on television. Her few credits on IMdb do not bear true witness to the quality of her acting talent.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Buster Merryfield was born on 27 November 1920 in Battersea, London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Only Fools and Horses (1981), The Citadel (1983) and Only Fools and Horses: Only Fools Cutaway (1997). He was married to Iris M Mountford. He died on 23 June 1999 in Poole, Dorset, England, UK.- Peter Blythe was born on 14 September 1934 in Yorkshire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for A Challenge for Robin Hood (1967), Rumpole of the Bailey (1978) and Frankenstein Created Woman (1967). He died on 27 June 2004 in Dorset, England, UK.
- Actor
- Writer
- Script and Continuity Department
Brian Rawlinson was born on 12 November 1931 in Stockport, Cheshire, England, UK. He was an actor and writer, known for The Buccaneers (1956), The Onedin Line (1971) and The Adventures of Robin Hood (1955). He died on 23 November 2000 in Lyme Regis, Dorset, England, UK.- Mark Northover was born on 27 March 1950. He was an actor, known for Willow (1988), Hardware (1990) and Mack the Knife (1989). He died on 6 June 2004 in Upton, Dorset, England, UK.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Jennifer, born Elizabeth Marshall, was the daughter of film star Jack Holt and Margaret Wood Holt; she had an older half-sister from her mothers' previous marriage, named Imogene and a brother, Charles John Holt III, nicknamed Tim Holt. She would later change her name to Jennifer for professional reasons. The granddaughter of industrialist Henry Morton Stanley Wood of St. Paul, Minnesota, the owner of American Hoist & Derrick, known world-wide for their steam shovels, emigrated from England. Her paternal grandmother was the great-granddaughter of John Marshall, Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court 1801-1835. Her grandfather, the first John Charles Holt, was an Episcopal minister also of Virginia.
The Holt family lived in Beverly Hills, California and had a ranch in Fresno. When she was seven-years-old, Jennifer went to Belgium with her governess "Mademoiselle", where the year-long visit lasted for two-and-a-half years. By 1931, on her return, her parents had separated and she joined her mother and Imogene in Scarsdale, New York briefly before moving with them to Santiago, Chile. Upon returning to California, Jennifer attended The Bishop School in La Jolla and, after years of separation, she was able to reestablish a relationship with her brother; in fact, her first date was with Hal Roach Jr., Tim's roommate from Culver Military Academy.
Jennifer studied acting with Russian actress and teacher Maria Ouspenskaya her first year out of high school. She also studied music and wanted to be a singer. Later, she studied and performed at the Peterborough Players in New Hampshire for a year, appeared in productions of "The Babbitt", "The Far Off Hills" and "Our Town", supervised by playwright Thornton Wilder.
Finding few opportunities on Broadway, Jennifer returned to Hollywood. While visiting her brother Tim at a rodeo in Reno, Nevada, she met Jerry Colonna's agent, Bruce Geer, who was able to negotiate a deal with producer Harry Sherman of Colonna's services for a part in the Hopalong Cassidy film Stick to Your Guns (1941), she was billed as "Jacqueline Holt". Following its release, she signed a six-year contract with Universal Pictures using the professional name of "Jennifer Holt". In her film career, she starred with William Boyd (Hopalong Cassidy), Russell Hayden, Rod Cameron, Johnny Mack Brown, Tex Ritter, Eddie Dean and Lash La Rue.
In her later years, Jennifer attended events like the Raleigh Western Film Fair 1989 and Sierra Film Festival in Lone Pine, California 1992.
She died on a visit in Dorset, England, UK at age 77.- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Michael Medwin was born on 18 July 1923 in London, England, UK. He was an actor and producer, known for Never Say Never Again (1983), The Duchess (2008) and Scrooge (1970). He was married to Sunny Sheila Back. He died on 26 February 2020 in Bournemouth, Dorset, England, UK.- Writer
- Soundtrack
Thomas Hardy was born on 2 June 1840 in Upper Bockhampton, Dorset, England, UK. He was a writer, known for Far from the Madding Crowd (2015), Tess (1979) and Maiden No More. He was married to Florence Emily Dugdale and Emma Lavinia Gifford. He died on 11 January 1928 in Dorchester, Dorset, England, UK.- Cinematographer
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Additional Crew
Oscar-winning cinematography Oswald Morris was one of the most outstanding directors of photography of the 20th Century, making his reputation by expanding the parameters of color cinematography. Born in November 1915 in Hillingdon, Middlesex, England, a month short of his 17th birthday, he became a factotum and clapper boy at Wembley Studios, which churned out quota quickies. The studio made one movie a week at a cost of one pound per foot of film. He left the studio in the spring of 1933 to go to work at British International Pictures at Elstree Studios, but soon returned to Wembley after it was taken over by Fox and became a camera assistant.
In World War II, he served as a Royal Air Force bomber pilot, flying missions over France and Germany before being transferred to transport planes. After being demobilized, Morris joined Independent Producers at Pinewood Studios in January 1946, where he became a camera operator for director of photography Ronald Neame. When Neame became a director, he was promoted to d.p. on Golden Salamander (1950) (1950). He soon made his name shooting Moulin Rouge (1952) (1952) for John Huston, which was famous for its use of color suggesting the palette of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, the subject of the film. The British Society of Cinematographers awarded him its Best Cinematography Award for his work on the film.
"Ossie" Morris had a distinguished career as a director of photography for 30 years, working with some of the top directors in English-language film, including Huston, Stanley Kubrick and Sidney Lumet. He was nominated three times for an Academy Award, for Oliver! (1968), Fiddler on the Roof (1971), and The Wiz (1978). He won an Oscar for "Fiddler" plus three BAFTA Awards and was honored with the International Award by the American Society of Cinematographers in 2000.- Music Artist
- Music Department
- Composer
Singer/songwriter Gerry Rafferty was born on April 16, 1947 in Paisley, Scotland. He was the third son of Irish miner and lorry driver Joseph Rafferty and Rafferty's Scottish wife Mary Skeffington. His abusive alcoholic father died when Gerry was only sixteen. Rafferty grew up in a council house on the town's Glenburn estate and attended St. Mirin's Academy. Inspired by his Scottish mother who taught him both Irish and Scottish folk songs and the music of Bob Dylan and the Beatles, Gerry started writing his own material. In 1963 he left St. Mirin's Academy and worked in a butcher's shop and as a civil service clerk while also playing with the local group Maverix on weekends. In the mid 60s Rafferty earned money busking on the London Underground. In 1966 he met fellow musician Joe Egan; they were both members of the pop band the Fifth Column. In 1969 Gerry became the third member of the folk-pop outfit the Humblebums which also featured comedian Billy Connelly. Rafferty and Connelly recorded two well-received albums on the Transatlantic label as a duo. In 1972 Gerry released his first solo album "Can I Have My Money Back?". That same year Egan and Rafferty formed the group Stealers Wheel. Stealers Wheel had a huge hit with the jaunty and witty song "Stuck in the Middle with You," which peaked at #6 on the Billboard pop charts. Stealers Wheel had a lesser Top 40 hit with "Star" ten months later and eventually broke up in 1975. In 1978 Gerry hit pay dirt with his second solo album "City to City," which soared to #1 on the Billboard album charts and sold over five million copies worldwide. The album also beget the hit song "Baker Street;" this haunting and poetic ballad was an international smash that went to #2 in America, #3 in the United Kingdom, #1 in Australia, and #9 in the Netherlands. Rafferty's third album "Night Owl" likewise did well. Moreover, Gerry had additional impressive chart successes with the songs "Right Down the Line," "Home and Dry," "Days Gone Down," and "Get It Right Next Time." Alas, a handful of albums Rafferty recorded throughout the 80s and 90s all proved to be commercial flops. Gerry sang the vocal on the song "The Way It Always Starts" for the soundtrack of the movie "Local Hero." Rafferty was married to Carla Ventilla from 1970 to 1990. He recorded his last album "Another World" in 2000 and released the compilation CD "Life Goes On" in 2009. Unfortunately, Gerry had problems with alcoholism that directly contributed to his untimely death at age 63 from liver failure on January 4, 2011; he's survived by his daughter Martha, granddaughter Celia, and brother Jim.- Actor
- Writer
Arnold Diamond was born on 18 April 1915 in London, England, UK. He was an actor and writer, known for Fiddler on the Roof (1971), The Italian Job (1969) and The Saint (1962). He died on 17 March 1992 in Bournemouth, Dorset, England, UK.- Director
- Actor
- Producer
Leon Thau was born on 8 April 1926 in Jaffa, Israel. He was a director and actor, known for Potty Time (1973), Save the Lady (1981) and Carry on Up the Khyber (1968). He died on 16 May 2010 in Sturminster Newton, Dorset, England, UK.- T.E. Lawrence was born on 16 August 1888 in Tremadoc, Caernarvonshire, Wales, UK. He was a writer, known for Sabaton: Seven Pillars of Wisdom (2019), With Lawrence in Arabia (1927) and T. E. Lawrence 1888-1935 (1962). He died on 19 May 1935 in Clouds Hill, Dorset, England, UK.
- Bridget Turner was born on 22 February 1939 in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, England, UK. She was an actress, known for Under Milk Wood (1971), Pride and Prejudice (1995) and Resurrection (1968). She was married to Frank Cox. She died on 27 December 2014 in Dorchester, Dorset, England, UK.
- Nicolas Chagrin was born on 26 November 1945 in Pancras, London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Suite Française (2014), Great Expectations (1959) and Department S (1969). He died on 26 August 2017 in Shaftesbury, Dorset, England, UK.
- Writer
- Producer
Jack Hargreaves was born on 31 December 1911 in London, England, UK. He was a writer and producer, known for How (1966), Playback (1965) and Out of Town (1980). He was married to Isobel Hatfield, Jeanette Haighler and Elisabeth Van de Putte. He died on 15 March 1994 in Dorchester, Dorset, England, UK.- Writer
- Additional Crew
- Actor
Jeremy Paul was born on 29 July 1939 in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, England, UK. He was a writer and actor, known for Masterpiece Mystery (1980), Fighting with My Family (2019) and The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes (1991). He was married to Patricia Garwood. He died on 3 May 2011 in Swanage, Dorset, England, UK.- Billy Burden was born on 15 June 1914 in Wimborne Minster, Dorset, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Are You Being Served? Again! (1992), Hi-de-Hi! (1980) and George & Mildred (1976). He died on 3 June 1994 in Wimborne Minster, Dorset, England, UK.
- Writer
- Actor
John Fowles was born on 31 March 1926 in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, England, UK. He was a writer and actor, known for The Collector (1965), The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) and Bilanggo sa dilim (1986). He was married to Sarah Smith and Elizabeth Whitton. He died on 5 November 2005 in Lyme Regis, Dorset, England, UK.- Barry Howard was born on 9 July 1937 in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Hi-de-Hi! (1980), Doctor Who (2005) and The ITV Play (1968). He died on 28 April 2016 in Poole, Dorset, England, UK.