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Appointment With Venus (film)
''Appointment with Venus'' is a 1951 film adaptation of the 1951 Jerrard Tickell novel of the same name. It was directed by Ralph Thomas, produced by Betty E. Box and its screenplay was written by the novelist Nicholas Phipps. The film was based on the evacuation of Alderney cattle from the Channel Island during World War II. In the United States the film was re-titled ''Island Rescue''. Plot In 1940, after the fall of France, the fictitious Channel Island of Armorel is occupied by a small garrison of German troops under the benign command of Hauptmann Weiss. The hereditary ruler, the Suzerain, is away in the British Army, leaving the Provost in charge. Back in London, the Ministry of Agriculture realise that during the evacuation of the island, Venus, a prize pedigree pregnant cow, was left behind. They petition the War Office to do something urgently due to the value of the cow's bloodline, and Major Morland is assigned the task of rescuing Venus. The Suzerain's sister ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ralph Thomas
Ralph Philip Thomas Military Cross, MC (10 August 1915 – 17 March 2001) was an English film director. He is perhaps best remembered for directing the ''Doctor Series, Doctor'' series of films. His brother, Gerald Thomas, was also a film director, probably best remembered for the ''Carry On (film series), Carry On...'' film series, and his son is the Academy Award for Best Picture, Academy Award-winning film producer, Jeremy Thomas. He cast the actor James Robertson Justice in many of his films. Thomas often worked with the producer Betty Box, Betty E. Box, who was married to ''Carry On'' producer Peter Rogers. Thomas was a nephew of producer Victor Saville. Early career Born in Kingston upon Hull, Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, Thomas studied law at Middlesex University College. He entered the film business as a clapperboard, clapper boy at Shepperton Studios in 1932 during his summer vacation while at college. Following graduation, instead of becoming a lawyer he decided t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Channel Island
The Channel Islands ( nrf, Îles d'la Manche; french: îles Anglo-Normandes or ''îles de la Manche'') are an archipelago in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two Crown Dependencies: the Bailiwick of Jersey, which is the largest of the islands; and the Bailiwick of Guernsey, consisting of Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, Herm and some smaller islands. They are considered the remnants of the Duchy of Normandy and, although they are not part of the United Kingdom, the UK is responsible for the defence and international relations of the islands. The Crown dependencies are not members of the Commonwealth of Nations, nor have they ever been in the European Union. They have a total population of about , and the bailiwicks' capitals, Saint Helier and Saint Peter Port, have populations of 33,500 and 18,207, respectively. "Channel Islands" is a geographical term, not a political unit. The two bailiwicks have been administered separately since the late 13th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Richard Wattis
Richard Wattis (25 February 1912 – 1 February 1975) was an English actor, co-starring in many popular British comedies of the 1950s and 1960s. Early life Richard Cameron Wattis was born on 25 February 1912 in Wednesbury, Staffordshire, the elder of two sons born to Cameron Tom Wattis and Margaret Janet, née Preston. He attended King Edward's School and Bromsgrove School, after which he worked for the electrical engineering firm William Sanders & Co (Wednesbury) Ltd. His uncle, William Preston (1874–1941), was the managing director and was the Conservative MP for Walsall from 1924 to 1929. Career After leaving the family business, Wattis became an actor. His debut was with Croydon Repertory Theatre, and he made many stage appearances in the West End in London. His first appearance in a film was ''A Yank at Oxford'' (1938), but war service interrupted his career as an actor. He served as a second lieutenant in the Small Arms Section of Special Operations Executive at S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
George Benson (actor)
George Frederick Percy Benson (11 January 1911 – 17 June 1983) was a British actor of both theatre and screen, whose career stretched from the 1930s to the early 1970s. He was on stage from the late 1920s, and made his film debut in 1932 in '' Holiday Lovers'' written by Leslie Arliss. His most notable work as a comic actor included supporting roles with George Formby (''Keep Fit'' - 1937) and Ronnie Barker (''A Home of Your Own'' - 1964). Early life Benson was born in Cardiff and educated at Blundell's School, the son of Leslie Bernard Gilpin Benson and his wife Isita.Who's Who in the Theatre, 16th edition, 1977 The family moved to Weston-super-Mare around 1920 and to Bristol around 1925. He began acting at school in the Latin plays mounted annually at the school. He trained for the stage at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (where he was the Silver Medallist in 1930). Early career Much of Benson's early work was in revue, particularly those mounted in the 1930s by Andre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Horsley (actor)
John Lovell Horsley (21 July 1920 – 12 January 2014) was a British actor. He was born in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, England. The son of a doctor, he made his acting debut at the Theatre Royal in Bournemouth. After appearing in repertory theatres he was called up for military service in the Royal Devon Yeomanry, in which he served in Sicily and Italy during the Second World War. He then contracted hepatitis and become a member of an Army drama company that toured military units. Horsley's early career as a professional career saw him playing a succession of doctors and policemen, including a doctor in the film '' Hell Drivers'' (1957) and a policeman in the television show '' Big Breadwinner Hog'' (1969). He was more prolific in television from the 1960s, and played character roles in many series and programmes including '' The Lotus Eaters'' (1972–73) and ''The Duchess of Duke Street'' (1976–77). He is perhaps best known for his role as Doc Morrissey in the BBC sitcom ''The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Patric Doonan
Patric Doonan (George William Doonan) (18 April 1926 in Derby, Derbyshire – 10 March 1958 in London) was a British stage and screen actor. He was the son of comedian George Vincent Doonan and Doris Mary (Nee Endsor) he was the brother of fellow actor Tony Doonan. He featured in films of the time such as ''The Blue Lamp'', ''Train of Events'' and ''The Cockleshell Heroes'' but rarely played the leads. An exception was '' Wheel of Fate'' (1953), in which he did have the leading role and top billing. 1953 was probably Doonan's peak year in films, as in that same year he also had good supporting roles in '' The Net'' (1953) and ''The Red Beret'' (1953). He played Detective Sergeant Trotter in ''The Mousetrap'' at the Ambassadors Theatre in London for three and a half years. He committed suicide by gas in 1958 at his home in Margaretta Terrace, Chelsea. At the time he was engaged to marry actress Ann Firbank, despite the fact that he was already married to actress Aud Johan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Martin Boddey
Albert Martin Boddey (16 April 1907 – 24 October 1975) was a British film and television actor. He was a founder member of the Lord's Taverners charity. Boddey started acting when he was nearly 40, often portraying irritable authority figures such as police officers or magistrates. Selected filmography * '' A Song for Tomorrow'' (1948) - Major * ''The Third Man'' (1949) - Russian Military Policeman (uncredited) * ''Landfall'' (1949) - Civilian (uncredited) * ''The Twenty Questions Murder Mystery'' (1950) - 2nd Plainclothesman (uncredited) * ''Cairo Road'' (1950) - Maj. Ahmed Mustafa * '' State Secret'' (1950) - Clubman * ''The Dancing Years'' (1950) - Minor Role (uncredited) * '' Seven Days to Noon'' (1950) - Gen. Willoughby * '' Cage of Gold'' (1950) - Adams * '' The Franchise Affair'' (1951) - Insp. Hallam * '' The Adventurers'' (1951) - Chief Engineer * '' Laughter in Paradise'' (1951) - Store Shopwalker * ''Cloudburst'' (1951) - Desk Sergeant * ''Valley of Eagles'' ( ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jeremy Spenser
Jeremy Spenser (born Jeremy John Dornhurst de Saram 16 July 1937) is a British actor who made his screen debut aged 11 in ''Anna Karenina'' (1948). The following year he played in the black comedy ''Kind Hearts and Coronets'' as the young Louis Mazzini. He played the young King Nicolas in ''The Prince and the Showgirl'' with Laurence Olivier and Marilyn Monroe and in ''Ferry to Hong Kong'' with Orson Welles. In the 1960s, the role offers began to slow down. His last film role was in 1966's ''Fahrenheit 451'' directed by François Truffaut. A little later Spenser retired from acting. Personal life Jeremy Spenser is the brother of British actor, director, producer and writer David Spenser. Selected filmography * ''Anna Karenina'' (1948) - Giuseppe * ''Kind Hearts and Coronets'' (1949) - Young Louis (uncredited) * '' The Spider and the Fly'' (1949) - Jacques, boy in church * ''Prelude to Fame'' (1950) - Guido Ferugia * ''The Dancing Years'' (1950) - Maria's Son * '' Portrait of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bernard Lee
John Bernard Lee (10 January 190816 January 1981) was an English actor, best known for his role as M in the first eleven Eon-produced James Bond films. Lee's film career spanned the years 1934 to 1979, though he had appeared on stage from the age of six. He was trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Lee appeared in over one hundred films, as well as on stage and in television dramatisations. He was known for his roles as authority figures, often playing military characters or policemen in films such as ''The Third Man'', ''The Blue Lamp'', ''The Battle of the River Plate'', and '' Whistle Down the Wind''. He died of stomach cancer in 1981, aged 73. Early life Lee was born on 10 January 1908, the son of Nellie (née Smith) and Edmund James Lee. He was born in either County Cork in what is now the Republic of Ireland, or Brentford, Middlesex. Edmund, an actor, introduced his six-year-old son to the stage in 1914 in a sketch called "The Double Event" at the Oxf ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Noel Purcell (actor)
Patrick Joseph Noel Purcell (23 December 1900 – 3 March 1985) was a distinguished Irish actor of stage, screen, and television. He appeared in the 1956 film ''Moby Dick'' and the 1962 film ''Mutiny on the Bounty''. Early life and education Patrick Joseph Noel Purcell was the son of Dublin auctioneer Pierce Purcell and his second wife Catherine (''née'' Hoban), an antique dealer. He was born at 11a, Lower Mercer Street, one of two houses owned by his mother's family. Purcell was educated at Synge Street CBS. He lost the tip of his right index finger while making cigarette vending machines, and was also missing his entire left index finger due to a different accident while he was an apprentice carpenter, a feature which he exploited for dramatic effect in the film ''Mutiny on the Bounty'' (1962). Career Purcell began his show business career at the age of 12 in Dublin's Gaiety Theatre. Later, he toured Ireland in a vaudeville act with Jimmy O'Dea. Stage-trained in the clas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Australian Women's Weekly
''The Australian Women's Weekly'', sometimes known as simply ''The Weekly'', is an Australian monthly women's magazine published by Mercury Capital in Sydney. For many years it was the number one magazine in Australia before being outsold by the Australian edition of '' Better Homes and Gardens'' in 2014. , ''The Weekly'' has overtaken '' Better Homes and Gardens'' again, coming out on top as Australia's most read magazine. The magazine invested in the 2020 film '' I Am Woman'' about Helen Reddy, singer, feminist icon and activist. Editor-in-chief Nicole Byers told Film Ink "Helen’s story of adversity and triumph is nothing short of inspirational. ''The Weekly'' has been telling stories of iconic Australian women for more than 80 years and we're delighted to be supporting the film production". History and profile The magazine was started in 1933 by Frank Packer and Ted Theodore as a weekly publication. The first editor was George Warnecke and the initial dummy was laid out b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
E-boat
E-boat was the Western Allies' designation for the fast attack craft (German: ''Schnellboot'', or ''S-Boot'', meaning "fast boat") of the Kriegsmarine during World War II; ''E-boat'' could refer to a patrol craft from an armed motorboat to a large ''Torpedoboot.'' The name of E-boats was a British designation using the letter ''E'' for ''Enemy'', The main wartime production boats, the ''S-100'' class, were very seaworthy, heavily armed and capable of sustaining , briefly accelerating to . These were armed with torpedoes and Flak guns; commonly one 37 mm at the stern, one 20 mm at the bow with a twin mount amidships, plus machine guns. Armament varied and some ''S-100''s substituted a 40mm Bofors or, less commonly, a 20mm ''flakvierling'' mount for the aft 37mm cannon. The ''S-100''-class boats were long and in beam. Their diesel engines provided a range of , substantially greater than the gasoline-fueled American PT boats and British motor torpedo boats (MTBs). ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
