Cliff Owen (22 April 1919 – November 1993) was a British

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

and

TV director A television director is in charge of the activities involved in making a television program or section of a program. They are generally responsible for decisions about the editorial content and creative style of a program, and ensuring the prod ...

best known for his comedy ''

The Wrong Arm of the Law ''The Wrong Arm of the Law'' is a 1963 British comedy film directed by Cliff Owen and starring Peter Sellers, Bernard Cribbins, Lionel Jeffries, John Le Mesurier and Bill Kerr. It was partly written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson and made by Rom ...

'' which starred

Peter Sellers Peter Sellers (born Richard Henry Sellers; 8 September 1925 – 24 July 1980) was an English actor and comedian. He first came to prominence performing in the BBC Radio comedy series ''The Goon Show'', featured on a number of hit comic songs ...

. He also directed two of the three films, made in the mid-1960s, featuring the double act

Morecambe and Wise Eric Morecambe (John Eric Bartholomew, 14 May 1926 – 28 May 1984) and Ernie Wise (Ernest Wiseman, 27 November 1925 – 21 March 1999), known as Morecambe and Wise (and sometimes as Eric and Ernie), were an English comic double act, working i ...

, and the big-screen version of the

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...

sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ne ...

, ''

Steptoe and Son ''Steptoe and Son'' is a British sitcom written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson about a father-and-son rag-and-bone business in 26a Oil Drum Lane, a fictional street in Shepherd's Bush, London. Four series were broadcast by the BBC in black and ...

''. Owen was born in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

. He died in Oxfordshire in November 1993 aged 74.

Selected filmography

*'' Brighton Rock'' (1947) - 3rd assistant director *''

Noose A noose is a loop at the end of a rope in which the knot tightens under load and can be loosened without untying the knot. The knot can be used to secure a rope to a post, pole, or animal but only where the end is in a position that the loop can ...

'' (1947) - 2nd assistant director *''

Under Capricorn ''Under Capricorn'' is a 1949 British historical thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock about a couple in Australia who started out as lady and stable boy in Ireland, and who are now bound together by a horrible secret. The film is based on ...

'' (1949) - 2nd assistant director *''

The Hasty Heart ''The Hasty Heart'' is a 1949 war drama film, an Anglo-American co-production starring Ronald Reagan, Patricia Neal, and Richard Todd and directed by Vincent Sherman. The film is based on the 1945 play of the same name by John Patrick. ''The ...

'' (1949) - 3rd assistant director *''

Landfall Landfall is the event of a storm moving over land after being over water. More broadly, and in relation to human travel, it refers to 'the first land that is reached or seen at the end of a journey across the sea or through the air, or the fact ...

'' (1949) - 2nd assistant director *''

The Magic Box ''The Magic Box'' is a 1951 British Technicolor biographical drama film directed by John Boulting. The film stars Robert Donat as William Friese-Greene, with numerous cameo appearances by performers such as Peter Ustinov and Laurence Olivie ...

'' (1951) - assistant director *''

Young Wives' Tale ''Young Wives' Tale'', also known as ''Fun for Four'', is a 1951 British comedy film directed by Henry Cass and starring Joan Greenwood, Nigel Patrick, Derek Farr, and Guy Middleton. The film is based on the 1949 play ''Young Wives' Tale'' by Ron ...

'' (1951) - 2nd assistant director *'' Castle in the Air'' (1952) - assistant director *''

Father's Doing Fine ''Father's Doing Fine'' is a 1952 British comedy film directed by Henry Cass and starring Richard Attenborough, Heather Thatcher, and Noel Purcell, and featuring Sid James. It was based on the 1948 play ''Little Lambs Eat Ivy'' by Noel Langley. ...

'' (1952) - assistant director *'' The Yellow Balloon'' (1953) - assistant director *''

Valley of Song ''Valley of Song'' is a 1953 British comedy drama film directed by Gilbert Gunn and starring Mervyn Johns, Clifford Evans, Maureen Swanson and the London Welsh Association Choral Society. It marked the film debut of actress Rachel Roberts. It ...

'' (1953) - assistant director *''

London Playhouse ''London Playhouse'' is a UK television anthology series that aired from 1955–56. There were a total of twenty-five episodes. Among its writing credits include Tad Mosel, N. Richard Nash, Henry James, Robert Lowell, and Robert Alan Aurthur ...

'' (1955) (TV series) - director *''The Seventh Dungeon'' (1955) (TV movie) - director *''

Boyd Q.C. ''Boyd Q.C.'' is a British legal television programme transmitted from December 1956 to September 1964 by the ITV (TV network), ITV Broadcast license, franchise holder Associated-Rediffusion. It focused around a barrister in a London courtroom and ...

'' (1956) (TV series) - director *'' The New Adventures of Martin Kane'' (1957) (TV series) - director *''

Shadow Squad ''Shadow Squad'' is a British TV series that ran from 1957-59 starring Peter Williams and George Moon. 179 episodes were made, of which only four survive. Network released the surviving episodes on DVD in 2011, along with the sole surviving episo ...

'' (1957-59) (TV series) - producer *''

ITV Play of the Week ''Play of the Week'' is a 90-minute British television anthology series produced by a variety of companies including Granada Television, Associated-Rediffusion, ATV and Anglia Television. Synopsis From 1955 to 1967 approximately 500 episodes a ...

'' (1958-61) (TV series) - director *''

The Third Man ''The Third Man'' is a 1949 British film noir directed by Carol Reed, written by Graham Greene and starring Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Orson Welles, and Trevor Howard. Set in postwar Vienna, the film centres on American Holly Martins (Cotten), ...

'' (1959) (TV series) - director *''Knight Errant Limited'' (1959) (TV series) - director *''On Trial'' (1960) (TV series) - director * '' Offbeat'' (1961) - director *''On Trial: The Dilke Case'' (1961) - director *''

Drama 61-67 ''Drama 61-67'' is a British anthology drama series which took a different title, based on year of transmission, each year.British Television, An Illustrated Guide, Oxford University Press, 1994, p.100 It alternated with ''Armchair Theatre ' ...

'' (1962) (TV series) - producer, director * ''

A Prize of Arms ''A Prize of Arms'' is a 1962 British crime film directed by Cliff Owen and starring Stanley Baker, Helmut Schmid, Patrick Magee and Tom Bell with early appearances by several actors including Fulton Mackay, Michael Ripper, Stephen Lewis, Geof ...

'' (1962) - director * ''

'' (1963) - director *''

The Victorians ''The Victorians'' is a 2009 British documentary series which focuses on Victorian art and culture. The four-part series is written and presented by Jeremy Paxman and debuted on BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast t ...

'' (1963) (TV series) - director *'' A Little Big Business'' (1964) (TV series) - director *''

The Sullavan Brothers ''The Sullavan Brothers'' is a British television series which originally aired on ITV between 1964 and 1965.Vahimagi p.132 One episode, "Insufficient Evidence", is believed to be lost. Cast Main * Hugh Manning as Robert Sullavan * Anthony Bat ...

'' (1964) (TV series) - director *''Melina Mercouri's Greece'' (1965) (documentary) - director * ''

That Riviera Touch ''That Riviera Touch'' is a 1966 British comedy film directed by Cliff Owen and starring Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise. It is the second feature-length film made by the comedy duo Morecambe and Wise. The film opened at the Leicester Square Thea ...

'' (1966) - director * '' Welcome, Mr. Beddoes'' aka ''A Man Could Get Killed'' (1966) - co-director * ''

The Magnificent Two ''The Magnificent Two'' is a 1967 British comedy film directed by Cliff Owen and starring Morecambe and Wise in the third and final of their 1960s trio of films. Plot Two British Action Man travelling salesmen are sent to the South American co ...

'' (1967) - director *''

The Vengeance of She ''The Vengeance of She'' is a 1968 British fantasy film directed by Cliff Owen and starring John Richardson (actor), John Richardson, Olga Schoberová, Olinka Berova, Edward Judd, André Morell and Colin Blakely. It bears little in common with th ...

'' (1968) - director *''

The Avengers Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to: Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe * Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes ** Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes o ...

'' (1968) (TV series) - director *'' Rogues' Gallery '' (1968-69) (TV series) - director *''

ITV Playhouse ''Playhouse'' is a British television anthology series that ran from 1967 to 1983, which featured contributions from playwrights such as Dennis Potter, Rhys Adrian and Alan Sharp. The series began in black and white, but was later shot in colour ...

'' (1969) (TV series) - director *''Confession'' (1970) (TV series) - director *''

The Adventures of Don Quick ''The Adventures of Don Quick'' is a science fiction comedy television series that ran from October–December 1970, on ITV. Starring Ian Hendry and Ronald Lacey, six 50 minute episodes were made, shown in a 60-minute time slot. As of 2008, only ...

'' (1970) (TV series) - director * ''

'' (1972) - director * '' Ooh... You Are Awful'' (1972) - director * ''

No Sex Please, We're British ''No Sex Please, We're British'' is a British farce written by Alistair Foot and Anthony Marriott, which premiered in London's West End on 3 June 1971 at the Strand Theatre. It was panned by critics, but ran until 5 September 1987, transferrin ...

'' (1973) - director *''Closed Up-Tight'' (1975) - director * ''

The Bawdy Adventures of Tom Jones ''The Bawdy Adventures of Tom Jones'' is a 1976 British comedy film directed by Cliff Owen and starring Nicky Henson, Trevor Howard and Terry-Thomas. It is an adaptation of the 1749 novel '' Tom Jones'' by Henry Fielding, which follows the ma ...

'' (1976) - directorThe Bawdy Adventures of Tom Jones Director: Cliff Owen. Stars: Nicky Henson, Geraldine McEwan, Georgia Brown, Arthur Lowe, Trevor Howard 'X' Empire The Sunshine Boys Director: Herbert Ross Stars: Walter Matthau, George Burns 'A' ABC, Shaftesbury Avenue (Book Review) Robinson, Kenneth. The Spectator; London Vol. 236, Iss. 7700, (Jan 24, 1976): 27.

References

External links

*
Cliff Owen
at BFI {{DEFAULTSORT:Owen, Cliff 1919 births 1993 deaths British film directors