| Anthony Martin Kimmins OBE | |
|---|---|
|
Photo by Anthony Buckley Photo by Anthony Buckley | |
| Born |
10 November 1901 Harrow, London, England |
| Died |
19 May 1964 (aged 62) Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex, England |
| Occupation | Film director/producer, playwright, screenwriter, actor |
Anthony Martin Kimmins, OBE (10 November 1901 – 19 May 1964) was an English director, playwright, screenwriter, producer and actor.
Biography[]
Kimmins was born in Harrow, London on 10 November 1901, the son of the social activists Charles William Kimmins and Grace Kimmins. He served in the Royal Navy, and upon leaving the navy he became an actor.[1] In 1932 he wrote the comedy play While Parents Sleep which had a long run in the West End.[2] In 1935 another of his plays Chase the Ace was staged.[3]
His first directorial assignment was Keep Fit (1937). with George Formby. Kimmins wrote and directed many of Formby's best comedies.[4] During World War II, he returned to the Navy achieving the rank of Commander. In 1941, he took part in Operation Claymore a successful Commando raid in Norway. During the success of the raid, Kimmins is said to have gone skiing on a nearby slope out of boredom, according to John Durnford-Slater. He would later run the British Pacific Fleet newspaper in Sydney during the Pacific war.[5] Kimmins received the OBE in 1946.[4]
After the war he produced an eclectic mix of films, such as the psychological thriller Mine Own Executioner (1947), Bonnie Prince Charlie (1948) and Mr. Denning Drives North (1951).[6] In the 1950s, Kimmins work included the Sir Alec Guinness comedy The Captain's Paradise and the children's Smiley series of films. His final film as director harked back to his early days – it was a version of his stage successThe Amorous Prawn (US: The Playgirl and the War Minister, 1962).[7][8]
He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1961 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at the BBC Television Theatre.[citation needed] His son, Simon Kimmins, played first-class cricket in the 1950s, primarily for Kent County Cricket Club.[9]
He died in 1964, at his home in Hurstpierpoint in West Sussex, at the age of 62.[10]
Credits[]
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Filmography[]
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Still from the 1943 stage production of While Parents Sleep
- Two Wives for Henry (1933) - writer
- The Golden Cage (1933) - writer (uncredited)
- The Night Club Queen (1934) - play
- Bypass to Happiness (1934) - writer, director
- The Diplomatic Lover (1934) aka How's Chances? - writer, director
- Midshipman Easy (1935) - writer
- Once in a New Moon (1935) - writer, director
- While Parents Sleep (1935) - writer, play
- All at Sea (1935) - writer, director
- His Majesty and Company (1935) - director
- Talk of the Devil (1936) - writer
- Queen of Hearts (1936) - writer
- Scotland Yard Commands (1936)
- Laburnum Grove (1936) - writer
- Three Maxims (1936) - director
- Talk of the Devil (1936) - writer
- Keep Your Seats, Please (1936) - writer
- Lonely Road (US: Scotland Yard Commands, 1936) - writer
- The Show Goes On (1937) - writer
- Parisian Life (1936) - writer
- Who's Your Lady Friend? (1937) - writer
- Feather Your Nest (1937) - writer
- Good Morning, Boys (1937) - writer
- Keep Fit (1937) - writer, director
- I See Ice (1938) - writer, director
- George Takes the Air (1938) aka It's in the Air - writer, director
- Trouble Brewing (1939) - writer, director
- Come on George (1939) - writer, director
- Under Your Hat (1940) - writer
- Narcisse (1940) - novel
- Mine Own Executioner (1947) - director, producer
- Bonnie Prince Charlie (1948) - director
- Mr. Denning Drives North (1951) - director, producer
- Flesh and Blood (1951) - director
- The Passionate Sentry (1952) - director, producer
- The Captain's Paradise (1953) - director, producer
- Top of the Form (1953) - writer
- Aunt Clara (1954) - director, producer
- Smiley (1956) - director, writer, producer
- "While Parents Sleep" episode of Armchair Theatre (1957) - writer
- Smiley Gets a Gun (1958) - director, writer, producer
- The Amorous Prawn (US: The Playgirl and the War Minister, 1962) - director, play, writer
Select Theatre Credits[]
- While Parents Sleep (1932)
References[]
- ↑ "Anthony Kimmins - Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos". https://www.allmovie.com/artist/anthony-kimmins-p97416.
- ↑ Wearing, J. P. (15 May 2014). The London Stage 1930-1939: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9780810893047. https://books.google.com/books?id=Z2mYAwAAQBAJ&q=while+parents+sleep+london+stage+1930-1939&pg=PA282.
- ↑ Wearing, J. P. (15 May 2014). The London Stage 1930-1939: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9780810893047. https://books.google.com/books?id=Z2mYAwAAQBAJ&q=chase+the+ace+london+stage+1930-1939&pg=PA442.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 McFarlane, Brian (16 May 2016). The Encyclopedia of British Film: Fourth edition. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9781526111975. https://books.google.com/books?id=lXnXDQAAQBAJ&q=anthony+kimmins+%22The+Encyclopedia+of+British+Film%3A+Fourth+edition&pg=PA418.
- ↑ "FORMER RAAF FLIER IN FILMS AND RADIO". Perth, WA: National Library of Australia. 31 May 1947. p. 15. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article76029871. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
- ↑ "Anthony Kimmins". https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9f3af423.
- ↑ "Anthony Kimmins - TV Guide". https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/anthony-kimmins/credits/140374.
- ↑ "The Amorous Prawn". Variety. 1 January 1962. https://variety.com/1961/film/reviews/the-amorous-prawn-1200420086/.
- ↑ "Simon Kimmins". http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/16023.html.
- ↑ "ANTHONY KIMMINS, PLAYWRIGHT, DIES; Film Producer and Wartime Broadcaster Was 62". 20 May 1964. https://www.nytimes.com/1964/05/20/archives/anthony-kimmins-playwright-dies-film-producer-and-wartime.html.
External links[]
- Profile, nytimes.com; accessed July 4, 2015
- Anthony Kimmins at the Internet Movie Database
- Anthony Kimmins at the Internet Broadway Database
The original article can be found at Anthony Kimmins and the edit history here.