Charles Crichton
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Charles Ainslie Crichton<ref name=newyorktimes/> (6 August 1910 – 14 September 1999) was an English film director and editor.
Born in Wallasey, Cheshire, he became best known for directing many comedies produced at Ealing Studios and had a 40-year career editing and directing many films and television programmes.<ref name=Kemp>Template:Cite book</ref> For his final film, the acclaimed comedy A Fish Called Wanda (1988), Crichton was nominated for both the Academy Award for Best Director and the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay (along with the film's star John Cleese).
Life and career
Early years and education
Crichton, one of six children, was born on 6 August 1910 in Wallasey, Cheshire, England.<ref name=newyorktimes/><ref name=guardian>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=guardian2>Template:Cite news</ref> He was educated at Oundle School in Northamptonshire, followed by New College at the University of Oxford where he read history.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=independent/><ref name=bbc/>
Editing
In 1931, Crichton began his career in the film industry as a film editor.<ref name=newyorktimes/> His first credit as editor was Men of Tomorrow (1932).<ref name=independent/> He edited over fifty films, such as Things to Come (1936).<ref name=guardian2/> Other films he edited included those that were produced by Alexander Korda, such as Cash (1933), The Girl from Maxim's (1933), The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933), Sanders of the River (1935), Elephant Boy (1937) and The Thief of Bagdad (1940).<ref name=guardian/><ref name=independent/> Crichton was paid £8 per week for his editing.<ref name=bbc/> In 1940, Crichton began his employment at Ealing Studios.<ref name=newyorktimes/> There he edited the film, The Big Blockade (1942).<ref name=guardian/> Crichton also served as an associate producer of the film, Nine Men (1943), which he also edited.<ref name=independent/>
Directing
Crichton made his directorial debut with For Those in Peril (1944).<ref name=guardian/><ref name=guardian2/><ref name=bbc/> In 1945, he directed Painted Boats and co-directed a segment in Dead of Night.<ref name=independent/> Crichton then directed Hue and Cry (1947), a film considered to be the first comedy released by Ealing Studios.<ref name=guardian/><ref name=bbc/> Crichton later directed Against the Wind (1948) and Dance Hall (1950).<ref name=independent/> Crichton then directed Alec Guinness in The Lavender Hill Mob (1951).<ref name=guardian/><ref name=guardian2/><ref name=independent/><ref name=bbc/> This was followed by Hunted (1952), starring Dirk Bogarde.<ref name=guardian/><ref name=independent/> Afterwards, Crichton directed The Titfield Thunderbolt (1953).<ref name=guardian/><ref name=guardian2/><ref name=independent/><ref name=bbc/> Later films he directed during the 1950s included The Divided Heart (1954), Law and Disorder (1958), and Floods of Fear (1959).<ref name=independent/><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
He also directed Peter Sellers in The Battle of the Sexes (1959).<ref name=bbc/><ref name=losangelestimes/>
Crichton was the original director of Birdman of Alcatraz (1962),<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> but he quit after clashing with Burt Lancaster. Crichton was then replaced by John Frankenheimer.<ref name=guardian/> Crichton said of the experience: "Had I known that Burt Lancaster was to be de facto producer, I do not think I would have accepted the assignment, as he had a reputation for quarreling with better directors than I. But Harold Hecht, the credited producer, had assured me that there would be no interference from Lancaster. This did not prove to be the case."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Crichton was also planning another film project with Sammy Davis Jr., but it never came to fruition due to the death of a producer involved with it.<ref name=newyorktimes/>
The Third Secret (1964) and He Who Rides a Tiger (1965), the last two films Crichton directed during the 1960s, were not successful.<ref name=newyorktimes/> The latter film was the last film he directed for 23 years.<ref name=guardian2/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Crichton moved to directing television shows, then corporate videos. The latter were through John Cleese's company Video Arts. This led Cleese to propose Crichton returning to the crime comedy film genre.<ref name="screenonline.org.uk">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Beginning in 1983, Cleese and Crichton worked together on the story for A Fish Called Wanda. Cleese wrote the screenplay. When the film went into production in 1987, Cleese had to act as stand-by director for insurance reasons since Crichton was 77 years old.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Cleese said of working with Crichton as a stand-by director: "That was a subterfuge. I knew the studio would be worried about Charlie's age. I don't know anything about how to direct, but that doesn't stop one-half of the directors. I simply prayed that Charlie would be on the set every morning. He shoots in such a way to convey the essence of every scene. He's economical. He's a dear man who's terrified of showing off. If he says anything shrewd or insightful, he'll apologize for a minute so he won't be considered pompous."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Personal life and death
In 1936, Crichton married Vera Harman-Mills, and together they had two sons, David and Nicholas.<ref name=independent>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=bbc>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=losangelestimes>Template:Cite news</ref> Nicholas became an eminent judge and reformer in UK family law.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Crichton married his second wife, Nadine Haze, in 1962, and their marriage lasted until his death.<ref name=independent/>
Following completion of production on A Fish Called Wanda, Crichton retired from the entertainment industry and spent the rest of his life living comfortably, fishing in both Scotland and Wales.<ref name="screenonline.org.uk"/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He died on 14 September 1999 in South Kensington, London, at the age of 89.<ref name=newyorktimes>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Filmography
Feature films
Television
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- Danger Man
- Man in a Suitcase
- The Avengers (five episodes)
- The Adventures of Black Beauty
- Space: 1999
See also
References
External links
- [https://www.imdb.com/{{#if: 0187769
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- BECTU interview of Crichton conducted by Sid Cole and Alan Lawton (1987) reproduced on the BFI screenonline website