Frank Launder (28 January 1906 – 23 February 1997) was a British writer, film director and producer, who made more than 40 films, many of them in collaboration with

Sidney Gilliat Sidney Gilliat (15 February 1908 – 31 May 1994) was an English film director, producer and writer. He was the son of George Gilliat, editor of the ''Evening Standard'' from 1928 to 1933. Sidney was born in the district of Edgeley in Stoc ...

Early life and career

He was born in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England and worked briefly as a clerk before becoming an actor and then a playwright. He began working as a screenwriter on British films in the 1930s, contributing the original story for the classic

Will Hay William Thomson Hay (6 December 1888 – 18 April 1949) was an English comedian who wrote and acted in a schoolmaster sketch that later transferred to the screen, where he also played other authority figures with comic failings. His film ''Oh ...

comedy ''

Oh, Mr Porter! ''Oh, Mr Porter!'' is a 1937 British comedy film starring Will Hay with Moore Marriott and Graham Moffatt and directed by Marcel Varnel. While not Hay's commercially most successful (although it grossed £500,000 at the box office – equal to a ...

'' (1937).

Sidney Gilliat

Launder first collaborated with Gilliat in 1936 on the film '' Seven Sinners''. After writing a number of screenplays with Gilliat, including ''

The Lady Vanishes ''The Lady Vanishes'' is a 1938 British mystery thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Margaret Lockwood and Michael Redgrave. Written by Sidney Gilliat and Frank Launder, based on the 1936 novel ''The Wheel Spins'' by Ethel L ...

'' (1938) for

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...

, and ''

Night Train to Munich ''Night Train to Munich'' is a 1940 British-American thriller film directed by Carol Reed and starring Margaret Lockwood and Rex Harrison. Written by Sidney Gilliat and Frank Launder, based on the 1939 short story ''Report on a Fugitive'' by ...

'' for

Carol Reed Sir Carol Reed (30 December 1906 – 25 April 1976) was an English film director and producer, best known for ''Odd Man Out'' (1947), '' The Fallen Idol'' (1948), ''The Third Man'' (1949), and '' Oliver!'' (1968), for which he was awarded the ...

; the two men wrote and directed the wartime drama ''

Millions Like Us ''Millions Like Us'' is a 1943 British propaganda film, showing life in a wartime aircraft factory in documentary detail. It starred Patricia Roc, Gordon Jackson, Anne Crawford, Eric Portman and Megs Jenkins. It was co-written and co-directed ...

'' (1943). After founding their own production company Individual Pictures, they produced a number of memorable dramas and thrillers including ''

I See a Dark Stranger ''I See a Dark Stranger'' – released as ''The Adventuress'' in the United States – is a 1946 British World War II spy film with touches of light comedy, by the team of Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat, and starring Deborah Kerr and T ...

'' (1945) and ''

Green for Danger ''Green for Danger'' is a popular 1944 detective novel by British writer Christianna Brand, praised for its clever plot, interesting characters, and wartime hospital setting. It was made into a 1946 film which is regarded by film historians ...

'' (1946), but were best known for their comedies including '' The Happiest Days of Your Life'' (1950) and most famously, the St Trinian's series, based on

Ronald Searle Ronald William Fordham Searle, CBE, RDI (3 March 1920 – 30 December 2011) was an English artist and satirical cartoonist, comics artist, sculptor, medal designer and illustrator. He is perhaps best remembered as the creator of St Trinian's S ...

's cartoons set in an anarchic girls school. After ''The Happiest Years of Our Life'' Launder focused entirely on comedy. According to the British Film Institute 'over a hundred films feature either or in the credits, nearly forty feature both' but this large number was not 'at the expense of quality'.

Personal life

He was married secondly to actress

Bernadette O'Farrell Bernadette O'Farrell (30 January 1924 – 26 September 1999) was an Irish actress. She was born in Birr, County Offaly, Irish Free State. She was married to the film writer, director and producer Frank Launder from 1950 until his death in 1997 ...

from 1950 until his death in Monaco. The couple had two children. Launder also had two children from his first marriage.

Selected films

* ''

Under the Greenwood Tree ''Under the Greenwood Tree: A Rural Painting of the Dutch School'' is a novel by the English writer Thomas Hardy, published anonymously in 1872. It was Hardy's second published novel, and the first of what was to become his series of Wessex n ...

'' (1929) writer * '' Children of Chance'' (1930) writer * ''

The W Plan ''The W Plan'' is a 1930 British spy film produced and directed by Victor Saville and starring Brian Aherne, Madeleine Carroll, Gibb McLaughlin, and Gordon Harker. The screenplay was written by Saville with Miles Malleson and Frank Launder, ...

'' (1930) writer * '' Hobson's Choice'' (1931) writer * ''

Keepers of Youth ''Keepers of Youth'' is a 1932 British drama film directed by Thomas Bentley and starring Garry Marsh, Ann Todd and Robin Irvine. It was based on the 1929 play ''Keepers of Youth'' by Arnold Ridley, and marked the film debut of Ann Todd. It was ...

'' (1931) writer * '' The Woman Between'' (1931) writer * '' Children of Fortune'' (1931) writer * ''

After Office Hours ''After Office Hours'' is a 1935 crime drama film directed by Robert Z. Leonard and starring Clark Gable and Constance Bennett. The screenplay was written by Herman Mankiewicz. Plot Jim Branch (Clark Gable), a newspaper editor, falls for wealt ...

'' (1932) writer * '' Josser in the Army'' (1932) writer * '' For the Love of Mike'' (1932) writer * ''

Hawley's of High Street ''Hawley's of High Street'' is a 1933 British comedy film directed by Thomas Bentley and starring Leslie Fuller, Judy Kelly, Francis Lister and Moore Marriott. Its plot concerns a butcher and a draper who stand for election to the local counci ...

'' (1933) writer * '' Facing the Music'' (1933) writer * '' A Southern Maid'' (1933) writer * ''

Those Were the Days Those Were the Days may refer to: Music Albums * ''Those Were the Days'' (Johnny Mathis album) (1968) * ''Those Were the Days'' (Cream album) (1997) * ''Those Were the Days'' (Dolly Parton album) (2005) * '' Those Were the Days – The Best of L ...

'' (1933) writer * ''

Get Off My Foot ''Get Off My Foot'' is a 1935 British comedy film, directed by William Beaudine and starring Max Miller and Chili Bouchier. It is classed as a lost film.

'' (1935) writer * '' Rolling Home'' (1935) writer * ''

The Black Mask ''The Black Mask'' is a 1901 short story collection by E. W. Hornung. It was published in the UK by Grant Richards, London, and in the US by Scribner's, New York under the title ''Raffles: Further Adventures of the Amateur Cracksman''.Rowland, ...

'' (1935) writer * ''

Emil and the Detectives ''Emil and the Detectives'' () is a 1929 novel set mainly in Berlin, by the German writer Erich Kästner and illustrated by Walter Trier. It was Kästner's first major success and the only one of his pre-1945 works to escape Nazi censorship. The ...

'' (1935) writer * '' Educated Evans'' (1936) writer * '' Twelve Good Men'' (1936) * ''

Where's Sally? ''Where's Sally?'' is a 1936 British comedy film, directed by Arthur B. Woods and starring Chili Bouchier, Gene Gerrard and Claude Hulbert. The film was a quota quickie production and is now believed to be lost.Don't Get Me Wrong "Don't Get Me Wrong" is a song released by British-American alternative rock group The Pretenders. It was the first single taken from the group's 1986 album, '' Get Close''. It can also be found on the band's '' The Singles'' album, released in ...

'' (1937) writer * ''

'' (1937) story * ''

'' (1938) writer * ''

'' (1940) writer * ''

They Came by Night ''They Came by Night'' is a 1940 British crime film directed by Harry Lachman and starring Will Fyffe, Phyllis Calvert and Anthony Hulme. It was made at the Islington Studios by Gainsborough Pictures and released by 20th Century Fox. The fil ...

'' (1940) writer * '' The Young Mr. Pitt'' (1942) writer * ''

'' (1943) writer/director/producer * ''

Two Thousand Women ''Two Thousand Women'' is a 1944 British comedy-drama war film about a German internment camp in Occupied France which holds British women who have been resident in the country. Three RAF aircrewmen, whose bomber has been shot down, enter the c ...

'' (1944) writer/director * ''

'' (1945) writer/director * ''

'' (1946) producer * '' Captain Boycott'' (1947) writer/director * '' The Blue Lagoon'' (1949) writer/director/producer * '' The Happiest Days of Your Life'' (1950) writer/director/producer * ''

Folly to Be Wise ''Folly to Be Wise'' is a 1952 British comedy film directed by Frank Launder and starring Alastair Sim, Elizabeth Allan, Roland Culver, Colin Gordon, Martita Hunt and Edward Chapman. It is based on the play ''It Depends What You Mean'' by Jame ...

'' (1952) writer/director/producer * ''

The Story of Gilbert and Sullivan ''The Story of Gilbert and Sullivan'' (also known as ''Gilbert & Sullivan'' and ''The Great Gilbert and Sullivan'') is a 1953 British musical drama film dramatisation of the collaboration between Gilbert and Sullivan. Librettist W. S. Gilbert a ...

'' (1953) producer * '' The Belles of St. Trinian's'' (1954) writer/director/producer * '' The Constant Husband'' (1955) producer * '' Geordie'' (1955) co-writer/producer * '' The Green Man'' (1956) writer/producer * ''

Blue Murder at St Trinian's ''Blue Murder at St Trinian's'' is a 1957 British comedy film, directed by Frank Launder, co-written by Launder and Sidney Gilliat, and starring Terry-Thomas, George Cole, Joyce Grenfell, Lionel Jeffries and Richard Wattis; the film also includ ...

'' (1957) writer/director/producer * '' Left Right and Centre'' (1959) writer/producer * '' The Bridal Path'' (1959) writer/director/producer * ''

The Pure Hell of St Trinian's ''The Pure Hell of St Trinian's'' is a 1960 British comedy film set in the fictional St Trinian's School. Directed by Frank Launder and written by him and Sidney Gilliat, it was the third in a series of four films. Plot The St. Trinian's ...

'' (1960) writer/director/producer * ''

Joey Boy Joey Boy ( th, โจอี้ บอย; born 1975) or Apisit Opasaimlikit ( th, อภิสิทธิ์ โอภาสเอี่ยมลิขิต, ), is a Thai hip hop singer and producer known as The Godfather of Thai Hip Hop. ...

'' (1965) writer/director * ''

The Great St Trinian's Train Robbery ''The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery'' is a British comedy film, directed by Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat, written by Sidney and Leslie Gilliat, and released on 4 April 1966. It is the last of the original series of films based on the ...

'' (1966) writer/director * ''

The Wildcats of St Trinian's ''The Wildcats of St Trinian's'' is the fifth British comedy film set in the fictional St Trinian's School. Directed by Frank Launder, it was released in 1980. The film pokes fun at the British trade union movement which had been responsible ...

'' (1980) writer/director

References

External links

* * *
BritMovie: ''Individual Pictures; The cinema of Launder and Gilliat''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Launder, Frank 1906 births 1997 deaths English expatriates in Monaco English film directors English film producers English male screenwriters People from Hitchin 20th-century English screenwriters 20th-century English male writers 20th-century English businesspeople