Biography

Born in Bristol, England, Thorold Dickinson began his film career during the silent era as a writer. He went to work for Ealing in the 1930s, first as an editor and then as a director. He directed or produced military training films during World War II, and after the war he turned out a string of unique and well-received films, such as The Queen of Spades (1949), about an elderly woman who strikes a deal with the devil that will enable her to always win at playing cards, and Secret People (1952) a story of resistance against an undemocratic regime which features two sisters in exile. A resister from their past draws the younger of the two into an act of violence which harms neutral civilians.

In 1955 Dickinson directed Hill 24 Doesn't Answer (1955), a drama about the 1947 war for independence in Israel, which was the first Israeli film to be distributed worldwide. The next year he went to work for the UN Department of Public Information as the head of its film division, producing several documentaries. He was appointed president of the International Federation of Film Societies, and in the early 1960s he was offered, and accepted, a position on the teaching staff of the Slade School of Fine Art, University College London, where he instituted a pioneering postgraduate course in the research and study of Film Form and Film History. He retired from London University in 1971 as its first Professor of Film, and was then awarded the CBE. He died in London in 1984.
- IMDb mini biography by: frankfob2@yahoo.com

Thorold had a varied film career leaving Oxford mid degree and worked on silent films in France and Britain before establishing himself as an editor with special expertise in the new technology of synchronised sound in the mainstream of the 1930's British film industry he was an active influence in the pioneering Film Society bringing in important films from abroad and reviving old ones and in the new trade union. When the Civil War broke out in Spain he went out with other unionists to shoot pro Republican documentaries. His 2 pre -war feature films as director, The High Command (37) and The Arsenal Stadium Mystery (39) were strongly championed by Graham Greene who made Gaslight (40) and Next of Kin (43). He also served as producer for the Army Kinematograph Service and found it harder going in post war Britain. After the failure of Secret People (51) he went to Israel directing Hill 24 Doesn't Answer ( 55). He then went to New York as Head of Film Services for the United Nations.. In 1960 he gave up film making to become the first head of an accademic film department at the University College in London (1960 -71). Like his pre -- war work with the Film Society and the Union this had far reaching influence. Throughout his career he' wrote extensively on film topics and on his retirement he produced a book on his beliefs on the cinema as both an historian and a practitioner.
- IMDb mini biography by: Tonyman 5

Thorold Dickinson left Oxford in mid degree and worked on silent films in France and Britain before establishing himself as an editor with expertise in the new technology of synchronised sound of the 1930's When the Civil War broke out in Spain he went out to shoot pro Republocan documentaries. His two pre war feature films as director The High Command (1937), and The Arsenal Stadium Mystery (1939) were championed by Graham Greene the film critic of The Spectator. During the war he made some prestige and propaganda films including Gaslight (1940) and Next of Kin (1943) which dramatised the dangers of careless talk. He also served for a time as producer for the Army Kinematograph Service and after the failure of Secret People (1951) he went to work in Israel directing Hill 24 Doesn't Answer in 1955 then in New York he became Head of Film Services for the United Nations. In 1960 he gave up film making and became the first person to head an academic film department in Britain at the University College, London (1950 -71), On his retirement from full time teaching he produced a book about cinema, A Discovery of Cinema (1971)
- IMDb mini biography by: Tonyman 5