Michael Anderson (director)

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Michael Anderson

Born	January 30, 1920 London
Occupation	Film director
Years active	1949 - present

Michael Joseph Anderson (born January 30, 1920) is an English film director.

Anderson was born into a theatrical family. His parents were the actors Lawrence and Beatrice Anderson. His great-aunt was Mary Anderson of Louisville, Kentucky who became one of the first American Shakespearian actresses and the Mary Anderson Theatre in Louisville was dedicated to her.

After serving in the Second World War, he first developed his career in British films, becoming a director in 1949, and making his mark with the war movie The Dam Busters (1954). The Dam Busters made good use of limited special effects and is often cited as an inspiration for the climax of the first Star Wars film. He went on to direct an adaptation of George Orwell's 1984 (1956), Around the World in Eighty Days (1956), and settled in Hollywood, making such science fiction offerings as Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze (1975) and Logan's Run (1976). Logan's Run was an expensive box office success, contributing a box office of $50 million world wide and boosting the sales for its distributor, Metro Goldwyn Mayer, and has gone on to enjoy a cult status. He also directed Orca. Anderson's later work was mostly made for television mini-series, including The Martian Chronicles and Sword of Gideon. In 1988, he also directed Bottega dell'orefice (English: The Jeweler's Shop), based on the play written by Pope John Paul II. Anderson continued to direct well into his seventies. Other films he directed include All The Fine Young Cannibals, Flight from Ashiya (1964), The Quiller Memorandum (1966), The Yangtse Incident (1956) and a film adaptation of Conduct Unbecoming.

He was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for his direction of Around the World in Eighty Days.

He is fluent in French, Italian and German and he has emigrated to Canada.

He has been married three times:

1) Betty Jordan 1939; five children
2) Vera Carlisle 1969; one child
3) Adrianne Ellis 1977 to date; two stepchildren

His son Michael Anderson, Jr., is an actor who appeared in Logan's Run; another son David Anderson, is a film producer.

[edit] Sources

Rank Film Library 16mm Catalogue - 1978-79

[edit] External links

v • d • e Michael Anderson

1940s	Private Angelo

1950s	Waterfront • Hell Is Sold Out • Night Was Our Friend • Will Any Gentleman...? • The House of the Arrow • The Dam Busters • 1984 • Around the World in Eighty Days • Yangtse Incident • Chase a Crooked Shadow • Shake Hands with the Devil • The Wreck of the Mary Deare

1960s	All the Fine Young Cannibals • The Naked Edge • Flight from Ashiya • Wild and Wonderful • Operation Crossbow • The Quiller Memorandum • The Shoes of the Fisherman

1970s	Pope Joan • Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze • Conduct Unbecoming • Logan's Run • Orca • Dominique

1980s	Murder by Phone • Second Time Lucky • Separate Vacations • The Jeweller's Shop • Millennium

1990s	Summer of the Monkeys • The Adventures of Pinocchio

Television	The Martian Chronicles (1980) • Sword of Gideon (1986) • Young Catherine (1991) • Scales of Justice (1990) • The Sea Wolf (1993) • Rugged Gold (1994) • Captains Courageous (1996) • 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1997)

Persondata
NAME	Anderson, Michael
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION	Film director
DATE OF BIRTH	January 30, 1920
PLACE OF BIRTH	London United Kingdom
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH