Ralph Thomas

For other people named Ralph Thomas, see Ralph Thomas (disambiguation).
Ralph Thomas
Born 10 August 1915
Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England
Died 17 March 2001(2001-03-17) (aged 85)
London, England
Occupation film director
Years active 1956–1993

Ralph Philip Thomas MC (10 August 1915 – 17 March 2001) was an English film director, born in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire. 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

Unmade Films

Notes

  1. ↑ 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.
  2. ↑ "Story of women police.". The Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912 - 1954) (Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia). 18 October 1952. p. 6 Supplement: SUNDAY MAGAZINE. Retrieved 17 December 2015.

External links

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