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The Halfway House
''The Halfway House'' is a 1944 British drama film directed by Basil Dearden and starring Mervyn Johns, his daughter Glynis Johns, Tom Walls and Françoise Rosay. The film tells the story of ten people who are drawn to stay in an old Welsh countryside inn. Location scenes were shot at Barlynch Priory on the Devon/Somerset border. BFI Screenonline writes, "The high-quality personnel involved and the tight, professional scripting mark the film out as one of the earliest templates of what would become the traditional Ealing style." Plot During the Second World War, various people converge on the Halfway House, an inn in the Welsh countryside. In flashback, we see the events which have led them there. In Cardiff, David Davies, a famous orchestra conductor, is advised by his doctor to cancel a tour and rest, or he will live for only about three months. In London, Richard and Jill French argue about the education of their young daughter Joanna, who overhears them agree to divorce; t ... [...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 Coppe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Irish Neutrality During World War II
The policy of Irish neutrality during World War II was adopted by the Oireachtas at the instigation of the Taoiseach Éamon de Valera upon the outbreak of World War II in Europe. It was maintained throughout the conflict, in spite of several German air raids by aircraft that missed their intended British targets, and attacks on Ireland's shipping fleet by Allies and Axis alike. While the possibilities of not only a German but also a British invasion were discussed in the Dáil, and either eventuality was prepared for, the most detailed preparations were done with the Allies under Plan W. De Valera's ruling party, Fianna Fáil, supported his neutral policy for the duration of the war. This period is known in the Republic of Ireland as '' The Emergency'', owing to the wording of the constitutional article employed to suspend normal government of the country. Pursuing a policy of neutrality required maintaining a balance between the strict observance of non-alignment and the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Times
''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (founded in 1821) are published by Times Newspapers, since 1981 a subsidiary of News UK, in turn wholly owned by News Corp. ''The Times'' and ''The Sunday Times'', which do not share editorial staff, were founded independently and have only had common ownership since 1966. In general, the political position of ''The Times'' is considered to be centre-right. ''The Times'' is the first newspaper to have borne that name, lending it to numerous other papers around the world, such as ''The Times of India'', ''The New York Times'', and more recently, digital-first publications such as TheTimesBlog.com (Since 2017). In countries where these other titles are popular, the newspaper is often referred to as , or as , although the newspaper is of nationa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Odeon Marble Arch
The Odeon Marble Arch (known as the Regal from 1928 to 1945) was a cinema in London located opposite Marble Arch, at the top of Park Lane, with its main entrance on Edgware Road. It operated in various forms from 1928 to 2016, and is most famous for once housing a vast screen capable of screening films in 70mm. The machines were Cinemeccanica Victoria 8 models. Regal/Odeon Marble Arch (1928–1964) The cinema was first known as the Regal, opening on 29 November 1928 with Al Jolson in ''The Singing Fool''.Cinema Treasures: ''Odeon Marble Arch'' Linked 28 May 2013 With a facade high constructed in , the building was a notable addition to the [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joss Ambler
Joss Ambler (23 June 1900 – 1959) was an Australian-born British film and television actor. He usually played somewhat pompous and irascible figures of authority, particularly in comedy films. He was an effective foil to George Formby in both '' Trouble Brewing'' (as Lord Redhill) and '' Come On George!'' (as Sir Charles), and similarly to Will Hay in ''The Black Sheep of Whitehall ''The Black Sheep of Whitehall'' (the opening credits read ''Black Sheep of Whitehall'') is a 1942 British black-and-white comedy war film, directed by Will Hay and Basil Dearden, starring Will Hay, John Mills, Basil Sydney and Thora Hird in h ...'', (as a government minister). Filmography References External links * 1900 births 1959 deaths Australian male film actors Australian male television actors British male film actors British male television actors 20th-century British male actors 20th-century Australian male actors Australian emigrants to the United Kingdom Date of d ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rachel Thomas (actress)
Rachel Thomas OBE (10 February 1905 – 8 February 1995), was a Welsh character actress. Early life Rachel Thomas was born in the Welsh village of Alltwen, near Pontardawe, Glamorgan,"Obituary: Rachel Thomas" ''The Independent'', 10 February 1995. Accessed 5 September 2015 the daughter of Emily Thomas. She was raised by her aunt and uncle, Mary Thomas Roberts and David Roberts; her uncle was a tinworker and coal miner. Career Thomas taught school as a young woman, competed in ''au'', and was a reader at her church in Cardiff. She came to wider attention when her voice was heard on a BBC radio broadcast in 1933, reading from the ...[...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Boxer (British Actor)
John Boxer (25 April 1909 – 22 August 1982) was a British film and television actor. His television appearances included ''Emergency – Ward 10'', ''Dixon of Dock Green'', ''The Saint'', ''Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)'', ''The Onedin Line'' and ''The Life and Times of David Lloyd George''. Selected filmography * '' Escape Me Never'' (1935) - Undetermined Role (uncredited) * ''There Ain't No Justice'' (1939) - Mr. Short (uncredited) * ''Convoy'' (1940) - German Captain (uncredited) * ''George and Margaret'' (1940) - Claude * ''The Black Sheep of Whitehall'' (1942) - Hotel Receptionist (uncredited) * ''The Big Blockade'' (1942) - Press * ''The Day Will Dawn'' (1942) - U-Boat Commander * ''Flying Fortress'' (1942) - Meteorologist (uncredited) * ''The Foreman Went to France'' (1942) - Official (uncredited) * ''The Goose Steps Out'' (1942) - British Pilot (uncredited) * ''In Which We Serve'' (1942) - Hollet * ''The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp'' (1943) - Soldier (uncredi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eliot Makeham
Harold Elliott Makeham (22 December 1882 – 8 February 1956) was an English film and television actor. Career Makeham was born in London, England. Between 1931 and 1956, Makeham appeared, primarily in character roles, in 115 films and in 11 television productions. He played a small number of leading roles in the 1930s, but was more regularly seen in cameos as harassed officials or henpecked husbands. Personal life Married three times, Makeham's third wife was British character actress, Betty Shale. Selected filmography * ''Rome Express'' (1932) - Mills * ''I'm an Explosive'' (1933) - Prof. Whimperly * ''Forging Ahead'' (1933) - Abraham Lombard * ''The Lost Chord'' (1933) - Bertie Pollard * '' I Lived with You'' (1933) - Mr. Wallis * ''I Was a Spy'' (1933) - Pharmacist (uncredited) * '' Friday the Thirteenth'' (1933) - Henry Jackson * '' The Roof'' (1933) - John Rutherford * '' The Laughter of Fools'' (1933) - John Gregg * '' Home, Sweet Home'' (1933) - James Merrick * '' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Roland Pertwee
Roland Pertwee (15 May 1885 – 26 April 1963) was an English playwright, film and television screenwriter, director and actor. He was the father of ''Doctor Who'' actor Jon Pertwee and playwright and screenwriter Michael Pertwee. He was also the second cousin of actor Bill Pertwee and grandfather of actors Sean Pertwee and Dariel Pertwee. From the 1910s to 1950s, he worked as a writer on many British films, providing either the basic story or full screenplay. He was one of many writers who worked on the script of ''A Yank at Oxford'' starring Robert Taylor and Vivien Leigh, the film in which his son Jon made his screen debut, and on '' Caravan''. While he seemingly preferred writing, he acted in ten films (1915–45) and directed ''Breach of Promise'' (1942), which he also wrote. Life and career Pertwee had French Huguenot ancestry (his surname was an Anglicisation of "Perthuis"; the origins of his surname being "de Perthuis de Laillevault", the family being Counts desc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sally Ann Howes
Sally Ann Howes (20 July 1930 – 19 December 2021) was an English actress and singer. Her career on screen, stage and television spanned six decades. She is best known for the role of Truly Scrumptious in the 1968 musical film ''Chitty Chitty Bang Bang''. In 1963, she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical for her performance in ''Brigadoon''. Childhood and early film career Family Howes was born on 20 July 1930 in St John's Wood, London, the daughter of British comedian/actor/singer/variety star Bobby Howes (1895–1972) and actress/singer Patricia Malone (1899–1971). She was the granddaughter of Capt. J.A.E. Malone (died 1928), London theatrical director of musicals, and she had an older brother, Peter Howes, a professional musician and music professor. Her great-grandfather, Captain Joseph Malone, was awarded the Victoria Cross in 1854 at the Charge of the Light Brigade. Her uncle, Pat Malone, was an actor on stage, films, and television. H ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Richard Bird (actor)
Richard Bird (4 April 1895 – December 1979) was an English actor and film director, director of stage and screen. Born George, Bird took the stage name Richard Bird after being nicknamed "Dickie" by his theatre colleagues. After working in a newspaper office for a year he made his stage debut as a member of the Liverpool Repertory Company in 1917. He went on to appear on both the London, (vide (Latin) 'The French Mistress') and American stage, making his film debut in some silent shorts during 1919. He appeared in films throughout the 1930s and 1940s, playing the lead roles in quota quickies ''The Warren Case'' and ''What Happened Then?'' (both 1934). His film roles of the 1930s tended towards melodrama, such as the jealous Ernest in Maurice Elvey's ''The Water Gipsies (film), The Water Gipsies'' (1932), and the murderous Eric opposite Matheson Lang in ''The Great Defender'' (1934). Middle-age made his characters more affable and his later films showcase his ability at light ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alfred Drayton
Alfred Drayton (1 November 1881 – 26 April 1949) was a British stage and film actor. Drayton worked in a brewery when he was 18 but having a good deal of amateur dramatics experience decided to go on stage. His first appearance on stage was ''The Beloved Vagabond'' at Cardiff in 1908 and his London debut was at the Haymarket Theatre the following year. He featured in several West End plays before going into films, including ''Bulldog Drummond'' (1921) and ''Dear Brutus'' in 1922. On both screen and stage he had a successful partnership with the actor Robertson Hare a veteran of the Aldwych Farces. He was appearing with Hare in the play ''One Wild Oat'' at the Garrick Theatre at the time of his death in 1949. Filmography * '' Iron Justice'' (1915) * '' A Little Bit of Fluff'' (1919) * ''A Temporary Gentleman'' (1920) * ''The Honeypot'' (1920) * ''Love Maggy'' (1921) * '' A Scandal in Bohemia'' (1921) * '' The Squeaker'' (1930) * ''The W Plan'' (1930) * ''Brown Sugar'' (1931) ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
