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The Millionairess
''The Millionairess'' is a 1960 British romantic comedy film directed by Anthony Asquith, and starring Sophia Loren and Peter Sellers. Set in London, it is a loose adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's 1936 play of the same name. Plot By the terms of her late father's will, spoiled London heiress Epifania Ognissanti di Parerga, the richest woman in the world, cannot marry unless her prospective husband is able to turn £500 into £15,000 within a three-month period. When Epifania becomes smitten with Alastair, a muscular tennis player, she rigs the contest by giving him £500 in stock and then buying it back for £15,000. Alastair is unable to live peacefully with the domineering Epifania, however, and is carrying on with the more domestic Polly Smith. Contemplating suicide, Epifania melodramatically plunges into the Thames, and when Dr. Ahmed el Kabir, a self-effacing, selfless Indian physician who runs an inadequately equipped clinic for the poor, ignores her plight and paddl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anthony Asquith
Anthony William Landon Asquith (; 9 November 1902 – 20 February 1968) was an English film director. He collaborated successfully with playwright Terence Rattigan on ''The Winslow Boy'' (1948) and '' The Browning Version'' (1951), among other adaptations. His other notable films include ''Pygmalion'' (1938), ''French Without Tears'' (1940), ''The Way to the Stars'' (1945) and a 1952 adaptation of Oscar Wilde's ''The Importance of Being Earnest''. Life and career Born in London, he was the son of H. H. Asquith, the Prime Minister from 1908 to 1916, and Margot Asquith, who was responsible for 'Puffin' as his family nickname.Anthony Asquith biography at BFI Screenonline He was educated at [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alfie Bass
Alfie Bass (born Abraham Basalinsky, 10 April 1916 – 16 July 1987) was an English actor. He was born in Bethnal Green, London, the youngest in a Jewish family with ten children; his parents had left Russia many years before he was born. He appeared in a variety of stage, film, television and radio productions throughout his career. Personal life Alfie Bass was born Abraham Basalinsky in Bethnal Green in London's East End. He was the youngest of ten children of Jacob Basalinsky, who had fled Jewish persecution in Russia, and his wife, Ada Miller. After leaving school, he worked in his father's trade as a cabinet-maker. During this time he took part in amateur dramatics at a local boys' club. He was active in the labour movement and often attended union meetings. In 1936 he took part in the Battle of Cable Street, in which activists attempted to prevent a march through the East End by the British Union of Fascists. At the outbreak of World War II, he was rejected by the RAF, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Herbert Kretzmer
Herbert Kretzmer (5 October 192514 October 2020) was a South African-born English journalist and lyricist. He was best known as the lyricist for the English-language musical adaptation of ''Les Misérables'' and for his long-time collaboration writing the English-language lyrics to the songs of French songwriter Charles Aznavour. Early life Kretzmer was born in , South Africa in 1925. He was one of four sons of immigrants William and Tilly Kretzmer, who fled the |
Goodness Gracious Me (song)
"Goodness Gracious Me" is a comedy song recorded by Peter Sellers and Sophia Loren. Released by Parlophone, it was a top 5 UK single in 1960. It features Sellers acting the role of an Indian doctor, and Loren of his wealthy Italian patient – who fall in love. Conception and composition The song was conceived and instigated by George Martin, who was the producer at that time of Peter Sellers's comedy recordings. Martin commissioned Dave Lee and Herbert Kretzmer to write the song. Martin himself produced the recording. Martin envisaged the song as a recording to be incorporated in the soundtrack of the film ''The Millionairess'' which was being filmed at that time starring Sellers and Loren. However, the film's producers did not share his enthusiasm for including the song in the film's soundtrack and did not utilize it. The studio was however happy to see the song released as a stand-alone single to promote the film. In becoming a chart hit it succeeded in publicizing t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
George Martin
Sir George Henry Martin (3 January 1926 – 8 March 2016) was an English record producer, arranger, composer, conductor, and musician. He was commonly referred to as the "Fifth Beatle" because of his extensive involvement in each of the Beatles' original albums. AllMusic has described him as the "world's most famous record producer". Martin's formal musical expertise and interest in novel recording practices complemented the Beatles' rudimentary musical education and relentless quest for new musical sounds to record. Most of the Beatles' orchestral arrangements and instrumentation were written or performed by Martin, and he played piano or keyboards on a number of their records. Martin's collaboration with the Beatles resulted in popular, highly acclaimed records with innovative sounds, such as the 1967 album '' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band''—the first rock album to win a Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Martin's career spanned more than six decades in music ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ray Austin (director)
Raymond Austin is an English television and film director, television writer and producer, and former stunt performer and actor who has worked in both the United Kingdom and the United States. Career Austin started his career as a stunt performer on such films as ''North by Northwest'' (1959) and ''Spartacus'' (1960). From 1965 to 1967 he served as stunt coordinator on 50 episodes of '' The Avengers''. For ''The Champions'' he initially became involved as a second unit director, subsequently rising to the position of full director. His work as a TV director includes episodes of '' The Avengers'' (1968), ''Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)'' (1969–70), '' Space: 1999'' (1975–76), '' The New Avengers'' (1976–77), and '' V'' (1984). He directed 50 of the 88 episodes of the series ''Zorro'', which was filmed in Madrid between 1989 and 1992 for the American ABC Family Channel. He has also directed some made-for-TV films, including '' The Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' ( ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wally Patch
Walter Sydney Vinnicombe (26 September 1888 – 27 October 1970) was an English actor and comedian. He worked in film, television and theatre. Biography Vinnicombe was born in Willesden, Middlesex and began working on the music hall stages in 1912 and at regular theatres in 1938 at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. His first film appearance was in 1928, and went on to appear in 213 other films. He worked up to his death, with his last television appearance in the comedy '' Doctor in the House'' in 1970. Partial filmography * ''Blighty'' (1927) - Drill Sergeant * '' Boadicea'' (1927) - Officer in Roman Army (uncredited) * '' The King's Highway'' (1927) - Police Chief * '' Carry On'' (1927) - Andrews * '' The Luck of the Navy'' (1927) - Stoker Clark * ''The Guns of Loos'' (1928) - Sergeant * '' Shooting Stars'' (1928) - Property Man * '' Balaclava'' (1928) - Trooper Strang * '' A Reckless Gamble'' (1928) - Wally * '' You Know What Sailors Are'' (1928) - Seaman * ''High Treason'' ( ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Basil Hoskins
Basil William Hoskins (10 June 1929 – 17 January 2005) was an English theatre and film actor. Hoskins, a native of Edmonton, London, was educated at the Edmonton County School. Hoskins studied acting at RADA and joined the Nottingham Playhouse Company in 1951. Hoskins was the long-term partner of fellow English actor Harry Andrews. They are buried alongside each other at St Mary the Virgin, Salehurst, in East Sussex. His best-known films are ''Ice Cold in Alex'' (1958) and ''North West Frontier (film), North West Frontier'' (1959). On television, he played the part of Number 14 on ''The Prisoner'' television series (episode "Hammer Into Anvil"). Filmography * ''It Started in Paradise'' (1952) – 2nd Detective (uncredited) * ''Ice Cold in Alex'' (1958) – C.M.P. Lieutenant (Alexandria) * ''North West Frontier (film), North West Frontier'' (1959) – A.D.C. * ''The Millionairess'' (1960) – First Secretary * ''Edge of Sanity (film), Edge of Sanity'' (1989) – Mr. Bottingham ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Willoughby Goddard
Willoughby Wittenham Rees Goddard (4 July 1926 – 11 April 2008) was an English actor whose trademark rotund figure was well known on television and in films for more than 40 years. Biography Goddard was born in Bicester, Oxfordshire. He played Mr. Bumble in two versions of Charles Dickens's '' Oliver Twist'' – a 1962 television adaptation, and the original Broadway production of the musical ''Oliver!''. He originated the role of Cardinal Wolsey in the West End production of Robert Bolt's '' A Man for All Seasons''. He appeared in the television series ''The Adventures of William Tell'' (which lasted 39 episodes) in 1958 and 1959 as the villain Landburgher Gessler and as Sir Geoffrey in ''The Man in Room 17'', which ran two series of 13 hour-long black-and-white episodes in 1965 and 1966. He was cast as Reeder's boss, Sir Jason Toovey, (head of the Department of Public Prosecutions) in '' The Mind of Mr. J.G. Reeder'', a TV series of 16 hour-long episodes with first ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eleanor Summerfield
Eleanor Audrey Summerfield (7 March 1921 – 13 July 2001) was an English actress who appeared in many plays, films and television series. She is known for her roles in ''Laughter in Paradise'' (1951), ''Final Appointment'' (1954), ''Odongo'' (1956), ''Dentist in the Chair'' (1960), ''On the Fiddle'' (1961), '' The Running Man'' (1963) and ''Some Will, Some Won't'' (1970). Early life and career She was born as Eleanor Audrey Summerfield in St Pancras, London on 7 March 1921. Summerfield trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1937. She made her screen debut in the 1946 television drama ''A Phoenix Too Frequent'', which was based on a play of the same name. Her first stage show was ''Her Excellency'' at the London Hippodrome in 1949. In the mid-1960s, Summerfield played P.G. Wodehouse's fictional character Aunt Dahlia on the black-and-white television series ''The World of Wooster'' (1965–1967) aired on BBC 1. Summerfield was also a regular member in the panel game '' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pauline Jameson
'Pauline Jameson' (5 June 1920 - 8 April 2007) was an English actress whose work encompassed stage and screen. ''The Times'' called her 'one of the most distinguished classical actresses of her generation.' After starting in Repertory_theatre#Weekly_rep, weekly rep at Colwyn Bay in 1937, she graduated from RADA in 1940, and made her West End theatre, West End debut as Lucy in ''The Rivals'' at the Criterion Theatre in 1945. She joined the The Old Vic, Old Vic Company for the 1948-49 season, with roles including Maria in ''Twelfth Night'', Marwood in ''The Way of the World'' and Dunyasha in ''The Cherry Orchard''. Other distinguished theatre work followed, including as Regan in Peter Brook's production of ''King Lear'' with Paul Scofield for the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1962. She also worked in the West End and at the Royal National Theatre, National Theatre. Jameson received the Clarence_Derwent_Awards#1950s, Clarence Derwent Award for her role as Mrs. Prest in the London st ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Diana Coupland
Betty Diana Coupland (5 March 1928 – 10 November 2006), billed as Diana Coupland, was an English actress and singer, best remembered for her role in the sitcom '' Bless This House'', as Jean Abbott, the wife of Sid James character Sid, which she played from 1971 to 1976. Early life Coupland was born in Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire in 1928, the only child of Elsie (''née'' Beck) and Denis Coupland. She originally wanted to be a ballet dancer but could not fulfil this ambition, owing to a horse-riding accident. Her music career began when she was 15; Barney Colehan, a BBC producer, heard her sing and invited her onto one of his radio shows. By the time she reached the age of 18, she was singing full-time at the Mecca Locarno in Leeds, and the following year, moved to London with her parents, where she became a resident singer at Mecca's Tottenham Court Road ballroom. Coupland became a leading singer of the 1940s and 1950s, working at the Dorchester Hotel and the Savoy Ho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
