John Paddy Carstairs (born John Keys; 11 May 1910, 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 ...
– 12 December 1970, in London) was a British
film director
A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, p ...
(1933–62) and television director (1962–64), usually of light-hearted subject matter. He was also a
comic novel
A comic novel is a novel-length work of humorous fiction. Many well-known authors have written comic novels, including P. G. Wodehouse, Henry Fielding, Mark Twain, and John Kennedy Toole. Comic novels are often defined by the author's literary ...
ist and
painter
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ai ...
.
Biography
The son of actor
Nelson Keys
Nelson Keys (7 April 1886 in London, England – 26 April 1939 in London) was a British stage and film actor, a star in musical comedy and stage revue, including the 1924 ''Ziegfeld Follies''.
He was the father of film producer Anthony Nelson Ke ...
, Carstairs changed his name in order to avoid the appearance of
nepotism
Nepotism is an advantage, privilege, or position that is granted to relatives and friends in an occupation or field. These fields may include but are not limited to, business, politics, academia, entertainment, sports, fitness, religion, an ...
. He directed 37 films in total. He had a long association with the character of
Simon Templar
''The Saint'' is the nickname of the fictional character Simon Templar, featured in a series of novels and short stories by Leslie Charteris published between 1928 and 1963. After that date, other authors collaborated with Charteris on books unt ...
(the character's creator,
Leslie Charteris
Leslie Charteris (born Leslie Charles Bowyer-Yin, 12 May 1907 – 15 April 1993), was a British-Chinese author of adventure fiction, as well as a screenwriter.The Saint in the Sun'' to Carstairs). Aside from directing the 1939 ''Saint'' film, ''
The Saint in London
''The Saint in London'' is a 1939 British crime film, the third of eight films in RKO's film series featuring the adventures of Simon Templar, alias "The Saint".
It stars George Sanders as Templar and was produced by William Sistrom. John Pad ...
'', he also directed two episodes of ''
The Saint
The Saint may refer to:
Fiction
* Simon Templar, also known as "The Saint", the protagonist of a book series by Leslie Charteris and subsequent adaptations:
** ''The Saint'' (film series) (1938–43), starring Louis Hayward, George Sanders an ...
'' in the 1960s, making him the only individual (other than Charteris himself) to be connected to both the Hollywood film and British series of ''The Saint''. Carstairs directed many British comedies including many of
Norman Wisdom
Sir Norman Joseph Wisdom, (4 February 1915 – 4 October 2010) was an English actor, comedian, musician and singer best known for a series of comedy films produced between 1953 and 1966 featuring a hapless onscreen character often called Norman ...
's films.
Death
Carstairs died of
heart attack
A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...
on 12 December 1970, aged 60.
Select bibliography
*''Honest Injun'' (1942)
*''Gremlins in the Cabbage Patch'' (1944)
*''Hadn't We the Gaiety'' (1945)
*''Kaleidoscope and a Jaundiced Eye'' (1946)
* '' Solid! Said the Earl'' (1948)
Selected filmography
* ''
A Honeymoon Adventure
''A Honeymoon Adventure'' is a 1931 British thriller film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Benita Hume, Peter Hannen and Harold Huth. Written in collaboration by Rupert Downing and Basil Dean, it The film was shot at Beaconsfield Studios ...
'' (1931, screenwriter)
* '' The Water Gipsies'' (1932, screenwriter)
* ''
Nine till Six
''Nine till Six'' is a 1932 British drama film directed by Basil Dean and starring Louise Hampton, Elizabeth Allan and Florence Desmond. Produced by Basil Dean's Associated Talking Pictures, it was the first film made at Ealing Studios after th ...
Paris Plane
''Paris Plane'' is a 1933 British crime film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring John Loder, Molly Lamont and Allan Jeayes. It was made at Shepperton Studios as a quota quickie.
Plot
A Scotland Yard detective pursues a murderer aboar ...
'' (1933)
* ''
Boomerang
A boomerang () is a thrown tool, typically constructed with aerofoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight. A returning boomerang is designed to return to the thrower, while a non-returning b ...
Lost in the Legion
''Lost in the Legion'' is a 1934 British comedy film directed by Fred Newmeyer and starring Leslie Fuller, Hal Gordon and Renée Houston.
Plot
A pair of ship's cooks become stranded ashore, and end up joining the French Foreign Legion.
Cast
* ...
'' (1934, screenwriter)
* ''
Falling in Love
Falling in love is the development of strong feelings of attachment and love, usually towards another person.
The term is metaphorical, emphasizing that the process, like the physical act of falling, is sudden, uncontrollable and leaves the ...
'' (1935)
* ''
While Parents Sleep
''While Parents Sleep'' is a 1935 British comedy film directed by Adrian Brunel and starring Jean Gillie, Enid Stamp Taylor and Romilly Lunge. The film is a screen adaptation of a 1932 play of the same name by Anthony Kimmins, which had been a ...
The Captain's Table
''The Captain's Table'' is a 1959 Cinema of the United Kingdom, British comedy film directed by Jack Lee (film director), Jack Lee based upon a novel by Richard Gordon (English author), Richard Gordon. It stars John Gregson, Donald Sinden, Pegg ...
'' (1936, screenwriter)
* ''
Holiday's End
''Holiday's End'' is a 1937 British mystery film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Sally Stewart, Rosalyn Boulter and Wally Patch. The film follows the arrival at boarding school of a boy king.
It was made at Pinewood Studios as a qu ...
'' (1937)
* ''
Double Exposures
''Double Exposures'' (A.K.A. ''Alibi Breaker'') is a 1937 British crime film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring David Langton, Julien Mitchell and Ruby Miller. It was made at Shepperton Studios as a quota quickie.
(David Langton is cr ...
Missing, Believed Married
''Missing, Believed Married'' is a 1937 British comedy film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Wally Patch, Julian Vedey and Hazel Terry. It was a quota quickie made at Pinewood Studios. A young heiress is almost tricked into marriag ...
'' (1937)
* ''
Incident in Shanghai
''Incident in Shanghai'' is a 1938 British drama film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Margaret Vyner, Patrick Barr, Ralph Roberts and Derek Gorst. It was made at Pinewood Studios as a quota quickie for release by Paramount Pictur ...
'' (1938)
* ''
Lassie from Lancashire
''Lassie from Lancashire'' is a 1938 British romantic musical comedy film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Marjorie Browne, Hal Thompson and Marjorie Sandford. It was made by British National Films at Welwyn Studios.
The film's a ...
'' (1938)
* ''
A Yank at Oxford
''A Yank at Oxford'' is a 1938 comedy-drama film directed by Jack Conway and starring Robert Taylor, Lionel Barrymore, Maureen O'Sullivan, Vivien Leigh and Edmund Gwenn. The screenplay was written by John Monk Saunders and Leon Gordon. The ...
'' (1938, screenwriter)
* ''
The Saint in London
''The Saint in London'' is a 1939 British crime film, the third of eight films in RKO's film series featuring the adventures of Simon Templar, alias "The Saint".
It stars George Sanders as Templar and was produced by William Sistrom. John Pad ...
'' (1939)
* ''
The Lambeth Walk
"The Lambeth Walk" is a song from the 1937 musical '' Me and My Girl'' (with book and lyrics by Douglas Furber and L. Arthur Rose and music by Noel Gay). The song takes its name from a local street, Lambeth Walk, once notable for its street mark ...
'' (1939, screenwriter)
* ''
All Hands
''All Hands'' was a monthly published magazine of the United States Navy for its sailors. It had been published since August 1922 under different names; the current title was established in 1945. Its last issue was published on December 2011, alt ...
The Second Mr. Bush
''The Second Mr. Bush'' is a 1940 British comedy film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Wallace Evennett, Evelyn Roberts and Kay Walsh. It was made at Welwyn Studios by British National Films.Wood p.99
Cast
* Wallace Evennett as ...
He Found a Star
''He Found a Star'' is a 1941 British musical film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Vic Oliver, Sarah Churchill (actress), Sarah Churchill and Evelyn Dall. It concerns a frustrated stage manager who quits his job and, with his secre ...
'' (1941)
* ''
Spare a Copper
Spare or Spares may refer to:
Common meanings
* Spare (bowling), a term for knocking down all the pins using two bowling balls
* short for spare part
** Spare tire
People
* Austin Osman Spare (1886–1956), English artist and occultist
* Richar ...
'' (1941)
* ''
Dancing with Crime
''Dancing with Crime'' is a 1947 British film noir film directed by John Paddy Carstairs, starring Richard Attenborough, Barry K. Barnes and Sheila Sim. It was shot at Southall Studios with sets designed by the art director Andrew Mazzei.
P ...
'' (1947)
* ''
Sleeping Car to Trieste
''Sleeping Car to Trieste'' is a 1948 British comedy thriller film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Jean Kent, Albert Lieven, Derrick De Marney and Rona Anderson. It was shot at Denham Studios outside London. The film's sets were de ...
Tony Draws a Horse
''Tony Draws a Horse'' is a 1950 British comedy film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Cecil Parker, Anne Crawford and Derek Bond. It was adapted from a 1939 play of the same name by Lesley Storm.
Plot
When their eight-year-old ...
'' (1950)
* ''
Talk of a Million
''Talk of a Million'' (also known as ''You Can't Beat the Irish'') is a 1951 British comedy film directed by John Paddy Carstairs, starring Jack Warner, with an early appearance from Sid James.
Premise
Shakespeare-loving Bartley Murnahan, (Jack ...
'' (1951)
* ''
Made in Heaven
''Made in Heaven'' is the fifteenth studio album by the British rock band Queen, released on 6 November 1995 by Parlophone Records in the United Kingdom and by Hollywood Records in the United States. It was the band's first and only release so ...
Trouble in Store
''Trouble in Store'' is a 1953 British comedy film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Norman Wisdom as a department store clerk in his cinema debut. The film also featured Moira Lister, Margaret Rutherford, Jerry Desmonde and Lana ...
'' (1953)
* ''
Up to His Neck
''Up to His Neck'' is a 1954 British comedy film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Ronald Shiner as Jack Carter, Hattie Jacques as Rakiki and Anthony Newley as Tommy. It was shot at Pinewood Studios near London with sets designed by ...
'' (1954)
* ''
The Crowded Day
''The Crowded Day'' is a 1954 British comedy drama film directed by John Guillermin and starring John Gregson, Joan Rice, Cyril Raymond and Josephine Griffin. The film follows a group of shopgirls working in Bunting and Hobbs, a London depar ...
Jumping for Joy
''Jumping for Joy'' is a 1956 British comedy film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Frankie Howerd, Stanley Holloway, Joan Hickson and Lionel Jeffries.
Plot
Willie Joy (Frankie Howerd) works at a greyhound track as a cleaner, whic ...
'' (1956)
* ''
Up in the World
''Up in the World'' is a 1956 black and white comedy film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Norman Wisdom, Maureen Swanson and Jerry Desmonde. It was produced by Rank.
Plot
Norman is given a job as a window cleaner at a stately hom ...
The Big Money
"The Big Money" is a song by Canadian rock band Rush, originally released on their 1985 album ''Power Windows''. It peaked at #45 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and #4 on the Mainstream Rock chart, and has been included on several compilation album ...
'' (1958)
* ''
The Square Peg
''The Square Peg'' is a 1959 British war comedy film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Norman Wisdom. Norman Wisdom plays two different characters: a man who digs and repairs roads, and a Nazi general.
Plot
During the Second World Wa ...
'' (1959)
* ''
Tommy the Toreador
''Tommy the Toreador'' is a 1959 British musical comedy film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Tommy Steele, Janet Munro, Sid James, Bernard Cribbins, Noel Purcell and Kenneth Williams.
Premise
A British ship docks in Spain and ...
Sands of the Desert
''Sands of the Desert'' is a 1960 British adventure comedy film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Charlie Drake in his first lead role in a feature film, Peter Arne, Sarah Branch and Raymond Huntley.
Premise
Charlie Sands, a Briti ...
The Devil's Agent
''The Devil's Agent'' (german: Im Namen des Teufels) is a 1962 drama film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring Peter van Eyck, Marianne Koch, Christopher Lee and Macdonald Carey. It was a co-production between Britain, West Germany an ...