Terence Fisher facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Terence Fisher
On the set of Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed
Born	(1904-02-23)23 February 1904 Maida Vale, County of London, England
Died	18 June 1980(1980-06-18) (aged 76) Twickenham, London, England
Occupation	Film director film editor

Terence Fisher (born February 23, 1904 – died June 18, 1980) was a famous British film director. He is best known for his work with Hammer Films.

Fisher was the first director to bring scary gothic horror stories to life in full color on the big screen. His movies showed horror in ways that were new and exciting for his time. His first big gothic horror film was The Curse of Frankenstein (1957). This movie started Hammer's journey into horror and made British actors Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee huge horror stars. He then directed many films based on classic horror tales, like Dracula (1958), The Mummy (1959), and The Curse of the Werewolf (1961).

Even though his films were very popular and made a lot of money, critics didn't always appreciate them during his career. Only recently has Fisher been seen as a true "auteur," meaning a director with a unique style and vision. His most famous films often mix old myths and supernatural ideas. They also explore themes of right and wrong, and sometimes show the "charm of evil." His movies often reflected a traditional Christian viewpoint.

Terence Fisher's Life Story

Early Years and First Steps in Film

Terence Fisher was born in Maida Vale, London, England. He left school when he was 16 years old. After that, he worked in the Merchant Navy for five years. In 1933, he started his film career as a "clapper boy" at Lime Grove Studios. A clapper boy helps make sure the sound and picture are in sync.

Becoming a Film Editor

Fisher began working as an assistant editor in 1934. He got his first credit as a main editor for the movie Tudor Rose (1936). He edited many other films for different studios. Some of these included The Wicked Lady (1945), which was a very popular British film. His work as an editor taught him a lot about how movies are put together.

Fisher's First Directing Jobs

Terence Fisher directed his first film, A Song for Tomorrow, in 1948. These early films were made with small budgets. He then directed more important movies for Gainsborough Pictures. These included Portrait from Life (1948) and So Long at the Fair (1950).

In 1951, Fisher directed The Last Page for Hammer Films. This was the start of his long connection with Hammer. Hammer liked his work and kept him busy directing many low-budget thrillers. These films often featured American stars to attract audiences in the United States. He directed movies like Stolen Face (1952) and many crime films and science fiction stories.

He also directed episodes for British television shows during the 1950s. These included The Adventures of Robin Hood and Dial 999.

Hammer Horror Films: A New Era

Christopher Lee as the creature in The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), a huge international success

Terence Fisher's career changed completely when Hammer asked him to direct The Curse of Frankenstein (1957). This was Hammer's first horror film made in color. Hammer chose Fisher because he was known for being reliable. The movie starred Peter Cushing as Baron Victor Frankenstein and Christopher Lee as the Creature.

The Curse of Frankenstein was a big hit around the world. It shocked British critics and set new standards for what could be shown in movies. This film made Hammer a famous name in the film industry.

Dracula and Other Classics

Hammer had even more success with Fisher's next gothic horror film, Dracula (1958). This movie starred Lee as Dracula and Cushing as his enemy, Doctor Van Helsing. Fisher made the story exciting and full of action, even with a smaller budget. Today, Dracula is seen as a groundbreaking horror film. Many people consider it the best Hammer film and Fisher's greatest directing achievement.

For the rest of his career, Fisher mostly directed horror movies. He directed The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959), a horror version of the famous Sherlock Holmes story. He also directed The Mummy (1959), which was inspired by older mummy movies.

Fisher directed successful sequels like The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958) and The Brides of Dracula (1960). He also directed The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959), where Christopher Lee played a more heroic role. Not all his horror films were huge hits, though. The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll (1960) did not do as well at the box office.

Hammer also gave him different types of films. The Stranglers of Bombay (1959) was a horror story set in India. Fisher even directed a Robin Hood adventure, Sword of Sherwood Forest (1960). His film The Curse of the Werewolf (1961) starred Oliver Reed. Then came The Phantom of the Opera (1962), which was expensive but not a big commercial success. After this, Fisher did not work for Hammer for over two years.

Later Films and Final Works

Directing for Other Studios

After his break from Hammer, Fisher directed Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace (1962) for a German company. This film starred Christopher Lee as Holmes. However, Fisher did not enjoy making this movie. He also directed The Horror of It All (1963), a horror comedy that did not get good reviews.

He returned to Hammer to direct The Gorgon (1964), which was one of his personal favorites. He also directed two science fiction films: The Earth Dies Screaming (1964) and Island of Terror (1966).

Fisher continued to work on Hammer's famous horror series. He directed Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966) and Frankenstein Created Woman (1967). He also worked with Cushing and Lee again on Night of the Big Heat (1967).

Fisher's Last Films

For Hammer, Fisher and Christopher Lee made The Devil Rides Out (1968). This film is now considered a classic horror movie. Fisher then directed Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969), which was meant to be the end of the Frankenstein series. This was another one of Fisher's favorite films and is known for being very suspenseful.

After being in two car accidents, Fisher took a long break to recover. He returned to Hammer one last time to make Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1974). This was his final film. When it first came out, people thought it was old-fashioned and it didn't do well. However, more recently, people have started to appreciate it as a fitting end to Fisher's and Hammer's horror style.

Terence Fisher retired after this film. He passed away in June 1980 at the age of 76.

Terence Fisher's Filmography

This is a list of the movies Terence Fisher worked on.

As Editor

As Director

Television Directing Credits

Terence Fisher also directed episodes for several TV series:

• Rheingold Theatre (1953–1955)
• Colonel March of Scotland Yard (1955)
• ITV Television Playhouse (1956)
• Assignment Foreign Legion (1956)
• The Adventures of Robin Hood (1956–1957)
• Sword of Freedom (1957–1958)
• The Gay Cavalier (1957)
• The Adventures of Clint and Mac (1957)
• Dial 999 (1958–1959)
• The Mickey Mouse Club (1958)
• Target (1958)

Images for kids

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  Terence Fisher on the set of Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed

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  Christopher Lee as the creature in The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)

See also

In Spanish: Terence Fisher para niños