Thomas Bentley (23 February 1884 – 23 December 1966) was a British film director. He directed 68 films between 1912 and 1941. He directed three films in the early DeForest

Phonofilm Phonofilm is an optical sound-on-film system developed by inventors Lee de Forest and Theodore Case in the early 1920s. Introduction In 1919 and 1920, Lee De Forest, inventor of the audion tube, filed his first patents on a sound-on-film proce ...

sound-on-film process, ''The Man in the Street'' (1926), ''The Antidote'' (1927), and ''Acci-Dental Treatment'' (1928). Bentley was born in St George Hanover Square,

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 ...

and originally trained as an engineer but went on to become a

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

performer well known for impersonating the characters from the

novel A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itsel ...

s of

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian e ...

on stage, touring Britain and Australia.McFarlane, Brian (28 February 2014). ''The Encyclopedia of British Film: Fourth edition''. Oxford University Press. p. 66-67; His directing career in silent films began in 1910 after he was signed by

Cecil Hepworth Cecil Milton Hepworth (19 March 1874 – 9 February 1953) was a British film director, producer and screenwriter. He was among the founders of the British film industry and continued making films into the 1920s at his Hepworth Studios. In ...

to write and direct five adaptations of Dickens' novels. He would go on to helm more Charles Dickens adaptations throughout his career. After his retirement from directing in 1941 he became technical advisor to the British Film Council. In her typescript-cum-memoir, Mabel Poulton named Bentley as the film director-rapist of a young British starlet who then becomes an alcoholic as a result. Poulton starred in two films directed by him: ''

The Old Curiosity Shop ''The Old Curiosity Shop'' is one of two novels (the other being ''Barnaby Rudge'') which Charles Dickens published along with short stories in his weekly serial ''Master Humphrey's Clock'', from 1840 to 1841. It was so popular that New York r ...

'' (1921) and '' Not Quite a Lady'' (1928).

Selected filmography

* '' Oliver Twist'' (1912) * ''

David Copperfield ''David Copperfield'' Dickens invented over 14 variations of the title for this work, see is a novel in the bildungsroman genre by Charles Dickens, narrated by the eponymous David Copperfield, detailing his adventures in his journey from inf ...

'' (1913) * ''

Milestones A milestone is a marker of distance along roads. Milestone may also refer to: Measurements *Milestone (project management), metaphorically, markers of reaching an identifiable stage in any task or the project *Software release life cycle state, s ...

'' (1916) * '' The Divine Gift'' (1918) * ''

'' (1921) * ''

The Adventures of Mr. Pickwick ''The Adventures of Mr. Pickwick'' is a 1921 British silent film, silent comedy film directed by Thomas Bentley based on the 1837 novel ''The Pickwick Papers'' by Charles Dickens. As of August 2010, the film is missing from the BFI National Arch ...

'' (1921) * '' A Master of Craft'' (1922) * '' Money Isn't Everything'' (1925) * ''

A Romance of Mayfair ''A Romance of Mayfair'' is a 1925 British romance film directed by Thomas Bentley and starring Betty Faire, Henry Victor and Molly Johnson. It was based on the novel ''The Crime of Constable Kelly'' by J.C. Snaith and made by Stoll Pictures a ...

'' (1925) * ''

White Heat ''White Heat'' is a 1949 American film noir directed by Raoul Walsh and starring James Cagney, Virginia Mayo, Edmond O'Brien, Margaret Wycherly and Steve Cochran. Written by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts (writer), Ben Roberts, ''White Heat'' is base ...

'' (1926) * '' The Silver Lining'' (1927) * '' Not Quite a Lady'' (1928) * '' Young Woodley'' (1928) * ''

The American Prisoner ''The American Prisoner'' is a British novel written by Eden Phillpotts and published in 1904 and adapted into a film by the same name in 1929. The story concerns an English woman who lives at Fox Tor farm, and an American captured during ...

'' (1929) * ''

Harmony Heaven ''Harmony Heaven'' is a 1930 British musical film directed by Thomas Bentley and starring Polly Ward, Stuart Hall and Trilby Clark. This film had Pathechrome inserts, and was one of Britain's first two musical films, along with ''Raise the Roo ...

'' (1930) * '' Young Woodley'' (1930) * ''

Compromising Daphne Compromising Daphne is a 1930 British comedy film directed by Thomas Bentley and starring Jean Colin, Phyllis Konstam, C. M. Hallard and Viola Compton. It was also released under the alternative title ''Compromised!'' and was based on a play by ...

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

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) * ''

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) * '' Sleepless Nights'' (1932) * '' The Love Nest'' (1933) * ''

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) * ''

The Scotland Yard Mystery ''The Scotland Yard Mystery'' is a 1934 British crime film directed by Thomas Bentley and starring Sir Gerald du Maurier, George Curzon, Grete Natzler, Belle Chrystall and Wally Patch. The screenplay concerns a criminal doctor who operates a ...

'' (1934) * ''

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 ...

'' (1934) * ''

The Great Defender ''The Great Defender'' is a 1934 British mystery film directed by Thomas Bentley and starring Matheson Lang, Margaret Bannerman and Arthur Margetson. Its plot concerns a top barrister who conducts the defence of an artist facing the death penalty ...

'' (1934) * ''

Royal Cavalcade ''Royal Cavalcade'', also known as ''Regal Cavalcade'', is a 1935 British, black-and-white, drama film directed by six separate directors: Thomas Bentley (Supervising Director), Herbert Brenon, Norman Lee, Walter Summers, W. P. Kellino and Mar ...

'' (1935) * ''

Music Hath Charms ''Music Hath Charms'' is a 1935 British musical comedy film directed by Thomas Bentley, Walter Summers, Arthur B. Woods and Alexander Esway. It stars Henry Hall with the BBC Dance Orchestra, Carol Goodner and Arthur Margetson. It was given a t ...

'' (1935) * ''

She Knew What She Wanted ''She Knew What She Wanted'' is a 1936 British musical comedy film directed by Thomas Bentley and starring Albert Burdon, Claude Dampier and Googie Withers. It was based on the stage musical '' Funny Face''. Premise An amoral young dancer falls ...

'' (1936) * '' The Angelus'' (1937) * '' Silver Blaze'' (1937) * '' The Last Chance'' (1937) * '' Night Alone'' (1938) * '' Marigold'' (1938) * '' Me and My Pal'' (1939) * ''

Lucky to Me ''Lucky to Me'' is a 1939 British musical comedy film directed by Thomas Bentley and starring Stanley Lupino, Phyllis Brooks and Barbara Blair. It was based on Lupino's own 1928 stage show ''So This is Love'' which he had co-written with actor ...

'' (1939) * '' Dead Man's Shoes'' (1940) * '' The Middle Watch'' (1940) * ''

Old Mother Riley's Circus ''Old Mother Riley's Circus'' is a 1941 British comedy film directed by Thomas Bentley and starring Arthur Lucan, Kitty McShane and John Longden. Old Mother Riley takes over a struggling circus and makes a huge success of it. The trade ad poster ...

'' (1941)

References

External links

* 1884 births 1966 deaths Film directors from London {{UK-film-director-stub