Harold French(1900-1997)
- Director
- Actor
- Writer
London-born Harold French made his name on the stage, both as an actor
and director. He crossed over to films, making his acting debut in
1920. He became a director shortly before the beginning of World War
II, debuting with
The Cavalier of the Streets (1937),
and made a well-received adaptation of
A.E.W. Mason's thriller,
Secret Mission (1942). He didn't
score again until 1948, with
My Brother Jonathan (1948).
Known more for his romantic dramas and comedies, French switched to a
period action piece,
Rob Roy: The Highland Rogue (1953).
He directed his last film,
The Man Who Loved Redheads (1955)
in 1955 and went back to writing. Toward the end of his career he
returned to directing in the theatre. While he may not have been
classified among the top-ranked British directors, he nevertheless
turned out many well-made, entertaining films over his 20-year-plus
career.
