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Donald Houston
Donald Daniel Houston (6 November 1923 – 13 October 1991) was a Welsh actor whose first two films—'' The Blue Lagoon'' (1949) with Jean Simmons, and ''A Run for Your Money'' (1949) with Alec Guinness—were highly successful. Later in his career he was cast in military roles and in comedies such as the ''Doctor'' and ''Carry On'' series. Early life Houston was born in 10 Thomas Street, Tonypandy, on Tuesday 6 November 1923 in the village of Clydach Vale, near Tonypandy, Glamorgan and was the elder brother of actor Glyn Houston and a sister, Jean. His father Alexander Houston, was a professional football player from Scotland, and his mother Elsie M Jones, ran a milk round. Following the death of their mother at age 29, Donald and brother Glyn Houston were raised by their grandmother while their father had to leave Wales in order to find work. After leaving school he worked at a local colliery before deciding to start an acting career. In 1940 he performed on stage w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Clydach Vale
Clydach Vale ( cy, Cwmclydach and adjoining ''Blaenclydach'') is a village in the Community (Wales), community of Cwm Clydach, northwest of Tonypandy in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the Rhondda Valley, Wales. It is named for its situation on the Nant Clydach, a tributary of the River Rhondda. The village is deemed part of the Tonypandy built-up area by the Office for National Statistics and comes under the Tonypandy post town. Integration of villages Before the coming of industrialisation, Clydach Vale was a sparsely populated agricultural area. Records show that in the seventeenth century the area was named Dyffryn Clydach (Clydach Vale), and was divided into two areas, Cwmclydach and Blaenclydach. Those two localities are today very much integrated. The Cwmclydach Community Partnership is made up of groups from both villages (and the wider community), plus the Clydach Vale Countryside Park and Mountain Forestry. History In the 1840s coal mining began in the v ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis powers. World War II was a total war that directly involved more than 100 million personnel from more than 30 countries. The major participants in the war threw their entire economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities behind the war effort, blurring the distinction between civilian and military resources. Aircraft played a major role in the conflict, enabling the strategic bombing of population centres and deploying the only two nuclear weapons ever used in war. World War II was by far the deadliest conflict in human history; it resulted in 70 to 85 million fatalities, mostly among civilians. Tens of millions died due to genocides (including the Holocaust), starvation, ma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Blue Plaque
A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place in the United Kingdom and elsewhere to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person, event, or former building on the site, serving as a historical marker. The term is used in the United Kingdom in two different senses. It may be used narrowly and specifically to refer to the "official" scheme administered by English Heritage, and currently restricted to sites within Greater London; or it may be used less formally to encompass a number of similar schemes administered by organisations throughout the UK. The plaques erected are made in a variety of designs, shapes, materials and colours: some are blue, others are not. However, the term "blue plaque" is often used informally to encompass all such schemes. The "official" scheme traces its origins to that launched in 1866 in London, on the initiative of the politician William Ewart, to mark the homes and workplaces of famous people. It has been administe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tales That Witness Madness
''Tales That Witness Madness'' is a 1973 British anthology horror film produced by Norman Priggen, directed by veteran horror director Freddie Francis, written by actress Jennifer Jayne. The film was one of several in a series of anthology films made during the 1960s and 1970s which included ''Dr. Terror's House of Horrors'' (1965), '' Torture Garden'' (1967), ''The House That Dripped Blood'' (1970), ''Asylum'' (1972), ''Tales from the Crypt'' (1972), '' The Vault of Horror'' (1973) and ''From Beyond the Grave'' (1974). These portmanteau horror films were all produced by Amicus Productions. ''Tales That Witness Madness'' is sometimes mistaken for an Amicus production; however, it was actually produced by World Film Services.Ed. Allan Bryce, ''Amicus: The Studio That Dripped Blood'', Stray Cat Publishing, 2000 p 93 Plot In the Clinic link episodes, Dr Tremayne (Donald Pleasence), a psychiatrist in a modern mental asylum, reveals to colleague Dr Nicholas (Jack Hawkins) that he ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Maniac (1963 Film)
''Maniac'' (also known as ''The Maniac'') is a 1963 British psychological thriller film directed by Michael Carreras and starring Kerwin Mathews, Nadia Gray and Donald Houston. Plot The story tells of vacationing American artist Jeff Farrell who becomes romantically involved with an older woman named Eve Beynat in southern France while at the same time harboring an attraction to her teenage stepdaughter, Annette. Eve's husband/Annette's father Georges is in an asylum for, four years ago, using a blowtorch to kill a man who had raped Annette. Believing it will help make Eve his for life, Jeff agrees to assist her in springing Georges from the asylum. Of course, Eve has a completely different agenda in mind. Inspector Etienne sets up a plot to help trap the real killer, and the climactic scenes are set at Les Baux-de-Provence in the huge stone galleries dug into the rock of the Val d'Enfer on the road to Maillane. Cast * Kerwin Mathews as Jeff Farrell * Nadia Gray as Eve Beyna ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Carry On Jack
''Carry On Jack'' is a 1964 British comedy film, the eighth in the series of 31 ''Carry On'' films (1958–1992). Most of the usual ''Carry On'' team are missing from this film: only Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey appear throughout, with Jim Dale making a cameo appearance as a sedan chair carrier. Bernard Cribbins makes the first of his three appearances in a Carry On. Juliet Mills, Donald Houston and Cecil Parker make their only Carry on appearances in this film. ''Carry On Jack'' was the second of the series to be filmed in colour and the first ''Carry On'' film with a historical setting and period costumes. As with its immediate predecessor, the script for ''Carry on Jack'' started off as a non-''Carry On'' film (originally entitled ''Up the Armada'') and after a number of title changes was incorporated into the series. Plot ''Carry On Jack'' starts with the death of Admiral Horatio Nelson ( Jimmy Thompson), whose last words are that Britain needs a bigger navy w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Doctor In Distress (film)
''Doctor in Distress'' is a 1963 British comedy film directed by Ralph Thomas and starring Dirk Bogarde, James Robertson Justice, and Samantha Eggar. It is the fifth of the seven films in the ''Doctor'' series. After a one-film absence, it was the final return to the role of Simon Sparrow by Dirk Bogarde, and also the return (although in a different role) of Donald Houston. The film uses some of the characters in Richard Gordon's ''Doctor'' novels, but is not based on any of them. Plot Simon Sparrow, now a senior doctor at Hampden Cross Hospital, falls in love with Delia, a model and aspiring actress. They eventually move in together, but then she goes to Italy to audition for a film. Meanwhile, Sir Lancelot Spratt injures his back in a fall. Placed under the care of physiotherapist Iris Marchant, he is initially hostile, but soon succumbs to her charms. He turns to his friend Simon for advice. Simon sends him to a nature cure clinic in a vain attempt to help him lose weight. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Out Of The Unknown
''Out of the Unknown'' is a British television science fiction anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and broadcast on BBC2 in four series between 1965 and 1971. Most episodes of the first three series were a dramatisation of a science fiction short story. Some were written directly for the series, but most were adaptations of already-published stories. The first three years were exclusively science fiction, but that genre was mostly abandoned in the final year in favour of horror/fantasy stories, with only one story based around science-fiction. Many videotapes of episodes were wiped in the early 1970s, as was standard procedure at the time. A large number of episodes are still missing, although some have resurfaced—for example, " Level Seven" from series two, originally broadcast on 27 October 1966, was returned to the BBC from the archives of a European broadcaster in January 2006. Origins Irene Shubik had been a science fiction fan since college. In 1961 suggested ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Moonbase 3
''Moonbase 3'' is a British science fiction television programme that ran for six episodes in 1973. It was a co-production between the BBC, 20th Century Fox and the American ABC network. Created by ''Doctor Who'' producer Barry Letts and script editor Terrance Dicks as a realistic alternative strand of TV science-fiction, it was not a commercial or critical success (Dicks himself has stated in a foreword to a collection of Tom Baker-era ''Doctor Who'' scripts that they "overdid the grimness and forgot about the sense of wonder that science fiction is all about"). It starred Donald Houston as Director David Caulder, who is appointed to the position after the previous director was killed while returning to Earth. Ralph Bates was Michel Lebrun, the deputy director, who was concerned about keeping to the rules. Fiona Gaunt played Doctor Helen Smith, the base's psychiatrist, and Barry Lowe played Tom Hill, the head of the base technical section. The programme was notable for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Sea Wolves
''The Sea Wolves'' is a 1980 war film starring Gregory Peck, Roger Moore and David Niven. The film, which is based on the 1978 book ''Boarding Party'' by James Leasor, is a fictionalised account of Operation Creek during the Second World War. In the covert mission, the Calcutta Light Horse, part of the Cavalry Reserve in the British Indian Army, successfully sank a German merchant ship in Mormugão Harbour in neutral Portugal's territory of Goa, India on 9 March 1943. The ship had a secret radio which was transmitting information about Allied shipping to U-boats operating in the Indian Ocean. The film, which starred veteran American and British actors, was produced by Euan Lloyd and directed by Andrew V. McLaglen. Both had worked previously together on the successful 1978 British-Swiss war film ''The Wild Geese''. Plot During World War II, U-boats are sinking thousands of tons of British merchant shipping in the Indian Ocean. British intelligence, based in India, believes that ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Where Eagles Dare
''Where Eagles Dare'' is a 1968 war film directed by Brian G. Hutton and starring Richard Burton, Clint Eastwood and Mary Ure. It follows a joint British-American Special Operations Executive team of paratroopers raiding a castle (shot on location in Austria and Bavaria). It was filmed in Panavision using the Metrocolor process, and was distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Alistair MacLean wrote the screenplay, his first, at the same time that he wrote the novel of the same name. Both became commercial successes. The film involved some of the top filmmakers of the day and is considered a classic. Hollywood stuntman Yakima Canutt was the second unit director and shot most of the action scenes; British stuntman Alf Joint doubled for Burton in many sequences, including the fight on top of the cable car; award-winning conductor and composer Ron Goodwin wrote the film score; and future Oscar-nominee Arthur Ibbetson worked on the cinematography. Plot In the winter of 1943–4 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
633 Squadron
''633 Squadron'' is a 1964 British / American war film directed by Walter Grauman and starring Cliff Robertson, George Chakiris, and Maria Perschy. The plot, which involves the exploits of a fictional World War II British bomber squadron, was based on the 1956 novel of the same name by former Royal Air Force officer Frederick E. Smith, which itself drew on several real RAF operations. The film was produced by Cecil F. Ford for the second film of Mirisch Productions UK subsidiary Mirisch Films for United Artists. ''633 Squadron'' was the first aviation film to be shot in colour and Panavision widescreen.O'Hara 1989, p. 86. Plot After the Norwegian resistance leader Royal Norwegian Navy Lieutenant Erik Bergman travels to Great Britain to report the location of a German V-2 rocket fuel plant, the Royal Air Force's No. 633 Squadron is assigned to destroy it. The squadron is led by Wing Commander Roy Grant, a former Eagle Squadron pilot (an American serving in the RAF before the U ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
