Lewis Gilbert facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lewis Gilbert CBE
Born	(1920-03-06)6 March 1920 London, England
Died	23 February 2018(2018-02-23) (aged 97) Monaco
Occupation	Film director, producer and screenwriter
Years active	1925–2002
Spouse(s)	Hylda Tafler ​ ​ (m. 1952; died 2005)​
Children	1

Lewis Gilbert was a famous English film director, producer, and writer. He made over 40 movies during his long career, which lasted more than 60 years! Some of his most well-known films include Reach for the Sky (1956), Sink the Bismarck! (1960), Alfie (1966), Educating Rita (1983), and Shirley Valentine (1989). He also directed three exciting James Bond movies: You Only Live Twice (1967), The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), and Moonraker (1979).

Lewis Gilbert's Early Life and Acting Career

Lewis Gilbert was born Louis Laurie Isaacs in Clapton, London. His family were performers in music hall shows. He spent his early years traveling with his parents, Ada and George, and watching their acts from backstage.

He first performed on stage at age five. He drove a special trick car around the stage, which audiences loved! This became the exciting end to his parents' show. When traveling on trains, his parents often hid him in the luggage rack. This helped them avoid paying for his ticket.

His father got sick and died when Lewis was only seven years old. As a child actor in the 1920s and 1930s, Lewis helped support his family. His mother also worked as a film extra.

At 13, he acted in Dick Turpin (1933). At 17, he had a small part in The Divorce of Lady X (1938) with Laurence Olivier. A famous director, Alexander Korda, offered to send him to a drama school. But Lewis chose to study directing instead. He even helped Alfred Hitchcock with his film Jamaica Inn (1939).

When World War II started, he joined the Royal Air Force's film unit. There, he worked on many documentary films. He later worked with the United States Army Air Forces' film unit. His boss, American director William Keighley, let Lewis do much of the film-making work.

Lewis Gilbert's Directing Career

After the war, Lewis Gilbert continued to write and direct short documentaries. Then, he started making feature films with smaller budgets. He became well-known in the 1950s and 1960s for his successful movies. He often wrote and produced these films himself. Many of them were based on true stories from World War II.

True Stories on Film

Some examples of his films based on true stories include Reach for the Sky (1956). This movie was about the life of a famous pilot named Douglas Bader. He also directed Carve Her Name with Pride (1958). This film told the story of a brave secret agent named Violette Szabo. Another well-known film was Sink the Bismarck! (1960).

The Success of Alfie

In 1966, Gilbert directed Alfie, starring Michael Caine. Gilbert's wife, Hylda, found the play by Bill Naughton. She told Lewis he should make it into a movie.

In Alfie, the main character talks directly to the audience. Gilbert used this same technique later in Shirley Valentine (1989). Alfie was made with a very small budget. The film won a special award at the Cannes Film Festival. It was also nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Gilbert was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Director.

In 1967, Gilbert was asked to direct the musical film Oliver!. But he was already working on another project and had to say no. He suggested Carol Reed, who then directed the film. Gilbert later said this was a low point for him. He had helped develop Oliver! with its composer, Lionel Bart.

Directing James Bond Films

Lewis Gilbert was known for making character dramas. But he also directed three of the exciting James Bond films. At first, he wasn't sure about it. But producers Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli convinced him to direct You Only Live Twice (1967).

He turned down the chance to direct the next Bond film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service. However, Gilbert returned to the series in the 1970s. He directed The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) and Moonraker (1979).

Later Career and Awards

In the 1980s, Gilbert went back to making smaller, more personal dramas. He directed film versions of Willy Russell's plays. These included Educating Rita (1983) and Shirley Valentine (1989). Gilbert also directed the film Stepping Out (1991).

Lewis Gilbert received an award called Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1997. This was for his great work in the film industry. In 2001, he became a Fellow of the British Film Institute. This is the highest honor in British filmmaking.

In 2010, he appeared on a radio show called Desert Island Discs. He shared some interesting stories. He said his 1970 film The Adventurers was a disaster. He also talked about working with Orson Welles on Ferry to Hong Kong. He called it his "nightmare film" and said everything was wrong with it, especially Welles. He also mentioned that his biggest mistake was not directing the film Oliver!.

Lewis Gilbert's Personal Life

Lewis Gilbert was married to Hylda Tafler for 53 years. She passed away in June 2005. They had a son named Stephen. Lewis also helped raise another son, John, who was Hylda's son from a previous relationship.

His autobiography, a book about his life, was published in 2010. It was called All My Flashbacks: The Autobiography of Lewis Gilbert, Sixty Years a Film Director.

Lewis Gilbert passed away at his home in Monaco on February 23, 2018. He was 97 years old.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Lewis Gilbert para niños