James Ernest Elder Wills (1900–1970) was a British person who had a lengthy career in the film industry. He mainly worked as an

art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film industry, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and ...

, but he also worked in other roles, including director. Films he was involved in include ''

Tiger Bay Tiger Bay ( cy, Bae Teigr) was the local name for an area of Cardiff which covered Butetown and Cardiff Docks. Following the building of the Cardiff Barrage, which dams the tidal rivers, Ely and Taff, to create a body of water, it is re ...

'', ''

The Quatermass Xperiment ''The Quatermass Xperiment'' (a.k.a. ''The Creeping Unknown'' in the United States) is a 1955 British science fiction horror film from Hammer Film Productions, based on the 1953 BBC Television serial ''The Quatermass Experiment'' written by Ni ...

'', and ''

The Men of Sherwood Forest ''The Men of Sherwood Forest'' is a 1954 British adventure film directed by Val Guest and starring Don Taylor, Reginald Beckwith, Eileen Moore and David King-Wood. The film follows the exploits of Robin Hood and his followers. Doreen Carwit ...

''. He was a

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

who worked in I.S.R.B. designing, signing and building camouflaged explosive devices for agents operating against the Germans and Japanese. The story he wrote for the film '' Against the Wind'' was based upon his wartime experiences.''Sabotage! The Story of Lt-Col J Elder Wills'' by Leslie Bells 1957- published by T Werner Laurie Ltd.

Selected filmography

* '' The First Mrs. Fraser'' (1932) - Art Director * '' Holiday Lovers'' (1932) - Art Director * ''

'' (1934) - Director * '' Honeymoon for Three'' (1935) - Art Director * ''

Everything in Life ''Everything in Life'' is a 1936 British musical film directed by J. Elder Wills and starring Gitta Alpar, Neil Hamilton and Lawrence Grossmith. It was made at Highbury Studios.Wood p.90 An opera singer pretends to be poor in order to romantic ...

'' (1936) - Director * ''

Sporting Love ''Sporting Love'' is a musical written by Stanley Lupino with music by Billy Mayerl, lyrics by Desmond Carter and Frank Eyton. Produced by Lupino, it opened at the Gaiety Theatre, London on 31 March 1934 and ran for 302 performances, closing o ...

'' (1936) - Director * ''

Song of Freedom ''Song of Freedom'' is a 1936 British film directed by J. Elder Wills and starring Paul Robeson. Two of the film's pivotal elements are the character of an opera composer, Gabriel Donizetti, presumably suggested by historical opera composer Ga ...

'' (1936) - Director * ''

Big Fella ''Big Fella'' is a 1937 British musical drama film directed by J. Elder Wills and starring Paul Robeson, Elisabeth Welch and Roy Emerton. It is loosely based on the novel ''Banjo'' by Harlem Renaissance writer Claude McKay. Plot ''Big Fella'' ...

'' (1937) - Director * ''

Look Before You Love ''Look Before You Love'' is a 1948 British drama film directed by Harold Huth and starring Margaret Lockwood, Griffith Jones and Maurice Denham. Plot summary A woman working in the British Embassy in Brazil falls in love and marries a man, bu ...

'' (1948) - Art Director * '' Against the Wind'' (1948) - Story and Art Director * ''

'' (1954) - Art Director * ''

'' (1955) - Art Director

References

External links

* British film directors 1900 births 1970 deaths {{UK-film-director-stub