Robert Asher (1915 – 1979)Brian McFarlabne (ed) ''The Encyclopedia of British Film'', London: Methuen/BFI, 2003, p.28 was a British film and

television 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 ...

, the brother of British cinematographer

Jack Asher Jack Asher British Society of Cinematographers, B.S.C. (29 March 1916, London – 1991) was an England, English cinematographer. His brother Robert Asher (director), Robert Asher was a film and TV director with whom he worked on several occa ...

. Robert Asher began his career as an assistant director in 1934, working with

Anthony Pelissier Harry Anthony Compton Pelissier (27 July 1912 – 2 April 1988) was an English actor, screenwriter, producer and director. Biography Pelissier was born in Barnet and came from a theatrical family. His parents were the theatre producer H. G. ...

Robert Hamer Robert Hamer (31 March 1911 – 4 December 1963) was a British film director and screenwriter best known for the 1949 black comedy ''Kind Hearts and Coronets''. Biography Hamer was born at 24 Chester Road, Kidderminster, along with his twi ...

Maurice Elvey Maurice Elvey (11 November 1887 – 28 August 1967) was one of the most prolific film directors in British history. He directed nearly 200 films between 1913 and 1957. During the silent film era he directed as many as twenty films per year. He a ...

and

Roy Ward Baker Roy Ward Baker (born Roy Horace Baker; 19 December 1916 – 5 October 2010) was an English film director. His best known film is ''A Night to Remember (1958 film), A Night to Remember'' (1958) which won a Golden Globe for Golden Globe Award for ...

among others. During

World War II 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 opposing ...

he worked on such films such as ''

When We Are Married ''When We Are Married'' is a comedy by the English dramatist, J. B. Priestley, written in 1934. It was first performed in London at the St. Martin's Theatre, London on 11 October 1938, and transferred to the larger Prince's Theatre in March 1 ...

'' (1943), ''

Medal for the General ''Medal for the General'' (US title: ''The Gay Intruders'') is a 1944 British comedy film directed by Maurice Elvey. The screenplay by Elizabeth Baron is based on the novel of the same title by James Ronald (published in the U.S. under the titl ...

'' (1944) and '' Waltz Time'' (1945). Asher became a solo director with the

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 ...

vehicle ''

Follow a Star ''Follow a Star'' is a 1959 British black and white comedy musical film directed by Robert Asher and starring Norman Wisdom. Plot Norman Truscott works as a dry cleaner, but dreams of being a stage performer. To this end, he takes elocution and ...

'' (1959). He followed

John Paddy Carstairs John Paddy Carstairs (born John Keys; 11 May 1910, in London – 12 December 1970, in London) was a British film director (1933–62) and television director (1962–64), usually of light-hearted subject matter. He was also a comic novelist and ...

as the overseer of the Wisdom films, concluding with ''

Press for Time ''Press for Time'' is a 1966 British comedy film starring Norman Wisdom. The screenplay was written by Eddie Leslie and Norman Wisdom, based on the 1963 novel ''Yea Yea Yea'', by Angus McGill. It was partly filmed in Teignmouth in Devon. It wa ...

'' (1966). The

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 ...

film ''

The Intelligence Men ''The Intelligence Men'' is a 1965 comedy film starring the British comic duo Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise. In the US, it was retitled ''Spylarks''. It is subtitled " M.I.5 plus 2 equals 0". The film was successful enough to enable Morecambe ...

'' (1965), Wisdom's ''

The Early Bird ''The Early Bird'' is a 1965 British comedy film directed by Robert Asher and starring Norman Wisdom. It also features Edward Chapman, Bryan Pringle, Richard Vernon, John Le Mesurier and Jerry Desmonde. It was the first Norman Wisdom film to ...

'' (also 1965) and the crime caper farce ''

Make Mine Mink ''Make Mine Mink'' is a 1960 British comedy farce film directed by Robert Asher (director), Robert Asher and featuring Terry-Thomas, Athene Seyler, Hattie Jacques and Billie Whitelaw. The screenplay concerns a group of eccentric misfits who go o ...

'' (1960) are among his other credits. In the late 1960s, Asher began working in television, directing episodes of

ITC Entertainment The Incorporated Television Company (ITC), or ITC Entertainment as it was referred to in the United States, was a British company involved in production and distribution of television programmes. History Incorporated Television Programme Compan ...

productions including ''

The Champions ''The Champions'' is a British espionage thriller/science fiction/occult detective fiction adventure television series. It was produced by Lew Grade's ITC Entertainment production company, and consists of 30 episodes broadcast in the UK on IT ...

'', '' The Saint'', ''

The Prisoner ''The Prisoner'' is a 1967 British television series about an unnamed British intelligence agent who is abducted and imprisoned in a mysterious coastal village, where his captors designate him as Number Six and try to find out why he abruptl ...

'' and '' The Avengers''.

Filmography

* ''

'' (1959) * ''

'' (1960) * ''

The Bulldog Breed ''The Bulldog Breed'' is a 1960 British comedy film starring Norman Wisdom and directed by Robert Asher. Plot Norman Puckle (Norman Wisdom), a well-meaning but clumsy grocer's assistant, cannot seem to do anything right. After being rejected b ...

'' (1960) * ''

She'll Have to Go ''She'll Have to Go'' (released in the United States as ''Maid for Murder'') is a 1962 black and white British comedy film directed by Robert Asher and starring Bob Monkhouse. Plot When cash strapped brothers Francis and Douglas discover thei ...

'' (1962) * '' On the Beat'' (1962) * '' A Stitch in Time'' (1963) * ''

'' (1965) * ''

'' (1966)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Asher, Robert 1915 births 1979 deaths British film directors British television directors