Charles Crichton

Directing

Charles Crichton

Born August 6, 1910 · Merseyside, England, UK

Died September 14, 1999 · aged 89

Charles Ainslie Crichton was an English film director and film editor. He became best known for directing comedies produced at Ealing Studios. Crichton enjoyed an extremely long career, editing and directing many films and television programmes over a period exceeding forty years.

Known For

A Fish Called WandaA Fish Called Wanda · 1988
A Fish Called Wanda
7.21988
MovieComedyCrime
While a diamond advocate attempts to steal a collection of diamonds, troubles arise when he realises he’s not the only one after the collection.
The Thief of BagdadThe Thief of Bagdad · 1940
The Thief of Bagdad
7.11940
MovieAdventureFantasy
When Prince Ahmad is blinded and cast out of Bagdad by the nefarious Jaffar, he joins forces with the scrappy thief Abu to win back his royal place, as well as the heart of a beautiful princess.
Dead of NightDead of Night · 1945
Dead of Night
7.21945
MovieHorrorThriller
An architect, visiting an English country house, realizes the other guests are familiar from his recurring nightmare. When they share their tales of the supernatural, he is filled with a growing dread.
21 Days21 Days · 1940
21 Days
6.11940
MovieDramaRomance
After Larry Darrent accidentally kills his lover's blackmailing husband, someone else is arrested for the crime. When he is found guilty, Larry and Wanda have just three weeks together before he must give himself up or let an innocent man go to the gallows.
Train of EventsTrain of Events · 1949
Train of Events
6.31949
MovieDramaComedy
A train disaster is told in four short stories to give character studies of the people involved, how it will affect them and how they deal with it.
Things to ComeThings to Come · 1936
Things to Come
6.51936
MovieDramaScience Fiction
The story of a century: a decades-long second World War leaves plague and anarchy, then a rational state rebuilds civilization and attempts space travel.
The Third SecretThe Third Secret · 1964
The Third Secret
6.21964
MovieMysteryThriller
A prominent London psychologist seems to have taken his own life, causing stunned disbelief amongst his colleagues and patients. His teenage daughter refuses to believe it was suicide as this would go against all of the principles her father stood for, therefore she is convinced it was murder. She enlists the help of a former patient to try to get to the truth. However, the truth turns out to be both surprising and disturbing.
Painted BoatsPainted Boats · 1945
Painted Boats
7.11945
MovieDrama
In this modest drama, set during World War II, two rival boat families battle it out for supremacy.

Movies

A Fish Called WandaA Fish Called Wanda · 1988
A Fish Called Wanda
7.21988
MovieComedyCrime
While a diamond advocate attempts to steal a collection of diamonds, troubles arise when he realises he’s not the only one after the collection.
The Thief of BagdadThe Thief of Bagdad · 1940
The Thief of Bagdad
7.11940
MovieAdventureFantasy
When Prince Ahmad is blinded and cast out of Bagdad by the nefarious Jaffar, he joins forces with the scrappy thief Abu to win back his royal place, as well as the heart of a beautiful princess.
Dead of NightDead of Night · 1945
Dead of Night
7.21945
MovieHorrorThriller
An architect, visiting an English country house, realizes the other guests are familiar from his recurring nightmare. When they share their tales of the supernatural, he is filled with a growing dread.
21 Days21 Days · 1940
21 Days
6.11940
MovieDramaRomance
After Larry Darrent accidentally kills his lover's blackmailing husband, someone else is arrested for the crime. When he is found guilty, Larry and Wanda have just three weeks together before he must give himself up or let an innocent man go to the gallows.
Train of EventsTrain of Events · 1949
Train of Events
6.31949
MovieDramaComedy
A train disaster is told in four short stories to give character studies of the people involved, how it will affect them and how they deal with it.
Things to ComeThings to Come · 1936
Things to Come
6.51936
MovieDramaScience Fiction
The story of a century: a decades-long second World War leaves plague and anarchy, then a rational state rebuilds civilization and attempts space travel.
The Third SecretThe Third Secret · 1964
The Third Secret
6.21964
MovieMysteryThriller
A prominent London psychologist seems to have taken his own life, causing stunned disbelief amongst his colleagues and patients. His teenage daughter refuses to believe it was suicide as this would go against all of the principles her father stood for, therefore she is convinced it was murder. She enlists the help of a former patient to try to get to the truth. However, the truth turns out to be both surprising and disturbing.
Painted BoatsPainted Boats · 1945
Painted Boats
7.11945
MovieDrama
In this modest drama, set during World War II, two rival boat families battle it out for supremacy.
The Lavender Hill MobThe Lavender Hill Mob · 1951
The Lavender Hill Mob
7.21951
MovieComedyCrime
A meek bank clerk who oversees the shipments of bullion joins with an eccentric neighbor to steal gold bars and smuggle them out of the country.
The Battle of the SexesThe Battle of the Sexes · 1960
The Battle of the Sexes
6.51960
MovieComedy
Angela Barrows is a man-eating business woman sent by her American employer to investigate their export opportunities in Edinburgh. En route she meets Robert MacPherson, a businessman who asks for her help to bring his company into the 20th Century. The staff, led by Mr Martin, has other ideas—and a battle between the old and new business methods soon breaks out.
Against the WindAgainst the Wind · 1948
Against the Wind
6.41948
MovieWarAction
A disparate group of volunteers are trained as saboteurs and parachuted into Belgium to blow up an office containing important Nazi records and to rescue a prominent S.O.E. agent, who is being interrogated by the Germans for vital information.
The Big BlockadeThe Big Blockade · 1942
The Big Blockade
6.71942
MovieDramaWar
Wartime propaganda piece reporting on the success of the economic blockade of Germany in the early years of the war.
He Who Rides a TigerHe Who Rides a Tiger · 1965
He Who Rides a Tiger
7.01965
MovieDramaCrime
Peter Rayston, has been in and out of prison most of his life. At 30, he is released for the eighth time, after serving a sentence for housebreaking. Immediately, he goes back to his old life, providing for his expensive tastes by executing a series of daring burglaries
Cosmic PrincessCosmic Princess · 1982
Cosmic Princess
5.41982
MovieScience Fiction
An alien princess aids people stranded on out-of-orbit Moonbase Alpha.
The Divided HeartThe Divided Heart · 1954
The Divided Heart
6.81954
MovieDrama
During World War II, a German woman, Inga, goes missing and is presumed dead. Her infant son is placed in an orphanage where, years later, he's adopted by a childless couple. The adoptive parents' happiness is shattered when Inga reappears and insists on custody of her son.
Dance HallDance Hall · 1950
Dance Hall
6.11950
MovieDramaRomance
Episodic tale of four factory girls and their various romances at the local dance hall in Chiswick, London. Unusual at the time, the film tells its story from a feminine perspective. Today, it is mainly recognised for its post-war London atmosphere, with bomb sites, trolleybuses and rationing.
Floods of FearFloods of Fear · 1958
Floods of Fear
6.91958
MovieAdventureAction
A man framed for murder escapes from prison during a flood and helps a young woman in distress.
Old Bill and SonOld Bill and Son · 1941
Old Bill and Son
6.61941
MovieComedyWar
Old Bill has grumbled his way through the trenches of the First World War. Now it is the Second and, envious of his son, Young Bill, he decides to enlist. He finally enters the Pioneer Corps, which is based near his son. When Young Bill goes missing during a raid, Old Bill shows that there's still life in the old dog yet!
Alien AttackAlien Attack · 1980
Alien Attack
6.51980
MovieScience FictionDrama
Earth's Moon is the site of Moonbase Alpha, a scientific research colony nestled in the crater Plato. Staffed by over 300 men and women from Earth, it is the operations center for several space expeditions. It is also a watchdog for vast amounts of atomic waste from Earth stored in silos on the Moon's far side. Magnetic radiation builds up and causes the wastes to explode with such force that the Earth's centripetal pull on the Moon is overcome, and the Moon is broken free of Earth's orbit to drift at incredible speed out of the Solar System off the plane of the ecliptic. The survivors on Moonbase Alpha are unable to return to Earth and must survive in unknown space on their wandering Moon. They encounter a planet whose advanced people project an illusion of a devastating attack on Moonbase. This TV movie was edited from scenes of two episodes ("Breakaway" and "War Games") of "Space: 1999" (1975).
The Titfield ThunderboltThe Titfield Thunderbolt · 1953
The Titfield Thunderbolt
7.01953
MovieComedy
When British Railways announce the closure of the Titfield to Mallingford branch line a group of local residents make a bid to run it themselves, backed by a monied member of the community who is attracted by the complete lack of licensing hours on trains. Unfortunately the local bus company starts to use methods that can hardly be seen as fair competition.
The Love LotteryThe Love Lottery · 1954
The Love Lottery
5.11954
MovieComedy
Rex Allerton is a top Hollywood star and an idol of the female population. To get away from the pressure of the fans who won't leave him alone, he relocates to a remote Italian village where unanticipated trouble arises when unwittingly he becomes the prize for an international lottery.
Hue and CryHue and Cry · 1947
Hue and Cry
6.51947
MovieComedyCrime
A gang of street boys foil a master crook who sends commands for robberies by cunningly altering a comic strip's wording each week, unknown to writer and printer. The first of the Ealing comedies.
Sanders of the RiverSanders of the River · 1935
Sanders of the River
5.81935
MovieAdventureDrama
A British District Officer in Nigeria in the 1930s rules his area strictly but justly. He struggles with gun-runners and slavers with the aid of a loyal native chief.
The Man in the SkyThe Man in the Sky · 1957
The Man in the Sky
7.51957
MovieDrama
The efforts of test pilot John Mitchell to make a better life for his wife Mary and their two children seem doomed to failure and he blames himself. At the Conway Aero-Manufacturing Company of Wolverhampton, Mitchell is to take the company's new rocket-propulsion transport plane up for tests, fully loaded and carrying two important passengers - Ministry official Crabtree and buyer's representative Ashmore. Mitchell learns from his boss, Reg Conway, that if Ashmore does not recommend the plane, the company will be out of business and Mitchell out of a job, since the plane is not even insured as the firm's entire capital is tied up in the plane. Aloft, an engine catches fire and the passengers and other crew bail out, but Mitchell refuses to obey orders to jettison the plane in the Irish Sea.

TV Shows

The AvengersThe Avengers · 1961
The Avengers
7.81961
SeriesCrime
A quirky spy show of the adventures of eccentrically suave British Agent John Steed and his predominantly female partners. Jonathan Steed - an urbane, proper gentleman spy - teams with various assistants throughout the series' run, including Dr. David Keel, Cathy Gale, Emma Peel and Tara King, to repeatedly save the world from diabolical schemes plotted by equally diabolical evil-doers (among them robots and man-eating monsters).
Space: 1999Space: 1999 · 1975
Space: 1999
7.11975
SeriesSci-Fi & Fantasy
The crew of Moonbase Alpha must struggle to survive when a massive explosion throws the Moon from orbit into deep space.
The ProfessionalsThe Professionals · 1977
The Professionals
7.61977
SeriesCrime
The lives of Bodie and Doyle, top agents for Britain's CI5 (Criminal Intelligence 5), and their controller, George Cowley. The mandate of CI5 was to fight terrorism and similar high-profile crimes. Cowley, a hard ex-MI5 operative, hand-picked each of his men. Bodie is a cynical ex-SAS paratrooper and mercenary whose nature ran to controlled violence, while his partner, Doyle, comes to CI5 from the regular police force, and is more of an open minded liberal. Their relationship is often contentious, but they are the top men in their field, and the ones to whom Cowley always assigned to the toughest cases.
Danger ManDanger Man · 1960
Danger Man
7.41960
SeriesDrama
Danger Man is a British television series which was broadcast between 1960 and 1962, and again between 1964 and 1968. The series featured Patrick McGoohan as secret agent John Drake. Ralph Smart created the programme and wrote many of the scripts. Danger Man was financed by Lew Grade's ITC Entertainment.
The ProtectorsThe Protectors · 1972
The Protectors
6.11972
SeriesCrime
The Protectors is a British television series, an action thriller created by Gerry Anderson. It was Anderson's second TV series using live actors as opposed to electronic marionettes, and also his second to be firmly set in contemporary times. It was also the only Gerry Anderson produced television series that was not of the fantasy or science fiction genres. It was produced by Lew Grade's ITC Entertainment production company. Despite not featuring marionettes or any real science fiction elements, The Protectors became one of Anderson's most popular productions, easily winning a renewal for a second season. A third season was in the planning stages when the show's major sponsor pulled out, forcing its cancellation. The Protectors first aired in 1972 and 1973, and ran to 52 episodes over two series, each 25 minutes long - making it one of the last series of this type to be produced in a half-hour format. It starred Robert Vaughn as Harry Rule, Nyree Dawn Porter as the Contessa Caroline di Contini, and Tony Anholt as Paul Buchet. Episodes often featured prominent guest actors.
Return of the SaintReturn of the Saint · 1978
Return of the Saint
7.01978
Series
Follow the swashbuckling exploits of Simon Templar, a modern-day Robin Hood of sorts.
Man in a SuitcaseMan in a Suitcase · 1967
Man in a Suitcase
7.21967
SeriesDrama
Accused of treason, a former U.S. intelligence officer based in London tries to clear his name, taking on freelance jobs around Europe as he searches for answers.
Dick TurpinDick Turpin · 1979
Dick Turpin
7.41979
SeriesDramaComedy
Richard O'Sullivan stars as Dick Turpin in this action-filled adventure series chronicling the exploits of England's most celebrated highwayman.
Man of the WorldMan of the World · 1962
Man of the World
7.21962
SeriesCrimeDrama
Michael Strait is a world-renowned photographer whose assignments lead him into investigating mysterious goings-on amongst the rich and glamorous and intrigue from far-flung places as Iraq, French Indochina, and Algiers.
The Human JungleThe Human Jungle · 1963
The Human Jungle
8.21963
Series
The Human Jungle is a British TV series about a psychiatrist, made for ABC Television by the small production company Independent Artists for transmission on ITV. Starring Herbert Lom, it ran for two series which were first transmitted during 1963 and 1965.
The Adventures of Black BeautyThe Adventures of Black Beauty · 1972
The Adventures of Black Beauty
6.21972
SeriesFamily
The Adventures of Black Beauty is a British family adventure series broadcast on ITV1. Produced by London Weekend Television, the 52-episode series was inspired by Anna Sewell's novel but featured new characters, including Dr James Gordon and his children, who, in 19th century rural England, take in the horse Black Beauty.
Shirley's WorldShirley's World · 1972
Shirley's World
6.01972
SeriesDramaComedy
Shirley's World is a British television sitcom initially aired on ABC during the U.S. 1971-72 television season, then by ITV in the United Kingdom. Co-produced by the British ITC Entertainment and American producer Sheldon Leonard, the short-lived series stars Shirley MacLaine as photojournalist Shirley Logan and John Gregson as her editor Dennis Croft.
SmugglerSmuggler · 1981
Smuggler
7.51981
Series
Set during the Napoleonic wars of the early 1800s, Oliver Tobias stars as Jack Vincent, a swashbuckling ex-British naval captain turned smuggler. A strong-willed, independent man who lives by both his wits and the sword, Vincent is ably assisted by Sarah and petty thief Honesty Evans in his struggle to stay one step ahead of the Excise Men...
Strange ReportStrange Report · 1969
Strange Report
7.71969
SeriesCrime
Adam Strange, a retired Home Office criminologist, solves bizarre cases – which have been marked "Open File" by various government departments – with the help of Hamlyn Gynt, Evelyn and Professor Marks. He employs the latest techniques in forensic investigation, which he undertakes in his own laboratory in his flat in Warwick Crescent in the Maida Vale/Little Venice area of Paddington.
Here Come the Double DeckersHere Come the Double Deckers · 1970
Here Come the Double Deckers
6.81970
SeriesFamilyComedy
Here Come the Double Deckers was a 17-part British children's TV series from 1970-71 revolving around the adventures of seven children whose den was an old red double-decker London bus in an unused works yard.