Sidney Gilliat

'Sidney Gilliat' (qv), the English director, screenwriter, and producer, was born on February 15, 1908 in Edgely, Cheshire, England. He began his screen-writing career in the silent movie era, writing inter-titles, going uncredited for his contributions to _Honeymoon Abroad (1928)_ (qv), _Champagne (1928)_ (qv), and _Week-End Wives (1929)_ (qv). He first entered into a working relationship with director 'Alfred Hitchcock' (qv) on _The Manxman (1929)_ (qv), for which he did uncredited research. Ten years later, he would help write the dialog for the director's _Jamaica Inn (1939)_ (qv). He eventually became a credited screenwriter in the 1930s, with _A Gentleman of Paris (1931)_ (qv).He partnered with 'Frank Launder' (qv), whom he first worked with uncredited on _The Greenwood Tree (1929)_ (qv), and together they wrote, directed and produced almost 40 movies between their first credited collaboration _Facing the Music (1933)_ (qv) through _The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery (1966)_ (qv), which they also co-directed. For Hitchcock, they co-wrote the classic _The Lady Vanishes (1938)_ (qv). They also wrote _Night Train to Munich (1940)_ (qv) for 'Carol Reed' (qv). Their collaboration is most famous for generating the St. Trinian's films, most notably _The Belles of St. Trinian's (1954)_ (qv), which was directed by Launder and featured a tour de force performance by 'Alastair Sim' (qv). Sim was also the star of their _The Green Man (1956)_ (qv), for which they received second straight Best British Screenplay nomination from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.'Sidney Gilliat' (qv) died on May 31, 1994 in Wiltshire, England. He was 86 years old.::Jon C. Hopwood & Steve Crook <[email protected]>