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School For Secrets
''School for Secrets'' (also known as ''Secret Flight'') is a 1946 British black-and-white film written and directed by Peter Ustinov and starring Ralph Richardson. In leading supporting roles were David Tomlinson, Raymond Huntley, Finlay Currie, Richard Attenborough, John Laurie and Michael Hordern. Based on a 1942 RAF training film for would-be 'boffins' and developed with the full cooperation of the Air Ministry, the film celebrates the discovery of radar, its discoverers and the enabling culture. Produced by Two Cities Films, it was shot at Denham Studios with sets designed by the art director Carmen Dillon. Plot ''School for Secrets'' tells the story of the "boffins" - research scientists - who discovered and developed radar and helped avoid the German invasion of Britain in 1940. Five scientists, led by Professor Heatherville (Ralph Richardson), are brought together to work in secrecy and under pressure to develop the device. Their dedication disrupts their family lives as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Peter Ustinov
Sir Peter Alexander Ustinov (born Peter Alexander Freiherr von Ustinov ; 16 April 192128 March 2004) was a British actor, filmmaker and writer. An internationally known raconteur, he was a fixture on television talk shows and lecture circuits for much of his career. An intellectual and diplomat, he held various academic posts and served as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF and president of the World Federalist Movement. Ustinov was the winner of numerous awards during his life, including two Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor, Emmy Awards, Golden Globes, and BAFTA Awards for acting, and a Grammy Award for best recording for children, as well as the recipient of governmental honours from, amongst others, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. He also displayed a unique cultural versatility which frequently earned him the accolade of a Renaissance man. Miklós Rózsa, composer of the music for ''Quo Vadis'' and of numerous concert works, dedicated his String Quartet No. 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Denham Studios
Denham Film Studios was a British film production studio operating from 1936 to 1952, founded by Alexander Korda. Notable films made at Denham include ''Brief Encounter'' and David Lean's '' Great Expectations''. From the 1950s to the 1970s the studio became best known for recording film music, including the scores for Alfred Hitchcock's ''Vertigo'', '' Chitty Chitty Bang Bang'', and '' Star Wars''. The studio buildings were demolished in 1981 and the site re-landscaped as a business park; as of 2017 it has been turned over to residential use. History The studios were founded by Alexander Korda in 1935, on a 165-acre (668,000 m2) site known as 'The Fisheries' near the village of Denham, Buckinghamshire, and designed by architects Walter Gropius and Maxwell Fry. At the time it was the largest facility of its kind in the UK. In 1937, Queen Mary visited the studios while '' The Drum'' was being filmed. In 1946, 'Stage One Music Theatre' opened. Designed by sound recordist a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Robin Bailey
William Henry Mettam "Robin" Bailey (5 October 1919 – 14 January 1999) was an English actor. He was born in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire. Often cast in upper class and tradition-bound roles such as Mr Justice Graves in Thames Television's ''Rumpole of the Bailey'', Bailey is also known for his portrayal of Uncle Mort in '' I Didn't Know You Cared'', the BBC's adaptation of Peter Tinniswood's stories about an extended Yorkshire family. The television series ran from 1975 to 1979. Bailey continued to play Uncle Mort in a series of radio programmes. Bailey also collaborated with Tinniswood on the television and radio series ''Tales from a Long Room'', playing the Brigadier, an eccentric cricket-lover with a fund of extraordinary tales about the game and its players. Early life and education Bailey was born at Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, the son of china and glass merchant George Henry Bailey and Thirza Ann (née Mettam). He was educated at the Henry Mellish Grammar School, Nottin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bill Owen (actor)
William John Owen Rowbotham, (14 March 1914 – 12 July 1999) was an English actor and songwriter. He was the father of actor Tom Owen. He is best known for portraying Compo Simmonite in the Yorkshire-based BBC comedy series ''Last of the Summer Wine'' for over a quarter of a century. He died on 12 July 1999, his last appearance on-screen being shown in April 2000. Early life and career Born at Acton Green, London to a working-class family (his father a staunchly left-wing tram-driver), Owen made his first film appearance in 1945, but did not achieve lasting fame until 1973, when he took the co-starring role of William "Compo" Simmonite in the long-running British sitcom ''Last of the Summer Wine''. Compo is a scruffy working-class pensioner, often exploited by the bossy characters played by Michael Bates, Brian Wilde, Michael Aldridge and Frank Thornton for dirty jobs, stunts and escapades, while their indomitably docile friend Norman Clegg, played by Peter Sallis, follow ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
James Hayter (actor)
Henry James Hayter (23 April 1907 – 27 March 1983) was a British actor of television and film. He is best remembered for his roles as Friar Tuck in the film ''The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men'' (1952) and as Samuel Pickwick in the film ''The Pickwick Papers'' (1952), the latter earning him a BAFTA Award for Best British Actor nomination. Early life He was born in Lonavala, India, and brought up in Scotland, attending Dollar Academy. He made his West End debut in the 1936 comedy ''The Composite Man'' at Daly's Theatre. His best remembered film roles include Friar Tuck in the 1952 film ''The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men'' (he reprised the same role in the 1967 film ''A Challenge for Robin Hood'') and Samuel Pickwick in ''The Pickwick Papers'' of the same year. His rotund appearance and fruity voice made him a natural choice for such roles. Acting career A pupil of Dollar Academy, he became a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. His film career ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cyril Smith (actor)
Cyril Edward Bruce-Smith (4 April 1892 – 5 March 1963) was a Scottish actor who began his career as a child in 1900 and went on to appear in numerous stage plays as well as over 100 films between 1914 and his death almost 50 years later. The son of Frederick and Elsa Smith; his mother travelled with him on his engagements during his boyhood. Career Smith first became known as a child stage actor in 1900, and by the age of 13 in 1905, he travelled to New York to appear as Cosmo in a production of the J. M. Barrie play ''Alice-Sit-By-The Fire'', opposite Ethel Barrymore; at the time, ''The New York Times'' hailed him as "one of the best-known child actors in England". Smith's film career began in 1914 in the Wilfred Noy-directed ''Old St. Paul's'' and he appeared in almost 20 other silent films of the 1910s and 1920s before making the transition to sound. From the early 1930s until his death, he featured in dozens of films ranging from the quota quickies of the 1930s and t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Patrick Waddington
Patrick William Simpson Waddington (19 August 19014 February 1987) was an English actor, educated at Gresham's School at Holt in Norfolk. He was born and died in York, England. Biography Waddington was the grandson of William Waddington, the piano manufacturer who also took over the management of the Theatre Royal York. After Gresham's School and St John's College, Oxford, he started his career singing, and in the 1930s was in ''That Certain Trio'' with Peggy Cochrane. On stage from 1924, often in upper-class roles, his theatre work included the original West End run of Patrick Hamilton's ''Rope'' in 1929; a lengthy tour of ''My Fair Lady'', as Colonel Pickering, in 1963–5; and the musical ''Kean'' on Broadway, in 1961. Film and TV included ''The Wooden Horse'' (1950), '' A Night to Remember'' (1958), and two episodes of ''Dad's Army'', as 'The Brigadier'. In 1951 he became General Secretary of TACT (The Actors Charitable Trust) and was headmaster of its children's home ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
David Hutcheson
David Hutcheson (14 June 1905 – 18 February 1976) was a British character actor. He made his film debut in ''Fast and Loose'' in 1930 and played his only lead role in 1934's '' Romance in Rhythm''. He went on to specialise in hooray henrys, silly asses and military types most prominently in Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's ''The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp'' (1943) and Peter Ustinov's ''School for Secrets'' (1946) and ''Vice Versa'' (1948). He continued in film and television until the 1970s. During the 1960s he often played the role of Colonel Pickering in stage productions of ''My Fair Lady.'' On 25 March 1949 he married Mary, Countess of Warwick, (née Mary Kathleen Hopkinson), the former wife of Charles Greville, 7th Earl of Warwick. This was shortly after the Earl of Warwick divorced his wife because of her adultery with Hutcheson. Selected filmography * '' Fast and Loose'' (1930) - Lord Rockingham * '' Romance in Rhythm'' (1934) - Bob Mervyn * ''The Love Test ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marjorie Rhodes
Marjorie Rhodes (9 April 1897 – 4 July 1979) was a British actress. She was born Millicent Wise in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire. One of her better-known roles was as Lucy Fitton, the mother in Bill Naughton's play '' All in Good Time''. She played the role on Broadway, for which she was nominated for a Tony Award in 1965. She reprised the role in the 1966 film version, titled ''The Family Way''. She was featured singing a track "The World Is for the Young" with Stanley Holloway in the Herman's Hermits 1968 film ''Mrs. Brown, You've Got A Lovely Daughter''. Her television appearances included ''The Army Game'' (as Edith Snudge), ''The Adventures of William Tell'' episode "The Boy Slaves" (1958), ''Dixon of Dock Green'' (1961–1962), the episode " For the Girl Who Has Everything" of ''Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)'' (1969), '' Doctor at Large'' (1971) and ''Z-Cars'' (1974). Selected filmography * ''Poison Pen'' (1939) - Mrs. Scaife * ''Just William'' (1940) - Cook (uncre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joan Haythorne
Joan Haythorne (12 April 1915 – 27 August 1987) was a British actress. Joan Haythorne was born Joan Haythornthwaite, on 12 April 1915, London and died 27 August 1987, Richmond on Thames, Surrey. Her son was the screenwriter Jeremy Paul. Selected filmography * ''School for Secrets'' (1946) * ''Highly Dangerous'' (1950) * ''Svengali'' (1954) * ''The Weak and the Wicked'' (1954) * '' The Feminine Touch'' (1956) * ''Dry Rot'' (1956) * ''Three Men in a Boat'' (1956) * '' The Shakedown'' (1959) * ''So Evil, So Young'' (1961) * ''Very Important Person'' (1961) Selected television * ''Richard the Lionheart Richard I (8 September 1157 – 6 April 1199) was King of England from 1189 until his death in 1199. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Aquitaine and Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, and Count of Poitiers, Anjou, Maine, and Nantes, and was overl ...'' (1961–62) * ''Justice'' - To Help an Old School Friend - Laura (1971) * '' Thriller'' (1974) * '' Hadleigh'' (1976) Refe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ernest Jay
Ernest Jay (18 September 1893 – 8 February 1957) was a British actor. Selected filmography * '' My Lucky Star'' (1933) - Press Agent * ''Tiger Bay'' (1934) - Alf * '' The Iron Duke'' (1934) - First Orderly * '' The Phantom Light'' (1935) - Railway Worker (uncredited) * '' Checkmate'' (1935) - Huntly * '' Rhodes of Africa'' (1936) - Minor Role (uncredited) * '' Broken Blossoms'' (1936) - Alf * '' Men of Yesterday'' (1936) * ''The House of the Spaniard'' (1936) * '' O.H.M.S.'' (1937) - (uncredited) * ''The Song of the Road'' (1937) - Tinker * '' I See Ice'' (1938) - Theater Manager * ''Don't Take It to Heart'' (1944) - Tripp, Reporter * ''School for Secrets'' (1946) - Dr. Dainty * ''Vice Versa'' (1948) - Bowler * ''Death in the Hand'' (1948) - MacRae * ''Blanche Fury'' (1948) - Calamy * ''So Evil My Love'' (1948) - Smathers * '' The History of Mr. Polly'' (1949) - Mr. Hinks * ''Edward, My Son'' (1949) - Walter Prothin * '' Golden Arrow'' (1949) - Mr. Felton * '' The Reluctant ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Solly Zuckermann
Solomon "Solly" Zuckerman, Baron Zuckerman (30 May 1904 – 1 April 1993) was a British public servant, zoologist and operational research pioneer. He is best remembered as a scientific advisor to the Allies on bombing strategy in the Second World War, for his work to advance the cause of nuclear non-proliferation, and for his role in bringing attention to global economic issues.King, Stev"From boffin to baron", ''The Spectator'' (9 June 2001) Early life and education Solomon Zuckerman was born in Cape Town in the British Cape Colony (modern-day South Africa) on 30 May 1904, the second child and eldest son of Moses and Rebecca Zuckerman (née Glaser). Both his parents were the children of Jewish immigrants from the Russian Empire. He was educated at the South African College School. After studying medicine at the University of Cape Town and later attending Yale University, he went to London in 1926 to complete his studies at University College Hospital Medical School. He beg ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
