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Jim O'Connolly
James Philip O'Connolly (23 February 1926, in Birmingham – December 1986, in Hythe) was an English actor, director, producer and screenwriter. He is best known as the associate producer of many of the ''Edgar Wallace Mysteries'' b-films made at Merton Park Studios in the early 1960s, though he also directed a number of other low budget British movies, including '' The Hi-Jackers'' (1963), '' Smokescreen'' (1964), and ''Tower of Evil'' (1972), as well as several episodes of '' The Saint''. Credits *'' The Astonished Heart'' (1950) - 3rd AD *'' Trio'' (1950) - assistant director *''The Lavender Hill Mob'' (1951) - 3rd AD *''The Man in the White Suit'' (1951) - 3rd AD *'' Secret People'' (1952) - 3rd AD *'' Mandy'' (1952) - assistant director *''I Believe in You'' (1952) - 3rd AD *''The Gentle Gunman'' (1952) - 2nd AD *''Laxdale Hall'' (1953) - 2nd AD *''Personal Affair'' (1953) - 2nd unit director *''The Blazing Caravan'' (1954) (short) - production assistant *''The Dark Stairwa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West Midlands metropolitan county, and approximately 4.3 million in the wider metropolitan area. It is the largest UK metropolitan area outside of London. Birmingham is known as the second city of the United Kingdom. Located in the West Midlands region of England, approximately from London, Birmingham is considered to be the social, cultural, financial and commercial centre of the Midlands. Distinctively, Birmingham only has small rivers flowing through it, mainly the River Tame and its tributaries River Rea and River Cole – one of the closest main rivers is the Severn, approximately west of the city centre. Historically a market town in Warwickshire in the medieval period, Birmingham grew during the 18th century during the Midla ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Secret People (film)
''Secret People'' is a 1952 British drama film, directed by Thorold Dickinson and produced by Sidney Cole for Ealing Studios, with a screenplay from Thorold Dickinson, Wolfgang Wilhelm, Joyce Carey and Christianna Brand. ''Secret People'' stars Valentina Cortese, Serge Reggiani and Audrey Hepburn and premiered in the U.K. on 8 February 1952. The film provided Audrey Hepburn with her first significant film role, leading to her big breakthrough in ''Roman Holiday''. Plot In 1930, Maria Brentano (Valentina Cortese) and her younger sister Nora (Audrey Hepburn) flee to London as their father is about to be executed by his country's dictator. Seven years later, Maria unexpectedly meets Louis (Serge Reggiani), her childhood sweetheart, who is engaged in a plot to assassinate the dictator. Maria is persuaded to play an active part in the plan, but it all goes horribly wrong when the bomb they plant kills an innocent waitress, causing Maria much distress. Cast Audrey Hepburn After hav ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Confession (1955 Film)
''Confession'', released in the United States as ''The Deadliest Sin'', is a 1955 British drama film directed by Ken Hughes and starring Sydney Chaplin, Audrey Dalton and John Bentley. Production The film was made at Merton Park Studios by Anglo-Amalgamated. Along with ''Little Red Monkey'', released the same year, the film was an international hit and led to the company producing films with a higher production quality than they had previously, often importing American stars to give the films more international appeal. Plot A man stands in a large church. He enters a confessional box and tells the priest: "I have killed a man, Father". After the title sequence, Mike Nelson arrives at an idyllic English country cottage in a chauffeur-driven car. He has an American accent as he has been in the USA working in the oil business for many years. He is greeted enthusiastically by his sister, but his elderly father is more reserved. His sister, Louise, shows him to his old room. Her fia ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Little Red Monkey
''Little Red Monkey'' (U.S. title: ''The'' ''Case of the Red Monkey'') is a 1955 British thriller film directed by Ken Hughes and starring Richard Conte, Rona Anderson and Russell Napier. The screenplay was by Hughes and James Eastwood, based on the 1953 BBC Television series of the same name written by Eric Maschwitz. Detectives from Scotland Yard investigate a series of murders of leading nuclear scientists, and are intrigued by strange reports received about the crimes. The film was an international hit, and along with ''Confession'' (1955) proved a breakthrough for Anglo-Amalgamated. After its success the company began making more expensive productions, often hiring American stars for international appeal. Cast * Richard Conte as Bill Locklin * Rona Anderson as Julia Jackson * Russell Napier as Superintendent John Harrington * Sylva Langova as Hilde Heller, chief spy * Colin Gordon as Harry Martin, reporter * Donald Bisset as Editor Harris * John King-Kelly as spy hench ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Love Match
''The Love Match'' is a 1955 British black and white comedy film directed by David Paltenghi and starring Arthur Askey, Glenn Melvyn, Thora Hird and Shirley Eaton. A football-mad railway engine driver and his fireman are desperate to get back in time to see a match. It was based on the 1953 play by Glenn Melvyn, one of the stars of the film. A TV spin-off series ''Love and Kisses'', appeared later in 1955. Cast * Arthur Askey as Bill Brown * Glenn Melvyn as Wally Binns * Thora Hird as Sal Brown * Shirley Eaton as Rose Brown * James Kenney as Percy Brown * Edward Chapman as Mr. Longworth * Danny Ross as Alf Hall * Robb Wilton as Mr. Muddlecombe * Anthea Askey as Vera * Patricia Hayes as Emma Binns * Iris Vandeleur as Mrs. Entwhistle * William Franklyn as Arthur Ford * Leonard Williams as Aggressive Man * Peter Swanwick as Mr. Hall * Dorothy Blythe as Waitress * Reginald Hearne as Police Constable Wilfred * Maurice Kaufmann as Harry Longworth * Janet Davies as Motorist Rele ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Night Plane To Amsterdam
Night (also described as night time, unconventionally spelled as "nite") is the period of ambient darkness from sunset to sunrise during each 24-hour day, when the Sun is below the horizon. The exact time when night begins and ends depends on the location and varies throughout the year, based on factors such as season and latitude. The word can be used in a different sense as the time between bedtime and morning. In common communication, the word ''night'' is used as a farewell ("good night", sometimes shortened to "night"), mainly when someone is going to sleep or leaving. Astronomical night is the period between astronomical dusk and astronomical dawn when the Sun is between 18 and 90 degrees below the horizon and does not illuminate the sky. As seen from latitudes between about 48.56° and 65.73° north or south of the Equator, complete darkness does not occur around the summer solstice because, although the Sun sets, it is never more than 18° below the horizon at lower cu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Brain Machine (film)
''The Brain Machine'' is a 1956 Cinema of the United Kingdom, British thriller film directed by Ken Hughes and starring Maxwell Reed, Elizabeth Allan and Patrick Barr. Premise A husband and wife team of doctors attempt to stop a dangerously unbalanced man from committing a series of crimes. Production The film was made at Merton Park Studios in South London by Anglo-Amalgamated. It was released as a co-feature, as part of a double bill. Cast * Maxwell Reed as Frank Smith * Elizabeth Allan as Doctor Phillipa Roberts * Patrick Barr as Doctor Geoffrey Allen * Russell Napier as Inspector Durham * Gibb McLaughlin as Spencer Simon * Neil Hallett as Detective Superintendent John Harris * Mark Bellamy as Louie, the gangster * Bill Nagy (actor), Bill Nagy as Charlie, gym owner * Edwin Richfield as Henry Arthur Ryan * Clifford Buckton as Edward Jarritt * John Horsley (actor), John Horsley as Doctor Richards * Gwen Bacon as Nurse-Matron * Donald Bisset as Major Gifford * Thomas Gallagher ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Child's Play (1954 Film)
''Child's Play'' is a 1954 British science fiction film, which was made in 1952. Plot It is a science-fiction film about children who manage to split the atom and thereby create a new form of popcorn."Margaret Thomson NZonscreen. Directed by , it was based on a script by , who also worked on the film as an assistant. Cast * as Miss Emily Goslett * |
The Diamond Wizard
''The Diamond'' is a 1954 British film noir crime film starring Dennis O'Keefe, Margaret Sheridan and Philip Friend. It is based on the 1952 novel ''Rich Is the Treasure'' by Maurice Procter. It was released by United Artists in both Britain and America where it was known as ''The Diamond Wizard''. It has the distinction of being Britain's first 3D film, though according to the British Film Institute, it was shown in 3D only once, on 13 September 2006 in Hollywood. Despite the 2006 showing the film was listed on the BFI 75 Most Wanted list of lost films. The 2D film, however, is not lost and can be viewed on Amazon Prime while the restored 3D version was released on Blu-Ray November 2022. Production It was shot at Walton Studios with location filming taking place around London. The film's sets were designed by the art director Denis Wreford. It was produced by the independent British company Gibraltar Films for release by United Artists. It was O'Keefe's second role in a Briti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Dark Stairway (1953 Film)
''The Dark Stairway'' is a 1953 British short film. It was one of a series of shorts made for British cinemas as second features in the 1950s made by Anglo-Amalgamated at the Merton Park Studios as part of the '' Scotland Yard'' film series. They are narrated by crime writer Edgar Lustgarten, and were subsequently broadcast as television episodes. The film was also known as '' The Greek Street Murder''. accessed 25 June 2014 Plot A blind man, George Benson, witnesses the murder of Harry Carpenter by Joe Lloyd. Benson finds himself accused of the murder. Inspector Jack Harmer finds the murder weapon and discovers Carpenter was murdered because he betrayed Lloyd to the police. Benson manages to identify Lloyd by his ring, voice and hair products' smell.Cast * |
Personal Affair
''Personal Affair'' is a 1953 British drama film directed by Anthony Pelissier and starring Gene Tierney, Leo Genn and Glynis Johns.''Monthly Film Bulletin'' review; 1953, page 160. It was made at Pinewood Studios by Two Cities Films. Plot summary Teenager Barbara Vining (Glynis Johns) has an unrequited crush on her Latin-language teacher, Stephen Barlow (Leo Genn). When Barlow's wife Kay (Gene Tierney) finds out, she confronts Barbara, who is humiliated and runs off to London. Stephen chases after her near a river to try to calm her down. Barbara does not return home to her parents Henry (Walter Fitzgerald) and Vi (Megs Jenkins) for three days. During that time Stephen is accused by the community, without any evidence, of causing her death, causing him to lose his job and almost his marriage. Barbara's gossipy spinster Aunt Evelyn ( Pamela Brown), who lives with the family, makes the situation considerably worse with her innuendo, by projecting her own, much earlier unrequ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Laxdale Hall
''Laxdale Hall'' is a 1953 British romantic comedy film directed by John Eldridge and starring Ronald Squire, Kathleen Ryan, Raymond Huntley and Sebastian Shaw, with Prunella Scales and Fulton Mackay in early roles. Released in the U.S. as ''Scotch on the Rocks'', it was adapted from the 1951 novel ''Laxdale Hall'' by Eric Linklater. The story is one of the few to touch on the British Town Planning system – mocking the New Towns Act 1946. Plot The few car owners of Laxdale, a remote village near the Isle of Skye at Applecross, refuse to pay their Road Fund taxes, in protest against the poor state of the only road. A series of summonses, sent out via the local police, mysteriously 'disappear'. The government sends a delegation to investigate. It is led by Samuel Pettigrew, a pompous politician and industrialist, whose Mother was born in Laxdale. He is accompanied by another MP, Hugh Marvell, and Andrew Flett from the Scottish Office. Pettigrew presents plans to abandon the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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