Benn Levy

Benn Wolfe Levy (7 March 1900 – 7 December 1973) was a Labour Party Member of Parliament in the House of Commons (1945–1950), and a successful playwright. He was educated at Repton School and University College, Oxford and served in uniform in both World Wars.

Playwright and parliamentarian Before entering politics, Levy was a successful playwright and screenwriter. He was the dialogue writer for Blackmail (1929); directed by Alfred Hitchcock, it was the first British sound film. Later, he wrote the adapted screenplay for James Whale's macabre horror film The Old Dark House (1932) in collaboration with R. C. Sherriff, based on the novel Benighted (1927) by J. B. Priestley. Levy directed one film, Lord Camber's Ladies (1932), which was the only film produced by Hitchcock which he did not himself direct.

Levy was first elected at the 1945 general election, for the Eton and Slough constituency, and stood down at the 1950 general election. Politically, Levy was on the left of the Labour Party and later became an active member of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.

Credits Plays Plays written by Levy: This Woman Business (1925) Mud and Treacle (1928) A Man with Red Hair (1928) Mrs Moonlight (1928) Art and Mrs Bottle (1929) Topaz (1930) Ever Green (1930) Springtime for Henry (1931) Hollywood Holiday with John van Druten (1931) The Devil Passes (1932) Young Madame Conti with Hubert Griffiths (1936) Madame Bovary (1937) If I Were You (1938) The Jealous God (1939) Clutterbuck (1946) Return to Tyassi (1950) Cupid and Psyche (1952) The Rape of the Belt (1957)

Selected filmography Director Lord Camber's Ladies (1932) produced by Alfred Hitchcock Screenwriter The Hate Ship (1929) The Informer (1929) Waterloo Bridge (1931), directed by James Whale Devil and the Deep (1932) The Old Dark House (1932), directed by James Whale Topaze (1933) directed by Harry d'Abbadie d'Arrast Unfinished Symphony (1934) directed by Anthony Asquith The Dictator (1935) directed by Victor Saville