Bryan Forbes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bryan Forbes
CBE
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| Born |
John Theobald Clarke
22 July 1926 |
| Died | 8 May 2013 (aged 86) Virginia Water, Surrey, England
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| Occupation | Filmmaker, actor, author |
| Spouse(s) |
Constance Smith
(m. 1951; div. 1955) |
| Children | 2, including Emma Forbes |
Bryan Forbes was a very talented English filmmaker. He was a director, writer, producer, actor, and even a novelist! People called him a "Renaissance man" because he was good at so many different things. He was also seen as a very important person in the British film world.
Bryan Forbes directed the movie The Stepford Wives (1975). He also wrote or directed many other popular films. Some of these include Whistle Down the Wind (1961) and King Rat (1965). He also wrote scripts for films directed by others. These include The League of Gentlemen (1960).
Contents
Early Life
Bryan Forbes was born John Theobald Clarke on July 22, 1926. He was born in Stratford, London. His father worked as a salesman. Bryan grew up in Forest Gate.
He went to West Ham Secondary School. During World War II, he was sent to Cornwall for safety. There, he attended Horncastle Grammar School. A BBC host named Lionel Gamlin helped him. Gamlin made him the host of a show called Junior Brains Trust. It was Lionel Gamlin who gave him the name Bryan Forbes.
Career
Actor and Screenwriter
Bryan Forbes started training to be an actor at age 17. He studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. After this, he spent four years serving in the military. During his service, he began writing short stories.
When he finished his military service in 1948, he had to change his name. This was to avoid being confused with another actor named John Clark. Bryan started acting in plays and many British films. He appeared in movies like An Inspector Calls (1954). He was also in The Colditz Story (1955).
In the early 1950s, he published a collection of short stories. This led to him getting work writing screenplays. His first writing credit was for the film The Cockleshell Heroes (1955). He also wrote The League of Gentlemen (1960). This film was a big success for him. It was about ex-soldiers planning a bank robbery. Bryan Forbes also acted in this movie.
In 1959, he started a film company called Beaver Films. He created it with his friend, Richard Attenborough. Their company made The Angry Silence (1960). Bryan wrote this film, and Richard Attenborough starred in it.
Film Director
Bryan Forbes directed his first film in 1961. It was called Whistle Down the Wind. Richard Attenborough produced it. The movie was about three children who hide a criminal. They believe he is Jesus Christ. It starred child actor Hayley Mills. The film was nominated for several awards. It even inspired a musical later on.
His next film as a director was The L-Shaped Room (1962). The main actress, Leslie Caron, was nominated for an Oscar. She also won a BAFTA award for her role.
Bryan Forbes wrote and directed Séance on a Wet Afternoon (1964). In 1965, he went to Hollywood. There, he directed King Rat. This was a successful movie about prisoners of war. He then directed The Wrong Box (1966) and The Whisperers (1967). He also directed Deadfall (1968), which starred Michael Caine.
Leading EMI Films
In 1969, Bryan Forbes became the head of a film studio. It was called Associated British, and later became EMI Films. He tried to help the British film industry grow. He wanted to make many new films.
Under his leadership, the studio made successful movies. These included The Railway Children (1970). They also produced The Tales of Beatrix Potter (1971) and The Go-Between (1971). However, the studio faced some money problems. Bryan Forbes left his role in 1971.
While working at EMI Films, he also directed The Raging Moon (1971). His wife, Nanette Newman, starred in this film.
Later Career
From the early 1970s, Bryan Forbes worked in many areas. He made films, television shows, and plays. He also continued to write. In 1972, he started a documentary about the singer Elton John. It was called Elton John and Bernie Taupin Say Goodbye Norma Jean and Other Things. The film showed how Elton John and Bernie Taupin wrote music. It also included interviews with them and their band.
Bryan Forbes became good friends with Elton John and Bernie Taupin. He even took photos for their album covers. These included Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.
He went back to Hollywood to direct The Stepford Wives (1975). This movie was based on a book by Ira Levin. It was a thriller about women's roles in society. This film became Bryan Forbes's most famous movie. His wife, Nanette Newman, had a small role in it.
His later films as a director were not as successful. These included The Slipper and the Rose (1976) and International Velvet (1978). His last film as a screenwriter was Chaplin in 1992.
Bryan Forbes was also the president of several groups. These included the National Youth Theatre. He also owned a bookshop for a while in Surrey.
Author
Bryan Forbes wrote two books about his own life. He also wrote many successful novels. His last novel, The Soldier's Story, was published in 2012. He also wrote articles for The Spectator magazine.
Awards and Honours
Bryan Forbes won a BAFTA award in 1960 for his screenplay The Angry Silence. This film was also nominated for an Oscar. His film Only Two Can Play won an award for Best British Comedy Screenplay in 1962. Séance on a Wet Afternoon won an Edgar Award in 1965.
His first film as a director, Whistle Down the Wind, was nominated for many BAFTA awards. Four of his other films were also nominated for BAFTA awards. These include The League of Gentlemen (1960) and King Rat (1965).
In 2004, Bryan Forbes was given a special honour. He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. This was for his great work in the arts. In 2006, he received another award for his amazing contributions to cinema. In 2007, BAFTA honoured him for his outstanding achievements in filmmaking.
Personal Life
In 1951, Bryan Forbes married an Irish actress named Constance Smith. They went to Hollywood together. Bryan soon returned to the UK. They divorced in 1955.
Later that same year, Bryan married actress Nanette Newman. They had two daughters. One is journalist Sarah Standing. The other is television presenter Emma Forbes.
Bryan Forbes passed away at his home on May 8, 2013. He was 86 years old. He died after a long illness. Many people shared kind words about him. Film critic Mark Kermode said he was "charming and self-effacing."
What He Did
As an Actor
- The Small Back Room (1949)
- The Wooden Horse (1950)
- The Million Pound Note (1954)
- An Inspector Calls (1954)
- The Colditz Story (1955)
- The Key (1958)
- The League of Gentlemen (1960)
- The Guns of Navarone (1961)
As a Screenwriter
- The Cockleshell Heroes (1955)
- Man in the Moon (1960)
- Only Two Can Play (1962)
- Hopscotch (1980)
- Chaplin (1992)
As a Director
- Whistle Down the Wind (1961)
- The L-Shaped Room (1962)
- Séance on a Wet Afternoon (1964)
- King Rat (1965)
- The Wrong Box (1966)
- The Stepford Wives (1975)
- The Slipper and the Rose (1976)
- International Velvet (1978)
Films He Oversaw at EMI
- And Soon the Darkness (1970)
- The Railway Children (1970)
- The Go-Between (1971)
- The Tales of Beatrix Potter (1971)
- The Raging Moon (1971)
His Books
Novels
- Truth Lies Sleeping and other stories (1950)
- The Distant Laughter (1972)
- Slipper and the Rose (1976)
- International Velvet (1978)
- The Endless Game (1986)
- The Soldier's Story (2012)
Non-Fiction Books
- Notes for a Life (1974)
- Ned's Girl: The Life of Edith Evans (1977)
- A Divided Life (1992)
See also
In Spanish: Bryan Forbes para niños
