- Gregory Peck once said there were only four directors he could trust to tell him whether or not he was faking his performance: Alfred Hitchcock, George Cukor, William Wyler and Thompson.
- He was a great fan of director Martin Scorsese. His favorite film was The King of Comedy (1982). Scorsese directed the 1991 remake of Thompson's Cape Fear (1962).
- He was originally going to direct Planet of the Apes (1968) and co-owned the rights with producer Arthur Jacobs, but had to back out as he was busy working on Mackenna's Gold (1969), a troubled production that went over budget and way over schedule. He did, however, go on to direct Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972) and Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973).
- He was nicknamed "Mighty Mouse" by Gregory Peck during the filming of The Guns of Navarone (1961). The original director was fired and Thompson was hired on short notice, but managed to smooth things out and the film was a tremendous hit.
- Directed David Niven in three films.
- Born into a theatrical family. Studied at Dover College. Wrote his first play while still at school. Acted with the Nottingham Repertory Company and subsequently on the West End stage. Signed in 1934 as a screenwriter by British International Pictures. Served in the RAF during World War II as a tail-gunner and wireless operator. Post-war, returned to writing film scripts at Elstree, making his directorial debut in 1950. His films often depicted ordinary people caught in extraordinary or desperate circumstances. Did his best work on action subjects and thrillers, notably Ice Cold in Alex (1958), The Guns of Navarone (1961) and Cape Fear (1962).
- Frequently collaborated with film score composers Jerry Goldsmith, Robert O. Ragland and John Williams.
- The Thompson-directed Death Wish 4: The Crackdown (1987) was the most critically praised of all the "Death Wish" sequels.
- Was Charles Bronson's director of choice for his pictures. Bronson liked his fast, no-frills method of shooting.
- Children: daughter Lesley and son Peter Lee-Thompson.
- His favorite among his own films was "Yield To The Night" (1956).
- An extremely proficient/reliable director who was renowned/well regarded by producers for wrapping his films on schedule & within it's allotted budget.
- He served as a tailgunner and wireless operator in the RAF during WW2.
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