Charles Crichton

Charles Ainslie Crichton For his final film, the acclaimed comedy A Fish Called Wanda, 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. He was educated at Oundle School in Northamptonshire, followed by New College at the University of Oxford where he read history.

He also directed Peter Sellers in The Battle of the Sexes (1959). but he quit after clashing with Burt Lancaster. Crichton was then replaced by John Frankenheimer. 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.

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. 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. 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."

Personal life and death In 1936, Crichton married Vera Harman-Mills, and together they had two sons, David and Nicholas. Nicholas became an eminent judge and reformer in UK family law. Crichton married his second wife, Nadine Haze, in 1962, and their marriage lasted until his death. He died on 14 September 1999 in South Kensington, London, at the age of 89.

Filmography

Feature films Year Title Director Writer Notes 1944 For Those in Peril 1945 Dead of Night Co-Directed with Alberto Cavalcanti, Basil Dearden and Robert HamerDirected Segment: The Golfer's Story Painted Boats 1947 Hue and Cry 1948 Against the Wind Another Shore 1949 Train of Events Co-Directed with Sidney Cole and Basil DeardenDirected Segment: The Composer 1950 Dance Hall 1951 The Lavender Hill Mob Nominated – Golden LionNominated – Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Feature Film 1952 Hunted 1953 The Titfield Thunderbolt 1954 The Love Lottery The Divided Heart 1957 Man in the Sky 1958 Law and Disorder 1959 Floods of Fear The Battle of the Sexes 1960 The Boy Who Stole a Million 1964 The Third Secret 1965 He Who Rides a Tiger 1988 A Fish Called Wanda Nominated – Academy Award for Best DirectorNominated – Academy Award for Best Original ScreenplayNominated – BAFTA Award for Best FilmNominated – BAFTA Award for Best DirectionNominated – Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Feature FilmNominated – Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay

Television