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1-29 of 29
- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Writer
Typically British stiff-upper-lip war dramas and action adventure laced with moments of sophisticated comedy were Guy Hamilton's trademark. The son of a British diplomat, he spent most of his youth with his family in France, seemingly destined to be groomed for a career in the diplomatic service. Growing up, he became enthralled with French cinema (and, particularly, with the films of Jean Renoir). This instilled in him a burning ambition to become a director himself. In 1939 Hamilton got his first job as a clapper boy with Victorine Studios in Nice (now known as Studios Riviera). He worked his way up the hard way via the accounting department and as a producer's assistant. At the outbreak of World War II, British personnel were evacuated from France and Hamilton found work in the cutting room of British Paramount News which provided him with an excellent background in editing (albeit briefly--his career was soon interrupted by wartime duties in the Royal Navy with the 15th Motor Gunboat Flotilla).
After the war, Hamilton got back into the movie business as a third assistant director (an experience he later described as amounting -- more or less -- to be a "gofer" and tea boy for the first assistant director). His big break eventually arrived courtesy of Carol Reed who took him under his wing as first assistant director for The Fallen Idol (1948). Reed became his mentor and a kind of father figure and exerted a profound influence on the budding filmmaker. Hamilton went on to work with Reed on The Third Man (1949) and Outcast of the Islands (1951)). For John Huston, he then served in the same capacity on The African Queen (1951) (one of his duties included building a pontoon made up of four or five pirogues to provide room for the cameras, as the "Queen" was too cramped to film on).
Hamilton's first film as director in his own right was The Ringer (1952), a minor thriller based on an Edgar Wallace story. He established himself properly with The Colditz Story (1955), a prisoner-of-war drama enlivened by deft humor and a pointedly "British" style. In the 1960s, his acquaintance with Albert R. Broccoli led to his directing four entries in the James Bond franchise (though he had turned down previous offers to helm the opener, Dr. No (1962)): Goldfinger (1964), Diamonds Are Forever (1971), Live and Let Die (1973) and The Man with the Golden Gun (1974). In a later interview, Hamilton recalled that he (and writer Tom Mankiewicz) particularly enjoyed putting Bond into the "snake-pit" in situations of mortal peril, then working out a way to extricate him within 50 seconds. Hamilton's "intellectual" interpretation of Bond, the witty, at times facetious humor --usually in the midst of hair-raising situations-- contributed greatly to the popular and commercial success of these films. While these films established his reputation, much of his later work (Force 10 from Navarone (1978), Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985) proved less endearing.
In the mid-1980s, Hamilton retired to the island of Majorca with his second wife, actress Kerima (who had co-starred in "Outcast of the Islands"). He died there on 20 April 2016 at the age of 93.- Frederick was educated in Germany and France. He came to England in 1939 and took up acting at the suggestion of his English headmaster. He attended the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London between 1946 and 1948 and started his stage career at preston Rep in 1949. Many rep seasons in provinces before West End appearances including 'The Comedy of Errors', 'Lock Up Your Daughters', 'The Potsdam Quartet', 'Big Fish, Little Fish', 'For Adults Only', 'A Patriot For Me', 'Mrs. Gibson's Boys' and 'Salad Days'. Frederick started his television career in 1955 and went into films in 1956. He continued to act in all strands of the profession until his death.
- John Noakes was born on 6 March 1934 in Shelf, Halifax, Yorkshire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Redcap (1964), Camera Three (1955) and The Rise and Fall of César Birotteau (1965). He was married to Victoria Fenez. He died on 28 May 2017 in Palma, Majorca, Spain.
- Writer
- Actor
- Producer
British poet and novelist Robert Graves was born Robert von Ranke Graves in London, England, in 1895. He began to write poetry while a student at London's Charterhouse School, and even while serving as an officer in the British army during World War I he kept at it, turning out three books of poetry in 1916 and 1917 while posted to the western front, where he was seriously wounded in 1916. His war experiences resulted in his well-received autobiography, "Goodbye to All That", in 1919. They also contributed to a long spell of mental problems in the 1920s, culminating in his divorce in that same period. In 1929 he moved to Majorca, Spain, with an American poet he had met, Laura Riding, and the two were together for almost 15 years.
In 1934 he wrote what is his most famous novel, "I, Claudius", a first-person narrative "written" by the Roman emperor Claudius, chronicling life during the reigns of Augustus, Tiberias and the notorious Caligula. Other historical novels followed, including "Claudius the God" (1934), "Count Belisarius" (1936) and 1944's "The Golden Fleece" (aka "Hercules, My Shipmate"). It was while conducting research for this novel that Graves became interested in mythology, resulting in what is arguably his most controversial work, "The White Goddess: A Historical Grammar of Poetic Myth" in 1948. That same year he published his "Collected Poems", which he subsequently revised over the years, and turned out a translation of "The Rubiyat of Omar Khayyam" in 1967. He was elected Professor of Poetry at Oxford University in 1961, and stayed there until 1966.
He died in Majorca, Spain, in 1985.- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Stephen Gately was born on 17 March 1976 in Dublin, Ireland. He was an actor, known for Billy Elliot (2000), The Rocky Horror Tribute Show (2006) and Watership Down (1999). He was married to Andrew Cowles. He died on 10 October 2009 in Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain.- Composer
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Internationally renowned bandleader Bert Kaempfert was born in Hamburg, Germany, in 1923. A student at the Hamburg School of Music, he was hired by bandleader Hans Busch and played with that orchestra before enlisting in the German Navy during World War II, where he served as a musician. After the war he started his own band, in addition to working as an arranger and producer for the recordings of other singers and bandleaders (in 1961 he hired a little-known band to back up singer Tony Sheridan on his album "My Bonnie". That band was The Beatles).
Kampfert had his own hit recording career, beginning with what is probably his signature work, "Wonderland By Night", in 1960. He also had a major hit with the instrumental "Red Roses for a Blue Lady" in 1965--although he did not, as is often thought, write the music for it, he did have a hugely successful songwriting career, some of his most famous compositions (he wrote the music, others wrote the lyrics) being hits for other artists, such as "Strangers in the Night" for Frank Sinatra, "Wooden Heart" for Joe Dowell, "Spanish Eyes" for Al Martino, "Danke Schoen" for Wayne Newton, among others. He also wrote the scores for several films, including A Man Could Get Killed (1966) and the Elvis Presley film G.I. Blues (1960). Musicians such as Bobby Hackett, Pete Fountain and Johnny Mathis recorded "tribute" albums of Kaempfert's music. He was an early proponent of what came to be known as "world music", often using songs and musical styles from Africa (one of his biggest hits was called "Afrikaan Beat"). Although his record sales began to decline in the 1970s, he kept up a strong schedule of live concerts, and made a hugely successful appearance at London's Royal Albert Hall in 1974.
A heavy cigarette smoker, he died of a stroke at his home in Majorca, Spain, on June 21, 1980. He was 56 years old.- Philip Leaver was born on 11 July 1904 in Kensington, London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for The Lady Vanishes (1938), The Tales of Hoffmann (1951) and Martin Luther (1953). He died in 1981 in Palma, Majorca, Spain.
- Ira Stevens was born on 20 July 1929 in London, England, UK. She was an actress, known for The Little Princess (1939). She was married to Roy Bezzant. She died in 1987 in Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Alfonso del Real was born on 27 December 1916 in Atlantic Ocean. He was an actor, known for Una señora llamada Andrés (1970), Estudio 1 (1965) and Carlota: Amor es... veneno (1981). He was married to María Teresa. He died on 16 January 2002 in Palma, Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain.- Actor
- Writer
Leslie Weston was born on 24 July 1896 in Thornton Heath, Surrey, England, UK. He was an actor and writer, known for Betrayed (1954), Sleeping Car to Trieste (1948) and Last Holiday (1950). He died on 13 October 1975 in Palma Nova, Majorca, Spain.- Erika Wackernagel was born on 19 June 1925 in Ulm, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. She was an actress, known for National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985), Michael Kramer (1984) and Stunde Null (1977). She died on 30 June 1995 in Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain.
- Music Department
- Actor
Ola Brunkert was born on 15 September 1946 in Örebro, Örebro län, Sweden. He was an actor, known for Mitt sanna jag (1995), Och skeppets namn var Gigantic... (1980) and ABBA: The Movie (1977). He was married to Inger. He died on 16 March 2008 in Arta, Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain.- Frank O'Donovan was born in 1900 in Ireland. He was an actor, known for The Riordans (1965), Johnny Nobody (1961) and The Quare Fellow (1962). He died on 28 June 1974 in Majorca, Spain.
- Ray Gravell was born on 12 September 1951 in Kidwelly, Wales, UK. He was an actor, known for Damage (1992), Darklands (1996) and Very Annie Mary (2001). He was married to Marie Roberts. He died on 31 October 2007 in Majorca, Spain.
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Actor
Norman Hargood was born on 15 October 1923 in Shepherd's Bush, London, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Murder She Said (1961), The Unstoppable Man (1961) and Black Joy (1977). He died on 11 March 1990 in Majorca, Spain.- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Ricardo Núñez was born in 1904 in Betanzos, A Coruña, Galicia, Spain. He was a director and writer, known for Madre Alegría (1950), La maja de los cantares (1946) and Fuego sagrado (1950). He died in 1998 in Palma, Majorca, Spain.- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Ricardo Núñez was born on 16 July 1904 in Betanzos, A Coruña, Galicia, Spain. He was an actor and producer, known for Tremolina (1957), Malagueña (1956) and Lo que cuesta vivir... (1967). He died on 16 June 1998 in Palma, Majorca, Spain.- Music Department
- Writer
- Composer
Kurt Feltz was born on 14 April 1910 in Krefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. He was a writer and composer, known for The Reader (2008), Das himmelblaue Abendkleid (1941) and Bonjour Kathrin (1956). He was married to Cornelia Hoff. He died on 2 August 1982 in Pollença, Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain.- Jean Dausset was born on 19 October 1916 in Toulouse, Haute-Garonne, France. He was married to Rosita López. He died on 6 June 2009 in Palma, Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain.
- Muriel Alleyne was born on 28 January 1884 in Kensington, London, England, UK. She was a writer, known for The City of Youth (1928), The Forsaken (1913) and The Dead Heart (1914). She died in 1966 in Palma, Majorca, Spain.
- Actor
- Writer
Paul Roche was born on 25 September 1916 in Mussoorie, India. He was an actor and writer, known for Oedipus the King (1968). He was married to Clarissa Turner. He died on 30 October 2007 in Sóller, Majorca, Spain.- Maria Antònia Oliver was born in December 1946 in Manacor, Balearic Islands, Spain. She was a writer, known for Amor de cans (2018), Lletres catalanes (1974) and Capità Escalaborns (1991). She was married to Jaume Fuster. She died on 10 February 2022 in Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain.
- Jean Batten was born on 15 September 1909 in Rotorua, New Zealand. She died on 22 November 1982 in Majorca, Spain.
- Writer
- Actor
Guy Dumur was born on 17 November 1921 in Bordeaux, Gironde, France. He was a writer and actor, known for Emmenez-moi au théâtre (1982), Sherlock Holmes (1982) and Spectacle d'un soir (1964). He died on 30 July 1991 in Deya, Majorca, Spain.- Eric Garrett was born on 10 June 1931 in Skelton, North Yorkshire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Les contes d'Hoffmann (The Tales of Hoffmann) (1981), Salome (1992) and Die Fledermaus (1990). He was married to Jean Povey. He died on 8 May 2009 in Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain.
- John Cantopher was born in 1914 in Brentford, Middlesex, England, UK. He was an actor, known for The Fall of the House of Usher (1950). He died in 1970 in Palma, Majorca, Spain.
- Carlos Cristos was a composer, known for Las alas de la vida (2006) and Versión española (1998). He died on 26 April 2008 in Sa Cabaneta, Majorca, Balaeric Islands, Spain.
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Jorge Sepúlveda was born in 1917 in València, València, Comunitat Valenciana, Spain. He is known for The Rhythm Section (2020), Cuéntame cómo pasó (2001) and 10.000 Km (2014). He died in 1983 in Palma, Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain.- Margit Veszi was born on 27 April 1885 in Budapest, Hungary. She was a writer, known for Hotel Imperial (1918) and All in a Night's Work (1961). She died on 11 July 1961 in Palma, Majorca, Spain.