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1-15 of 15
- Actress
- Writer
Isobel is a British actor of Scottish and English heritage. Her mother is from Aberdeen and her father from the Midlands. She attended Tring Park School for the Preforming Arts and completed her training at Drama Centre London.
She is known for 'Chief Of Station', 'The Leerie', 'Armpit' and 'Farewell Waltz'.- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Some of Hordern's finest work was not in films or television but on radio: His performance as Gandalf in the BBC's radio adaptation of The Lord of the Rings was arguably the definitive portrayal of that character (contrast Hordern's Gandalf with that of Ian McKellen in the 3-part film adaptation of The Lord of the Rings directed by Peter Jackson).- Actress
- Music Department
- Producer
Sarah Brightman's soprano voice has sold millions of records and been heard in arenas, cathedrals, and Olympic stadiums around the world. Brightman is the winner of more than 180 gold and platinum awards in 40 countries, and is a concert artist who has performed before millions of fans on every continent.
Brightman began her career as a member of the dance troupe, "Pans People", before joining Hot Gossip, where she released several disco hit singles as a solo performer. In 1981, she made her West End musical theatre debut in "Cats", where she met composer Andrew Lloyd Webber. She went on to star in several Broadway musicals, including "The Phantom of the Opera", where she originated the role of "Christine Daaé".
After a number of successful years on the musical stage, Brightman decided to resume her solo career with former "Enigma" co-producer, Frank Peterson. Their collaboration resulted in a string of successful albums, beginning with "Dive" (1993), "Fly" (1995) and "Timeless/Time To Say Goodbye" (1997). Her duet with the Italian tenor, Andrea Bocelli, "Time To Say Goodbye", topped charts all over Europe and became the highest and fastest selling single of all time in Germany. It subsequently became an international success, selling 12 million copies, worldwide. In the following years, Brightman released a series of highly personal and thematic albums: "Eden" (1998), "La Luna" (2000), "Harem" (2003) and "Symphony" (2008). The "Harem" concert tour grossed over $60 million and played to 700,000 fans.
Brightman has appeared in several films, including Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008), and Stephen Evans' First Night (2010).
She is the first artist to have been invited to perform at two Olympic games, first at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games and, 16 years later, in Beijing to an estimated four billion people, worldwide. In 2010, she was named by Billboard as the fifth most influential and top-selling classical artist of the 2000s decade in the United States.- Writer
- Actor
- Producer
Graham Greene was one of the greatest novelists of the 20th century and his influence on the cinema and theatre was enormous. He wrote five plays and almost all of his novels, including "Brighton Rock", "The Ministry of Fear" and "The End of the Affair", have been brought to the screen. A superb storyteller, he also wrote the screenplays for such classics as The Fallen Idol (1948) and The Third Man (1949).
A colorful and larger-than-life figure, Greene traveled widely throughout the world, from the jungles of Liberia to the Mexican desert to the Far East and the Soviet Union. In World War Two was a member of MI-6 (the British intelligence service) working with the double-agent Kim Philby, and he numbered among his friends such diverse personalities as Evelyn Waugh, Noël Coward and Panamanian dictator Gen. Omar Torrijos. A notorious womanizer, he married only once but had a string of extra-marital affairs and confessed he was "a bad husband and a fickle lover." During the 1920s and 1930s he confessed that he had had relationships with over 50 prostitutes.
Born in Hertforshire, England, in 1904, the son of the headmaster of Berkhamstead School, Greene was educated at Berkhamstead and later Oxford. At Oxford he published more than 60 poems and stories and soon after graduation converted to Roman Catholicism. "I had to find a religion to measure my evil against" he said. His first novel, "The Man Within", came out in 1929, to public and critical acclaim. "Stamboul Train" (1934), a topical political thriller, was the first to reach the screen (as Orient Express (1934)) and a string of other taut suspense dramas followed: "This Gun For Hire" (1942), "The Ministry of Fear" (1943) and "The Confidential Agent" (1945). It was his novel "Brighton Rock", however, which depicted Pinkie, a teenage gangster with demonic spirituality, that eventually became a milestone in British cinema. Originally a successful stage play starring Richard Attenborough as Pinkie, Greene co-wrote the 1947 screenplay Brighton Rock (1948)) with Terence Rattigan.
Greene's collaboration with director _Carol Reed' produced three distinctive films: The Fallen Idol (1948), starring Ralph Richardson, The Third Man (1949) and Our Man in Havana (1959). One of the peaks in British filmmaking, "The Third Man", starring Orson Welles as Harry Lime, was a skillful tale of deception and drug trafficking. Greene developed the screenplay from a single sentence: "I had paid my last farewell to Harry a week ago, when his coffin was lowered into the frozen February ground, so that it was with incredulity that I saw him pass by, without a sign of recognition, amongst a host of strangers in the Strand". The character of Harry Lime later inspired an American radio series starring Orson Welles, short stories published by the News of the World and the TV series The Third Man (1959), starring Michael Rennie. In Peter Jackson's Heavenly Creatures (1994). Kate Winslet fantasizes about Harry.
As well as writing novels, Greene reviewed films for "The Spectator", then for the short-lived "Night and Day", which folded after he was accused of a "gross outrage" on 'Shirley Temple (I)'--then nine years old--in his review of Wee Willie Winkie (1937). He wrote that "her admirers--middle-aged men and clergymen--respond to her dubious coquetry, to the sight of her well-shaped and desirable little body, packed with enormous vitality". In the view of the prosecuting counsel it was "one of the most horrible libels one could well imagine."
Greene was an intelligent and sophisticated playwright. His first play written directly for the stage was "The Living Room" (1953), a powerful drama of suicide and despair which starred Dorothy Tutin. It was followed by "The Potting Shed" (1957), a drama about an atheist's pact with God, and "The Complaisant Lover" (1959), a comedy of manners in which a husband and lover knowingly share a wife's favors, which starred Michael Redgrave. Many of his played were televised.
Greene's work continues to fascinate actors, filmmakers and cinema goers throughout the world. In 1973 Maggie Smith and Alec McCowen starred in "Travels With My Aunt" (Smith's role had originally been offered to Katharine Hepburn), Nicol Williamson and Ann Todd starred in The Human Factor (1979) and Ralph Fiennes and Julianne Moore starred in a remake of The End of the Affair (1999).
Greene said of his writing: "When I describe a scene . . . I capture it with the moving eye of the cine-camera rather than with the photographer's eye--which leaves it frozen. In this precise domain I think the cinema has influenced me."
Towards the end of his life Greene lived in Vevey, Switzerland, with his companion Yvonne Cloetta. He died there peacefully on April 13, 1991.- Producer
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Esther Rantzen was born on 22 June 1940 in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England, UK. She is a producer and writer, known for Whatever Next? (1968), BBC 3 (1965) and Hearts of Gold (1988). She was previously married to Desmond Wilcox.- Educated at Shrewsbury School. Studied at Leeds University and awarded a B.A. (Honours) in Classics. Worked as a journalist at the Doncaster Evening Post, the Birmingham Post and his first work in broadcasting was on BBC Radio Birmingham. He joined ATV Network's sports department and covered football's 1982 World Cup. First met Anne Diamond when he worked as a presenter on regional TV in the Midlands. His great break came when he joined newly launched TV AM as sports presenter. This brought him to national attention and two months later he had replaced David Frost as the main presenter. He shared the stage with Anne Diamond again. This partnership continued until 1986. His next move was to ITV Sport. In 1992 Nick and great friend Anne Diamond moved to the BBC to present the corporation's flagship morning broadcast, Good Morning with Anne and Nick. Poor rating caused the BBC to axe the show in 1996. He has also worked for West Country Television, satellite channels and caused a stir when he interviewed disgraced former TV presenter Frank Bough. Nick loves sport, in particular football and cricket, and keeps active by playing squash.
- Brian Johnston was born on 24 June 1912 in Little Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England, UK. He was an actor, known for Derby Day (1952), How Do You View? (1949) and Inspector Morse (1987). He was married to Pauline. He died on 5 January 1994 in Westminster, London, England, UK.
- Grace Downes was born on 17 December 1985 in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England, UK. She is an actress, known for Shameful Sequels (2009). She has been married to Mike Jeavons since 7 November 2014.
- Additional Crew
- Writer
Cicely Berry was born on 17 May 1926 in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England, UK. She was a writer, known for Stealing Beauty (1996), The Last Emperor (1987) and Titus (1999). She was married to Harry Moore. She died on 15 October 2018 in Cornwall, England, UK.- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Casting Director
- Production Manager
John P.R. (Pat) MacDonnell was born in Berkamstead in 1920, the son of a Royal Marine Captain. Following his parents divorce he became the stepson of paper magnate Ralph Reed, who was later knighted for his wartime service organizing recycling and rationing as Paper Controller for the Board of Trade.
After leaving Ottershaw College in 1936 at the age of 15, Pat worked for a number of independent production companies before 1940. These included UK Films Ltd., Baxter & Barter, British National Films Ltd., Julius Hagen Productions and John Stafford Productions. Most of this early experience was on quota quickies, the majority of which were directed by John Baxter.
During this period, Pat trained in Camera Departments as a Runner, Clapper-loader, Focus-puller and Camera Operator, and was occasionally asked to light small sets. He also assisted in Cutting Rooms as well as Sound, Props, Wardrobe and Stills Departments, developing a broad range of skills and knowledge. He also had a particular interest in Make-Up at that time and spent several weeks studying its techniques at his own expense, and this interest later contributed to his close friendship with George Blackler.
At the outbreak of WWII he was working at Sound City, Shepperton, and when the War Office commandeered the studios he was probably seconded along with other studio staff to the secret manufacture of fake aircraft and artillery for use as decoys in the Middle East. Saunders-Roe moved their operations to Shepperton after their nearby factory was hit in an air-raid, and Pat was later employed in a key position testing parts for their flying-boats. Incidentally, Vickers-Armstong took over Nettlefold Studios in similar circumstances, and built three huge aircraft hangars there, which made excellent sound stages after the war.
In February 1943 Pat joined the Rank Organisation as a 3rd Assistant Director with Two Cities Films Ltd. at Denham, and was soon off to Ireland for location shooting on Henry V (1944). A few weeks later, having just turned 18, Vicky Fuggle arrived at Denham to work as a Production Secretary for RKO Radio British Productions Ltd. initially on Herbert Wilcox's Yellow Canary (1943) and then on Victor Hanbury's Hotel Reserve (1944). They met when Pat returned to Denham for 'Henry V' studio filming in June 1943, and married in February 1946.
Vicky was also briefly involved with Henry V. Her diary records that on New Year's Day 1944 she took music notes for Laurence Olivier and William Walton in Denham's Theatre 1. During this period she was regularly loaned out by RKO in various capacities. While working on Yellow Canary she became PA to Anna Neagle in her 'spare time'. In January 1944 Vicky took over from Maude Spector (who had moved on to assist Casting Director Irene Howard at Two Cities) as secretary to Victor Hanbury, and in March moved again to work for RKO Production Manager Ernest Holding. In addition to her normal duties, she typed several drafts of the treatment and script for Great Day (1945) with screenwriter John Davenport, including one session of re-writes at The London Clinic, where he was being treated for gout. She also continued to handle dictation and fan-mail for Miss Neagle.
In late August 1944, due to her voluntary work for Belgian refugees as well as her considerable secretarial skills, Vicky was chosen as a temporary PA for Samuel Goldwyn, who was in the UK for a few weeks on behalf of Eastern European refugees, and needed someone who could assist with that as well as handling a good deal of movie correspondence.
On completion of 'Henry V' in February 1944, Pat transferred from Two Cities to Independent Producers as 2nd A.D. on They Knew Mr. Knight (1946), before joining Adele Raymond, first as her assistant, and then as Co-Casting Director.
On Gabriel Pascal's Caesar and Cleopatra (1945) he had two jobs. In addition to casting both crowd and character parts, he was also 2nd A.D.
Other work as Casting Director included I Know Where I'm Going! (1945); A Matter of Life and Death (1946); Great Expectations (1946); Green for Danger (1946); Take My Life (1947) and Black Narcissus (1947).
Vicky (now MacDonnell) was also involved with Great Expectations. She joined 'Cineguild' just as music recording for Brief Encounter (1945) was being completed, and was secretary to Ronald Neame and David Lean throughout the period of the Dickens adaptations. She left in May 1947 to have her first child shortly after shooting began on Oliver Twist (1948). Indeed it was anticipated that Vicky's baby would appear in the opening sequence as the newborn Oliver, and the shooting schedule was arranged around his due date; but in the event little Anthony was somewhat overdue, and sadly missed out on the title role.
The industry and the ACT were far less concerned about demarcation in those days, and Pat was able to work in a fairly wide variety of jobs with Independent Producers. He was 2nd A.D on I See a Dark Stranger (1946); Assistant Production Manager on Captain Boycott (1947); 1st A.D (2nd Unit) on Blanche Fury (1948), and on Dulcimer Street (1948), Oliver Twist (1948) and The Passionate Friends (1949) he did Production Administration. He was both Production Manager and 1st A.D. on three documentaries made at Pinewood, and became Assistant to Chief Production Manager Tom White. In this capacity he was associated with Independent Producers entire slate for a while, including The Woman in the Hall (1947); The Red Shoes (1948); Sin of Esther Waters (1948); Don't Ever Leave Me (1949) and The Hidden Room (1949), one of three films directed in England by Edward Dmytryk while he was blacklisted in Hollywood.
In 1948 Pat was loaned to Gainsborough Pictures as a 2nd A.D. for Once Upon a Dream (1949) and returned to Independent for Stop Press Girl (1949) as 2nd Unit Location Manager. On The Blue Lagoon (1949) he was 2nd A.D again, and then Relief Location Manager on Dear Mr. Prohack (1949).
Pat co-directed and managed the production of 'The Dark World', a short charity appeal about blindness. He was 1st A.D on numerous commercials and directed a few, including one for 'Dreft' featuring 'Patricia Medina'.
He also directed the National Anthem film which was screened at every performance in Rank cinemas from 1948 until the coronation in 1953, when it was finally replaced.
Pat's final job in the industry was as Assistant Director on the Location Unit of Treasure Island (1950), after which he took ownership of an advertising publication, The Helston and District Free Gazette. The family moved to Cornwall and later to North Devon. He died in Ilfracombe in May 1964.
His children include musician and agent Tony MacDonnell, actor Chris MacDonnell and editor John MacDonnell. Among his grandchildren are 1st A.D. Joanna MacDonnell, agent and former actress Sarah MacDonnell and great granddaughter, actor Emily Carey- Writer
- Soundtrack
William Cowper was born on 26 November 1731 in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England, UK. William was a writer, known for John Gilpin's Ride (1908), John Gilpin (1908) and Respect (2021). William died on 25 April 1800 in East Dereham, Norfolk, England, UK.- Additional Crew
Hugh Greene was born on 15 November 1910 in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England, UK. He is known for The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes (1971), Shades of Greene (1975) and That Was the Week That Was (1962). He died on 19 February 1987 in London, England, UK.- Special Effects
- Visual Effects
- Art Department
Jamie Jackson-Moore was born in August 1958 in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England, UK. Jamie is known for Lost in Space (1998), Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) and Casino Royale (2006).- Art Department
Mark Boxer was born on 19 May 1931 in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England, UK. He is known for Oxbridge Blues (1984), Not So Much a Programme, More a Way of Life (1964) and Gallery (1984). He was married to Anna Ford and Arabella Stuart. He died on 20 July 1988 in Brentford, Middlesex, England, UK.- Composer
- Soundtrack
Gerry Shury was born on 11 August 1944 in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England, UK. Gerry was a composer, known for Dynamo (1978), The Sweeney (1975) and Top of the Pops (1964). Gerry was married to Simone Neal. Gerry died on 24 May 1978 in Surrey, England, UK.