- Born
- Died
- Frank Launder, initially a civil servant and repertory actor, started as a scriptwriter in the late 1920s on such classics as The Lady Vanishes (1938) and Night Train to Munich (1940). He joined forces with Sidney Gilliat and together they wrote, directed and produced over 40 films. Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat are well-known for their St. Trinian's films, among many others.
- IMDb mini biography by: Steve Crook <steve@brainstorm.co.uk> - Frank was briefly a civil servant and repertory actor before playwriting took him into writing for the cinema in 1928. Sidney Gilliat, started as the film critic for the London Evening Standard, for which his father was the editor, and also started to write screenplays in 1928. For the next seven years they both worked on a wide variety of thrillers and comedies before collaborating for the first time on the script for 'Seven Sinners' in 1936.
Jointly, they wrote the screenplays for Hitchcock's 'The Lady Vanishes' (1936), Carol Reed's 'Night Train to Munich'(1940) and 'Young Mr. Pitt' (1942), among others. This established their reputation and led to receiving a commission for an international short film about the Home Front. When the project grew in scope, Gainsborough agreed to finance it, resulting in them co-directing their first co feature, 'Millions Like Us' in 1943. Subsequently, they alternated sole direction for projects they developed jointly and launched their own company, 'Individual Pictures' in 1944, part of the Independent Producers Consortium that was funded for a few years by the Rank Organisation.
In 1958, they joined the board of British Lion Films and were heavily involved in the campaigns of the 1960's, as the company tried unsuccessfully to establish an independent third force alongside Rank and ABC. Their last films were 'Endless Night', directed by Sidney in 1972, and 'Wildcats of St Trinians', directed by Frank in 1978.
- IMDb mini biography by: Tonyman 5
- SpousesBernadette O'Farrell(1950 - February 23, 1997) (his death, 2 children)Alicia Quayle(1932 - ?) (divorced, 2 children)
- Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat worked as a team (Director/Producer/Writer) on 40+ films from 1930-1966.
- Had a penchant for comedy, highlighting the talents of Britain's best female stars and character players like Margaret Rutherford, Joyce Grenfell and Alastair Sim. Moreover, he is perhaps best remembered for the anarchic St. Trinian's films of the 1950's and 60's.
- Co-founded (with Gilliat) the independent production company Individual Pictures, which turned out solid box office hits, including I See a Dark Stranger (1946) and Green for Danger (1946). In the late 1950's, Launder and Gilliat were also directors of British Lion.
- Launder first worked in the office of the Official Receiver of Bankruptcy and subsequently acted with the Brighton Repertory Company. His film work began as a title writer for Elstree in the late 1920's. He subsequently joined Gaumont-British/Gainsborough. Launder's partnership with Sidney Gilliat commenced in the mid-30's.
- Considered The Blue Lagoon (1949) as his antithesis to The Wizard of Oz (1939).
- [on directing Margaret Rutherford in The Happiest Days of Your Life (1950)] We could never put marks down for her, we just had to keep the camera rolling wherever she was likely to be. She can always make any line sound funnier than it really is. She would never do one take the same, but I like an artist like that. Margaret is an artist who has great moments, many great moments.
- [on "The Pure Hell Of St. Trinian's", 1960]: This was perhaps the most intellectual of the St. Trinian's films, if you'll pardon the description.
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