Ralph Thomas
| Ralph Thomas | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
10 August 1915 Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England, UK |
| Died |
17 March 2001 (aged 85) London, England, UK |
| Occupation | film director |
| Years active | 1956-1993 |
Ralph Thomas MC (born Ralph Philip Thomas 10 August 1915 — 17 March 2001) was an English film director, born in Hull. He is perhaps best known for directing the Doctor series of films.
His brother, Gerald Thomas, was also a film director, probably best remembered for the Carry On... film series, and his son is the Academy Award-winning film producer, Jeremy Thomas.
He cast the actor James Robertson Justice in many of his films. Thomas often worked with the producer Betty E. Box, who was married to Carry On producer Peter Rogers. Thomas was a nephew of producer Victor Saville.
Biography
Born in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, Thomas entered the film business as a clapper boy at Shepperton Studios in 1932 while studying. He soon worked in film, sound, editing and camera departments.[1]
During the Second World War, Thomas served with the 9th Lancers rising to the rank of Major and being awarded the Military Cross.
Returning to film with the Rank Organisation, Thomas advanced from assistant editor, to making film trailers to becoming head of Rank's trailer department as well as writing films. Sydney Box had enjoyed Thomas's trailer for Miranda and when a position of director came up due to an unexpected illness, Thomas made his directoral debut in Once Upon a Dream.
Filmography
Editor
- Second Bureau (1936)
- Return of a Stranger (1937)
Notes
- ↑ Dixon, Wheeler W. "The Director as Journeyman" (Ralph Thomas interview, 3 February 1995), in Collected Interviews: Voices from Twentieth-Century Cinema, SIU Press, 2001, pp. 105-17.
External links
- Ralph Thomas at the Internet Movie Database
- Ralph Thomas in the Time Out Film Guide
- BBC obituary
- Ralph Thomas at BFI Screenonline
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