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Harry Baird (actor)
Harry Baird (12 May 193113 February 2005) was a Guyanese-born British actor who came to prominence in the 1960s, appearing in more than 36 films throughout his career. He is best remembered as the bus driver in the final scene of ''The Italian Job''. Life and career Baird was born in Georgetown, British Guiana, and educated in Canada and Britain. He was 17 years old when he joined his brother in London and, driven by an early interest in the cinema, began training at the YMCA. David McGillivray"Harry Baird" (obituary) ''The Guardian'', 17 March 2005. He made his first film appearance in 1955 as a boxer called Jamaica in Carol Reed's '' A Kid for Two Farthings''. A year later, he appeared in the play '' Kismet'' at the Stoll Theatre in London, and had a role in Jean Genet's '' The Blacks'' in 1961 at the Royal Court Theatre. Baird subsequently appeared mostly in film and television, though other stage work included ''A Wreath for Udomo'' (Lyric Hammersmith, 1961) and ''Ogodivelef ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thor And The Amazon Women
''Thor and the Amazon Women'' (Italian: ''Le gladiatrici'', lit. "The female gladiators") is a 1963 Italian / Yugoslavian sword and sandal film directed by Antonio Leonviola. The film is also known as ''The Amazon Women'' (United Kingdom censored version) and ''Women Gladiators'' in the United Kingdom. It is a sequel to "Taur the Mighty" (released in Italy as "Taur, il re della forza bruta"). Plot summary A civilization of women warriors is ruled by the evil Black Queen who has subjugated the men in her land. Thor and his friend Ubaratutu live in a distant village with a young blonde woman named Tamar and her young brother Homolke. Tamar's father was the king of a seaside village who had been killed several years earlier when the Black Queen's Amazon warriors raided the village. As a form of entertainment, the Black Queen enslaves captive women and forces them to fight each other. Women who refuse to fight are executed by the Evil Queen's guards. Ghebel Gor, one of the ensl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kismet (musical)
''Kismet'' is a musical adapted by Charles Lederer and Luther Davis from the 1911 play of the same name by Edward Knoblock, with lyrics and musical adaptation (as well as some original music) by Robert Wright and George Forrest. The music was mostly adapted from several pieces composed by Alexander Borodin. The story concerns a wily poet who talks his way out of trouble several times; meanwhile, his beautiful daughter meets and falls in love with the young caliph. The musical was first produced on Broadway in 1953 and won the Tony Award for best musical in 1954. It was also successful in London's West End and has been given several revivals. A 1955 film version was produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Background The musical was commissioned by Edwin Lester, founder and director of the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera, who conceived of a musical based on the 1911 play '' Kismet'' by Edward Knoblock.Rooney, David''Kismet'' ''Variety'', February 10, 2006, accessed November 28, 2011 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Melvin Van Peebles
Melvin Van Peebles (born Melvin Peebles; August 21, 1932 – September 21, 2021) was an American actor, filmmaker, writer, and composer. He worked as an active filmmaker into the 2000s. His feature film debut, '' The Story of a Three-Day Pass'' (1967), was based on his own French-language novel ' and was shot in France, as it was difficult for a black American director to get work at the time. The film won an award at the San Francisco International Film Festival which gained him the interest of Hollywood studios, leading to his American feature debut '' Watermelon Man'', in 1970. Eschewing further overtures from Hollywood, he used the successes he had so far to bankroll his work as an independent filmmaker. In 1971, he released his best-known work, creating and starring in the film '' Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song'', considered one of the earliest and best-regarded examples of the blaxploitation genre. He followed this up with the musical, '' Don't Play Us Cheap'', based on ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Danger Man
''Danger Man'' (retitled ''Secret Agent'' in the United States for the revived series, and ''Destination Danger'' and ''John Drake'' in other overseas markets) is a British television series that was broadcast between 1960 and 1962, and again between 1964 and 1968. The series featured Patrick McGoohan as secret agent John Drake (Danger Man), John Drake. Ralph Smart created the programme and wrote many of the scripts. ''Danger Man'' was financed by Lew Grade's ITC Entertainment. Series development The idea for ''Danger Man'' originated with Ralph Smart an associate of Lew Grade, head of ITC Entertainment. Grade was looking for formats that could be exported. Ian Fleming was brought in to collaborate on series development, but left before development was complete. Like James Bond, the main character is a globetrotting British spy (although one who works for NATO rather than MI6), who cleverly extricates himself from life-threatening situations and introduces himself as "Drake...J ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Basil Dearden
Basil Dearden (born Basil Clive Dear; 1 January 1911 – 23 March 1971) was an English film director. Early life and career Dearden was born at 5, Woodfield Road, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex to Charles James Dear, a steel manufacturer, and his wife, Florence Tripp. Basil Dean Dearden graduated from theatre direction to film, working as an assistant to Basil Dean. He later changed his own name to Dearden to avoid confusion with his mentor. He wrote ''This Man Is News'' (1938), a hugely popular quota quickie and wrote and directed a film for TV ''Under Suspicion'' (1939). He was assistant director on '' Penny Paradise'' (1938), produced by Dean and directed by Carol Reed, and two George Formby comedies directed by Anthony Kimmins: '' George Takes the Air'' (1938), produced by Dean, and '' Come on George!'' (1939). Dearden was promoted to associate producer on two more George Formby films, which he also co-wrote: '' To Hell with Hitler'' (1940) aka ''Let George Do It'' and '' Spare a C ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Michael Relph
Michael Leighton George Relph (16 February 1915 – 30 September 2004) was an English film producer, art director, screenwriter and film director. He was the son of actor George Relph. Films Relph began his film career in 1933 as an assistant art director under Alfred Junge at Gaumont British then headed by Michael Balcon. In 1942 Relph began work at Ealing as chief art director, where his designs included the influential 1945 supernatural anthology ''Dead of Night''. He worked mainly on Basil Dearden's films, and in 1949 was nominated for an Academy Award for art direction for his work on the Stewart Granger vehicle '' Saraband for Dead Lovers'' (1948). Theatre Michael Relph also designed for the theatre, particularly the West End in the 1940s, from '' The Doctor's Dilemma'' and '' A Month in the Country'', to '' Nap Hand'' and ''The Man Who Came to Dinner''. Producer Relph is largely known as a film producer. He served as associate producer on the Ealing comedy ''Kind Hea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
White Hunter (TV Series)
''White Hunter'' is a 1957 British TV series. It starred Rhodes Reason and Harry Baird ran for 39 episodes. It was based on the book ''White Hunter'' by J. A. Hunter. Several episodes star Hugh Moxey as Purley. It was Produced by Norman Williams (producer), husband of Patricia Dainton. Some episodes were edited together as the feature ''Man Eater''. References External links''White Hunter''at IMDb''White Hunter''at CTVAMan Eaterat IMDb IMDb (an abbreviation of Internet Movie Database) is an online database of information related to films, television series, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and personal biographies, ...Man Eaterat BFI 1957 British television series debuts {{drama-tv-prog-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was published on Saturday 26 March 2016, leaving only the online edition. The newspaper was controlled by Tony O'Reilly's Irish Independent News & Media from 1997 until it was sold to the Russian oligarch and former KGB Officer Alexander Lebedev in 2010. In 2017, Sultan Muhammad Abuljadayel bought a 30% stake in it. The daily edition was named National Newspaper of the Year at the 2004 British Press Awards. The website and mobile app had a combined monthly reach of 19,826,000 in 2021. History 1986 to 1990 Launched in 1986, the first issue of ''The Independent'' was published on 7 October in broadsheet format.Dennis Griffiths (ed.) ''The Encyclopedia of the British Press, 1422–1992'', London & Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1992, p. 330 It was pro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stephen Bourne (writer)
Stephen Bourne (born 31 October 1957) is a British writer, film and social historian specialising in Black heritage and gay culture. As noted by the BBC among others, Bourne "has discovered many stories that have remained untold for years". In October 2019, Booker Prize winner Bernardine Evaristo voted Bourne for her Black History Month hero on Facebook. She said: "Stephen Bourne is a hero of our history, who has published countless books, always accessible to all, on the hidden stories of our presence on these shores. Let's honour Stephen for quietly shining a light on our history." In 2019, the acclaimed writer Russell T Davies ('' Queer as Folk'', ''It's a Sin'') described Bourne in his foreword to ''Playing Gay in the Golden Age of British Television'' as "one of the soldiers, gatekeepers and champions of our community. I am in awe of his diligence and insight." Early life and education Bourne was born in Camberwell, south-east London, and raised in Peckham. He attended Ol ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lyric Hammersmith
The Lyric Theatre, also known as the Lyric Hammersmith, is a theatre on Lyric Square, off King Street, Hammersmith, London."About the Lyric" ''Lyric'' official website. Retrieved 9 May 2008. Background The Lyric Theatre was originally a music hall established in 1888 on Bradmore Grove, Hammersmith. Success as an entertainment venue led it to be rebuilt and enlarged on the same site twice, firstly in 1890 and then in 1895 by the English theatrical architect . The 1895 reopening, as The New Lyric Opera House, was accompanied by an opening address by the famous actress |
A Wreath For Udomo
''A Wreath for Udomo'' is a 1956 novel by South African novelist Peter Abrahams. The novel follows a London-educated black African, Michael Udomo, who returns to Africa to become a revolutionary leader in the fictional country of Panafrica and is eventually martyred. The novel explores a revolutionary politics, exploring the diversity of actors and political communities needed to overcome colonial oppression. The novel was controversial at the time of its publication, because it represented revolutionary independence from a tropical African country, before the first such independence by the Gold Coast. Critic Bernth Lindfors described the character of Udomo as being modeled off real revolutionary leaders in Africa, including Kwame Nkrumah, Jomo Kenyatta and Nnamdi Azikiwe. Critical reception '' Kirkus Reviews'' in May 1956 generally received the novel well, describing it as "a powerful story ..it has its moments of tenderness in first one, then another love story". But ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Royal Court Theatre
The Royal Court Theatre, at different times known as the Court Theatre, the New Chelsea Theatre, and the Belgravia Theatre, is a non-commercial West End theatre in Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England. In 1956 it was acquired by and remains the home of the English Stage Company, which is known for its contributions to contemporary theatre and won the Europe Prize Theatrical Realities in 1999. History The first theatre The first theatre on Lower George Street, off Sloane Square, was the converted Nonconformist Ranelagh Chapel, opened as a theatre in 1870 under the name The New Chelsea Theatre. Marie Litton became its manager in 1871, hiring Walter Emden to remodel the interior, and it was renamed the Court Theatre. Several of W. S. Gilbert's early plays were staged here, including ''Randall's Thumb'', ''Creatures of Impulse'' (with music by Alberto Randegger), ''Great Expectations'' (adapted from the Dickens novel), and ''On G ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
