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Paul Almond (April 26, 1931 – April 9, 2015) was a Canadian television and motion picture screenwriter, director, producer, and novelist. He is most known for being the director of the first film in the '' Up'' series.


Life and career

Paul Almond attended
Bishop's College School Bishop's College School or BCS is an English-language non-profit independent boarding prep school in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada for students in Grades 7 to 12.Thomson, Ashley; Lafortune, Sylvie (1999). Handbook of Canadian Boarding Schools. To ...
,
McGill University McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter granted by King George IV,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill Universit ...
and
Balliol College Balliol College () is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. One of Oxford's oldest colleges, it was founded around 1263 by John I de Balliol, a landowner from Barnard Castle in County Durham, who provided the f ...
,
Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
, where he read Philosophy, Politics, Economics; edited the University magazine, Isis; played for the
Oxford University Ice Hockey Club The Oxford University Ice Hockey Club (OUIHC) is home to the Men’s and Women’s Blues ice hockey teams of the University of Oxford, England. The Men's Blues, also known as Oxford University Blues,BUIHA Website Listin"Oxford University Blues" ...
; and served as president of the university Poetry Society. At the
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (french: Société Radio-Canada), branded as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian public broadcaster for both radio and television. It is a federal Crown corporation that receives funding from the government. ...
, he worked primarily as a director and producer, and also wrote several scripts. He did similar work in England for the
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 exam. ...
...
,
ABC Weekend TV ABC Weekend TV was the popular name of the British broadcaster ABC Television Limited, which provided the weekend service in the Midlands and Northern England regions of the Independent Television (ITV) network from 1956 to 1968. It was one ...
, and
Granada TV ITV Granada, formerly known as Granada Television, is the ITV franchisee for the North West of England and Isle of Man. From 1956 to 1968 it broadcast to both the north west and Yorkshire but only on weekdays as ABC Weekend Television was it ...
, where he created the ground-breaking documentary ''
Seven Up! The ''Up'' series of documentary films follows the lives of ten males and four females in England beginning in 1964, when they were seven years old. The first film was titled ''Seven Up!'', with later films adjusting the number in the title t ...
'', before embarking on a career as a feature-length film-maker. In the late 1960s, he attempted to establish a high quality Canadian art cinema with his understated and highly interiorized films ''
Isabel Isabel is a female name of Spanish origin. Isabelle is a name that is similar, but it is of French origin. It originates as the medieval Spanish form of '' Elisabeth'' (ultimately Hebrew ''Elisheva''), Arising in the 12th century, it became popul ...
'' (1968), ''
The Act of the Heart ''The Act of the Heart'' is a 1970 Canadian drama film written, directed and produced by Paul Almond. It stars Geneviève Bujold, Donald Sutherland, Monique Leyrac, and Sharon Acker. Synopsis Martha Hayes (Geneviève Bujold) is a devoutly rel ...
'' (1970) and ''
Journey Journey or journeying may refer to: * Travel, the movement of people between distant geographical locations ** Day's journey, a measurement of distance ** Road trip, a long-distance journey on the road Animals * Journey (horse), a thoroughbred ra ...
'' (1972), featuring his wife at the time, actress
Geneviève Bujold Geneviève Bujold (; born July 1, 1942) is a Canadian actress. For her portrayal of Anne Boleyn in the period drama film ''Anne of the Thousand Days'' (1969), Bujold received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. Her other film cre ...
. These films met some critical resistance in Canada, but the trilogy was Almond's most ambitious work and a distinctive contribution to Canadian film. After an absence from filmmaking of almost a decade, Almond directed three more films: ''Ups and Downs'' (1983); '' Captive Hearts'' (1987); and ''The Dance Goes On'' (1991), featuring Bujold and their son Matthew Almond. In addition to his television and film work, Almond also produced and directed several plays for television by such authors as
Henrik Ibsen Henrik Johan Ibsen (; ; 20 March 1828 – 23 May 1906) was a Norwegian playwright and theatre director. As one of the founders of modernism in theatre, Ibsen is often referred to as "the father of realism" and one of the most influential playw ...
,
Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the thre ...
,
Harold Pinter Harold Pinter (; 10 October 1930 – 24 December 2008) was a British playwright, screenwriter, director and actor. A Nobel Prize winner, Pinter was one of the most influential modern British dramatists with a writing career that spanne ...
,
William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
, as well as creating his own adaptations of works by
Jane Austen Jane Austen (; 16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for her six major novels, which interpret, critique, and comment upon the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Austen's plots of ...
,
Emily Brontë Emily Jane Brontë (, commonly ; 30 July 1818 – 19 December 1848) was an English novelist and poet who is best known for her only novel, ''Wuthering Heights'', now considered a classic of English literature. She also published a book of poet ...
,
Henry James Henry James ( – ) was an American-British author. He is regarded as a key transitional figure between literary realism and literary modernism, and is considered by many to be among the greatest novelists in the English language. He was the ...
,
Somerset Maugham William Somerset Maugham ( ; 25 January 1874 – 16 December 1965) was an English writer, known for his plays, novels and short stories. Born in Paris, where he spent his first ten years, Maugham was schooled in England and went to a German un ...
, among others. In later years, Almond authored eight novels in the Alford Saga. The final novel is titled The Inheritor, a stand-alone autobiographical roman à clef about the remarkable life, loves, agonies, achievements and awards of a prestigious Canadian movie producer, director, and author. It was published in April 2015 by Red Deer Press. Almond was appointed an Officer of the
Order of Canada The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the ...
in 2001, and given a
Lifetime Achievement Award Lifetime achievement awards are awarded by various organizations, to recognize contributions over the whole of a career, rather than or in addition to single contributions. Such awards, and organizations presenting them, include: A * A.C. ...
by the
Directors Guild of Canada The Directors Guild of Canada (DGC) is a Canadian labour union representing more than 5,500 professionals from 48 different occupations in the Canadian film and television industry. Founded in 1962, the DGC represents directors, editors, assistant ...
in 2007. He was a member of the
Royal Canadian Academy of Arts The Royal Canadian Academy of Arts (RCA) is a Canadian arts-related organization that was founded in 1880. History 1880 to 1890 The title of Royal Canadian Academy of Arts was received from Queen Victoria on 16 July 1880. The Governor General ...
. Almond was first married to
National Ballet of Canada The National Ballet of Canada is a Canadian ballet company that was founded in 1951 in Toronto, Ontario, with Celia Franca as the first artistic director. A company of 70 dancers with its own orchestra, the National Ballet has been led since 2022 ...
leading dancer Angela Leigh, then to
Geneviève Bujold Geneviève Bujold (; born July 1, 1942) is a Canadian actress. For her portrayal of Anne Boleyn in the period drama film ''Anne of the Thousand Days'' (1969), Bujold received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. Her other film cre ...
from 1967 to 1974. Their son, Matthew James Almond, was born in 1968. In 1976 he married photographer Joan Harwood Elkins. Almond maintained a home in
Malibu, California Malibu ( ; es, Malibú; Chumash: ) is a beach city in the Santa Monica Mountains region of Los Angeles County, California, situated about west of Downtown Los Angeles. It is known for its Mediterranean climate and its strip of the Malibu ...
, in addition to the Almond hereditary family farm in
Shigawake, Quebec Shigawake is a municipality in the Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine region of the province of Quebec in Canada. Shigawake is bordered to the west by Saint-Godefroi and to the east by Port-Daniel-Gascons. The place name is taken from the river t ...
. Almond died on April 9, 2015, in Beverly Hills, California, of cardiac problems from which he had suffered for several years.


Filmography

* ''
Macbeth ''Macbeth'' (, full title ''The Tragedie of Macbeth'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those w ...
'' (1961) * '' October Beach'' (1964) * ''
Seven Up! The ''Up'' series of documentary films follows the lives of ten males and four females in England beginning in 1964, when they were seven years old. The first film was titled ''Seven Up!'', with later films adjusting the number in the title t ...
'' (1964) * ''
Isabel Isabel is a female name of Spanish origin. Isabelle is a name that is similar, but it is of French origin. It originates as the medieval Spanish form of '' Elisabeth'' (ultimately Hebrew ''Elisheva''), Arising in the 12th century, it became popul ...
'' (1968), (''Isabel'' was a box office success and won four Etrogs at the 1968 Canadian Film Awards, and Almond was nominated as best director of the year by the Directors Guild of America.) * ''
The Act of the Heart ''The Act of the Heart'' is a 1970 Canadian drama film written, directed and produced by Paul Almond. It stars Geneviève Bujold, Donald Sutherland, Monique Leyrac, and Sharon Acker. Synopsis Martha Hayes (Geneviève Bujold) is a devoutly rel ...
'' (1970), (
Canadian Film Award The Canadian Film Awards were the leading Canadian cinema awards from 1949 until 1978. These honours were conducted annually, except in 1974 when a number of Quebec directors withdrew their participation and prompted a cancellation. In the 1970s ...
for Best Director. ''The Act of the Heart'' won five Canadian Film Awards in 1970.) * ''
Journey Journey or journeying may refer to: * Travel, the movement of people between distant geographical locations ** Day's journey, a measurement of distance ** Road trip, a long-distance journey on the road Animals * Journey (horse), a thoroughbred ra ...
'' (1972) * ''
Every Person Is Guilty Every may refer to: People * Every (surname), including a list of people surnamed Every or Van Every * Every Maclean, New Zealand politician in sunda 19th century * Every baronets, a title in the Baronetage of England Other * Suzuki Every, a kei ...
'' (1979) * '' Final Assignment'' (1980) * '' Ups and Downs'' (1983) * '' Captive Hearts'' (1987) * '' The Dance Goes On / Le Temps retrouvé'' (1992)


Bibliography


Novels

*''La Vengeance des Dieux'' (Art Global Publishers, 1999) ''The Alford Saga:'' *''The Deserter'' (McArthur & Co, 2010) *''The Survivor'' (McArthur & Co, 2011) *''The Pioneer'' (McArthur & Co, 2012) *''The Pilgrim'' (McArthur & Co, 2012) *''Le Déserteur'' (Quebec-Amerique, 2013) *''The Chaplain'' (Sulby Hall Publishers, 2013) *''Le Défricheur'' (Quebec-Amerique, 2013) *''The Gunner'' (Red Deer Press, 2014) *''Les Bâtisseurs'' (Quebec-Amerique, 2014) *''The Hero'' (Red Deer Press, 2014) *''The Inheritor'' (Red Deer Press, 2015)


Biography

*''High Hopes: Coming of Age in the mid-Century'' (ECW Press, 1999)(with Michael Ballantyne) *''The Inheritor'' (Red Deer Press, 2015. Released in April 2015 by Red Deer Press as the eighth and final novel in the Alford Saga, ''The Inheritor'' is a stand-alone autobiographical roman à clef about the remarkable life, loves, agonies and achievements of one of Canada's most distinguished film and television producer-directors)


References


External links

*
Official site

Paul Almond fonds (R4394)
at
Library and Archives Canada Library and Archives Canada (LAC; french: Bibliothèque et Archives Canada) is the federal institution, tasked with acquiring, preserving, and providing accessibility to the documentary heritage of Canada. The national archive and library is th ...


See also

*
List of Bishop's College School alumni Bishop's College School, a private secondary school founded in 1836 in the Borough of Lennoxville, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada owns an Old boy network. Former male students are referred to as BCS Old Boys and former King's Hall, Compton & BCS fem ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Almond, Paul 1931 births 2015 deaths Canadian male novelists Officers of the Order of Canada Bishop's College School alumni Writers from Montreal Film directors from Montreal Anglophone Quebec people Members of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts 20th-century Canadian novelists 21st-century Canadian novelists Canadian novelists in French Best Director Genie and Canadian Screen Award winners 20th-century Canadian male writers 21st-century Canadian male writers