Charles Crichton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles Crichton
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Crichton in 1988
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| Born |
Charles Ainslie Crichton
6 August 1910 |
| Died | 14 September 1999 (aged 89) South Kensington, London, England
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| Occupation | film director film editor |
| Years active | 1931–1988 |
Charles Ainslie Crichton (born August 6, 1910 – died September 14, 1999) was a famous English film director and editor. He was known for making many funny movies at Ealing Studios, a famous film studio in England.
Charles Crichton worked in movies and TV for over 40 years. His last film, the super popular comedy A Fish Called Wanda (1988), earned him nominations for two big awards: the Academy Award for Best Director and the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. He shared the screenplay nomination with the film's star, John Cleese.
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Early Life and Education
Charles Crichton was born on August 6, 1910, in Wallasey, Cheshire, England. He was one of six children in his family.
He went to Oundle School in Northamptonshire. Later, he studied History at New College at the University of Oxford.
Career in Film
Starting as an Editor
In 1931, Charles Crichton began his career in the movie world. He started as a film editor. An editor puts together all the different shots and scenes to create the final movie.
His first job as an editor was for the film Men of Tomorrow (1932). He edited more than 50 films! One famous film he edited was Things to Come (1936).
He also worked on movies produced by Alexander Korda, like The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933) and The Thief of Bagdad (1940). In 1940, Crichton started working at Ealing Studios. There, he edited The Big Blockade (1942). He also helped produce and edit Nine Men (1943).
Becoming a Director
Charles Crichton directed his first movie, For Those in Peril, in 1944. In 1945, he directed Painted Boats. He also co-directed a part of the horror film Dead of Night.
Crichton then directed Hue and Cry (1947). This movie is seen as the first comedy released by Ealing Studios. He continued to direct films like Against the Wind (1948) and Dance Hall (1950).
In 1951, Crichton directed the famous actor Alec Guinness in The Lavender Hill Mob. He also directed Hunted (1952), starring Dirk Bogarde. After that, he made The Titfield Thunderbolt (1953).
During the 1950s, he directed other films such as The Divided Heart (1954) and Law and Disorder (1958). He also directed Peter Sellers in The Battle of the Sexes (1959).
Crichton was supposed to direct Birdman of Alcatraz (1962). However, he left the project because he had different ideas about the film with the star, Burt Lancaster. Another director, John Frankenheimer, took over.
His last two films in the 1960s, The Third Secret (1964) and He Who Rides a Tiger (1965), were not as successful. He Who Rides a Tiger was the last movie he directed for 23 years.
Return to Film Directing
After the 1960s, Crichton started directing television shows. He also made videos for companies, working with John Cleese's company, Video Arts. This connection led John Cleese to suggest Crichton direct a new crime comedy movie.
Starting in 1983, Cleese and Crichton worked together on the story for A Fish Called Wanda. Cleese wrote the script. When the movie began filming in 1987, Crichton was 77 years old. For insurance reasons, John Cleese had to be listed as a "stand-by director." This meant he was officially ready to direct if Crichton couldn't.
Cleese later explained that this was a way to make the studio feel comfortable about Crichton's age. He said Crichton was a brilliant director who knew how to capture the most important parts of every scene.
Personal Life and Later Years
In 1936, Charles Crichton married Vera Harman-Mills. They had two sons, David and Nicholas. Nicholas later became a respected judge.
Crichton married his second wife, Nadine Haze, in 1962. They stayed married until he passed away.
After finishing A Fish Called Wanda, Crichton retired from making movies and TV shows. He enjoyed a comfortable life, often going fishing in Scotland and Wales. He died on September 14, 1999, in South Kensington, London, at the age of 89.
Filmography
Feature Films Directed
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1944 | For Those in Peril | Yes | No | |
| 1945 | Dead of Night | Yes | No | Co-directed with other directors; Crichton directed the part called The Golfer's Story |
| Painted Boats | Yes | No | ||
| 1947 | Hue and Cry | Yes | No | |
| 1948 | Against the Wind | Yes | No | |
| Another Shore | Yes | No | ||
| 1949 | Train of Events | Yes | No | Co-directed with other directors; Crichton directed the part called The Composer |
| 1950 | Dance Hall | Yes | No | |
| 1951 | The Lavender Hill Mob | Yes | No | Nominated for the Golden Lion award and a Directors Guild of America Award |
| 1952 | Hunted | Yes | No | |
| 1953 | The Titfield Thunderbolt | Yes | No | |
| 1954 | The Love Lottery | Yes | No | |
| The Divided Heart | Yes | No | ||
| 1957 | Man in the Sky | Yes | No | |
| 1958 | Law and Disorder | Yes | No | |
| 1959 | Floods of Fear | Yes | Yes | |
| The Battle of the Sexes | Yes | No | ||
| 1960 | The Boy Who Stole a Million | Yes | Yes | |
| 1964 | The Third Secret | Yes | No | |
| 1965 | He Who Rides a Tiger | Yes | No | |
| 1988 | A Fish Called Wanda | Yes | Story | Nominated for many awards, including Academy Award for Best Director, Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, and BAFTA Award for Best Film |
Television Shows Directed
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See also
In Spanish: Charles Crichton para niños
