- Born
- Died
- Birth nameRobert Edward Stevenson
- Robert Stevenson was born on March 31, 1905 in Buxton, Derbyshire, England, UK. He was a director and writer, known for Mary Poppins (1964), Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971) and Nine Days a Queen (1936). He was married to Ursula Henderson, Frances Holyoke Howard, Anna Lee and Cecilie L Leslie. He died on April 30, 1986 in Santa Barbara, California, USA.
- SpousesUrsula Henderson(January 17, 1963 - April 30, 1986) (his death)Frances Holyoke Howard(October 8, 1944 - ?) (divorced, 1 child)Anna Lee(December 6, 1934 - March 9, 1944) (divorced, 2 children)Cecilie L Leslie(1929 - 1934) (divorced)
- ChildrenHugh Stevenson
- Often directed Disney films
- Is the only director to be nominated for the Best Director Academy Award for directing a Disney movie.
- Studied engineering at Cambridge University and entered films as a title writer for Paramount-British Newsreel. From 1930 he worked under Michael Balcon as a screenwriter at Gainsborough. He subsequently graduated to directing Jack Hulbert comedies, then joined Balcon's move to Ealing in 1938. However, he left shortly afterward for Hollywood on account of his pacifist beliefs, thus avoiding conscription. Under contract at RKO between 1942-43 and from 1949-52, his biggest success was Jane Eyre (1943), starring Orson Welles. He spent most of the war years producing documentary films for Frank Capra. Several commercial failures in the late 1940s forced him to work in television until he was signed by Disney in 1956. There, he happily remained for the next 22 years, turning out youth- and family-oriented pictures.
- Directed one Oscar-winning performance: Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins (1964).
- Former journalist.
- Studied at St John's College, University of Cambridge, England and was elected as President of the renowned Cambridge Union Society for the Easter Term, 1928.
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