Anthony Martin Kimmins, OBE (10 November 1901 – 19 May 1964) was an English

director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays. Etymology The word "play" is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word "wright" is an archaic English ...

screenwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based. ...

, producer and actor.

Biography

Kimmins was born in

Harrow, London Harrow () is a large town in Greater London, England, and serves as the principal settlement of the London Borough of Harrow. Lying about north-west of Charing Cross and south of Watford, the entire town including its localities had a popul ...

on 10 November 1901, the son of the social activists Charles William Kimmins and

Grace Kimmins Dame Grace Mary Thyrza Kimmins, (''née'' Hannam; 6 May 1870 – 3 March 1954) was a British writer who created charities that worked with children who had disabilities. Biography Kimmins was born in Lewes, Sussex, the eldest of four children bo ...

. He served in the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

, and upon leaving the navy he became an actor. In 1932, he wrote the comedy play ''

While Parents Sleep ''While Parents Sleep'' is a 1935 British comedy film directed by Adrian Brunel and starring Jean Gillie, Enid Stamp Taylor and Romilly Lunge. The film is a screen adaptation of a 1932 play of the same name by Anthony Kimmins, which had been a ...

'' which had a long run in the West End. In 1935, another of his plays '' Chase the Ace'' was staged. His first directorial assignment was ''

Keep Fit ''Keep Fit'' is a 1937 British comedy film directed by Anthony Kimmins and starring George Formby, Kay Walsh and Guy Middleton. Formby was at his British top box-office peak when this comedy was made. Synopsis George Formby again plays his work ...

'' (1937). with

George Formby George Formby, (born George Hoy Booth; 26 May 1904 – 6 March 1961) was an English actor, singer-songwriter and comedian who became known to a worldwide audience through his films of the 1930s and 1940s. On stage, screen and record he s ...

. During World War II, he returned to the Navy achieving the rank of Commander. In 1941, he took part in

Operation Claymore Operation Claymore was a British commando raid on the Norwegian Lofoten Islands during the Second World War. The Lofoten Islands were an important centre for the production of fish oil and glycerine, used in the German war economy. The landing ...

a successful

Commando Royal Marines from 40 Commando on patrol in the Sangin">40_Commando.html" ;"title="Royal Marines from 40 Commando">Royal Marines from 40 Commando on patrol in the Sangin area of Afghanistan are pictured A commando is a combatant, or operativ ...

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 Brigadier John Frederick Durnford-Slater, DSO and bar (1909 – 5 February 1972) was a British Army officer who was credited with establishing the first Army commando unit during the Second World War. An officer in the Royal Artillery who eve ...

. He would later run the

British Pacific Fleet The British Pacific Fleet (BPF) was a Royal Navy formation that saw action against Japan during the Second World War. The fleet was composed of empire naval vessels. The BPF formally came into being on 22 November 1944 from the remaining ships ...

newspaper in Sydney during the Pacific war. Kimmins received the OBE in 1946. After the war he produced an eclectic mix of films, such as the psychological thriller ''

Mine Own Executioner ''Mine Own Executioner'' is a 1947 British psychological thriller drama film starring Burgess Meredith and directed by Anthony Kimmins, and based on the novel of the same name by Nigel Balchin. It was entered into the 1947 Cannes Film Festival. ...

'' (1947), ''

Bonnie Prince Charlie Bonnie, is a Scottish given name and is sometimes used as a descriptive reference, as in the Scottish folk song, My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean. It comes from the Scots language word "bonnie" (pretty, attractive), or the French bonne (good). That ...

'' (1948) and ''

Mr. Denning Drives North ''Mr. Denning Drives North'' is a 1951 British mystery film directed by Anthony Kimmins and starring John Mills, Phyllis Calvert and Sam Wanamaker. The plot concerns an aircraft manufacturer (Mills) who accidentally kills the boyfriend (Herbert ...

'' (1951). In the 1950s, Kimmins work included the

Alec Guinness Sir Alec Guinness (born Alec Guinness de Cuffe; 2 April 1914 – 5 August 2000) was an English actor. After an early career on the stage, Guinness was featured in several of the Ealing comedies, including ''Kind Hearts and Coronets'' (194 ...

comedy '' The Captain's Paradise'' (1953) and the children's ''

Smiley A smiley, sometimes referred to as a smiley face, is a basic ideogram that represents a smiling face. Since the 1950s it has become part of popular culture worldwide, used either as a standalone ideogram, or as a form of communication, such a ...

'' series of films. His final film as director harked back to his early days – it was a version of his stage success''

The Amorous Prawn ''The Amorous Prawn'' or ''The Amorous Mr. Prawn'' is a 1962 British comedy film directed by Anthony Kimmins and starring Ian Carmichael, Joan Greenwood and Cecil Parker. The film was based on a 1959 farcical play by Kimmins. In the United St ...

'' (US: ''The Playgirl and the War Minister'', 1962). He was the subject of '' This Is Your Life'' in 1961 when he was surprised by

Eamonn Andrews Eamonn Andrews, (19 December 1922 – 5 November 1987) was an Irish radio and television presenter, employed primarily in the United Kingdom from the 1950s to the 1980s. From 1960 to 1964 he chaired the Radio Éireann Authority (now the RTÉ A ...

at the

BBC Television Theatre Shepherd's Bush Empire (currently known as O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire for sponsorship reasons, and formerly known as the BBC Television Theatre) is a music venue in Shepherd's Bush, West London, run by the Academy Music Group. It was originally ...

. His son,

Simon Kimmins Simon Edward Anthony Kimmins (born 26 May 1930) is a former English cricketer. He played for Kent County Cricket Club between 1950 and 1959, making a total of 16 appearances in first-class cricket matches. Kimmins was born in London in 1930 and ...

, played

first-class cricket First-class cricket, along with List A cricket and Twenty20 cricket, is one of the highest-standard forms of cricket. A first-class match is one of three or more days' scheduled duration between two sides of eleven players each and is officiall ...

in the 1950s, primarily for

Kent County Cricket Club Kent County Cricket Club is one of the eighteen first-class county clubs within the domestic cricket structure of England and Wales. It represents the historic county of Kent. A club representing the county was first founded in 1842 but Ke ...

. He died in 1964, at his home in

Hurstpierpoint Hurstpierpoint is a village in West Sussex, England, southwest of Burgess Hill, and west of Hassocks railway station. It sits in the civil parish of Hurstpierpoint and Sayers Common which has an area of 2029.88 ha and a population ...

West Sussex West Sussex is a county in South East England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the shire districts of Adur, Arun, Chichester, Horsham, and Mid Sussex, and the boroughs of Crawley and Worthing. Covering an ar ...

, at the age of 62.

Credits

Filmography

* '' Two Wives for Henry'' (1933) - writer * '' The Golden Cage'' (1933) - writer (uncredited) * ''

The Night Club Queen ''The Night Club Queen'' is a 1934 British musical mystery film directed by Bernard Vorhaus and starring Mary Clare, Jane Carr and Lewis Shaw.Wood p.83 Cast * Mary Clare as Mary Brown * Jane Carr as Bobbie Lamont * Lewis Shaw as Peter Brown ...

'' (1934) - play * ''

Bypass to Happiness ''Bypass to Happiness'' is a 1934 British romantic comedy film directed by Anthony Kimmins and starring Tamara Desni, Maurice Evans and Kay Hammond. It was shot at Shepperton Studios near London and distributed by Fox Film.Wood p.81 Cast *Tamar ...

'' (1934) - writer, director * ''

The Diplomatic Lover ''The Diplomatic Lover'' is a 1934 British musical romance film directed by Anthony Kimmins and starring Harold French, Tamara Desni and Davy Burnaby. The film was made at Shepperton Studios as a quota quickie for release by Fox Film.Chibnall, ...

'' (1934) aka ''How's Chances?'' - writer, director * ''

Midshipman Easy ''Midshipman Easy'' is a 1935 British adventure film directed by Carol Reed and starring Hughie Green, Margaret Lockwood and Harry Tate. The screenplay concerns a young man who runs away from home, joins the navy and goes to sea in the 1790s. He ...

'' (1935) - writer * ''

Once in a New Moon ''Once in a New Moon'' is a 1935 British science fiction film directed by Anthony Kimmins and starring Eliot Makeham, René Ray and Morton Selten. It is a quota quickie, made at Shepperton Studios.Wood p.83 Plot When a dead star passes planet Ear ...

'' (1935) - writer, director * ''

'' (1935) - writer, play * '' All at Sea'' (1935) - writer, director * ''

His Majesty and Company ''His Majesty and Company'' or ''His Majesty and Co'' is a 1935 British musical film directed by Anthony Kimmins and starring John Garrick, Barbara Waring, and Morton Selten. It was made at Wembley Studios by the British subsidiary of the Fox ...

'' (1935) - director * ''

Talk of the Devil ''Talk of the Devil'' is a 1936 British crime film directed by Carol Reed and starring Ricardo Cortez, Sally Eilers and Basil Sydney. Reed had previously been working for Ealing Studios, but he made the film for the independent producer Herb ...

'' (1936) - writer * ''

Queen of Hearts The queen of hearts is a playing card in the standard 52-card deck. Queen of Hearts or The Queen of Hearts may refer to: Books * "The Queen of Hearts" (poem), anonymous nursery rhyme published 1782 * ''The Queen of Hearts'', an 1859 novel by ...

'' (1936) - writer * '' Scotland Yard Commands'' (1936) * ''

Laburnum Grove ''Laburnum Grove'' is a 1936 British comedy film directed by Carol Reed and starring Edmund Gwenn, Cedric Hardwicke and Victoria Hopper. It was based on the 1933 play of the same name written by J. B. Priestley. Plot summary To rid himself of ...

'' (1936) - writer * ''

Three Maxims ''Three Maxims'' is a 1936 British drama film directed by Herbert Wilcox and starring Anna Neagle, Tullio Carminati and Leslie Banks. It was released in the United States under the alternative title '' The Show Goes On''. Separate French and Ger ...

'' (1936) - director *''

'' (1936) - writer * ''

Keep Your Seats, Please ''Keep Your Seats, Please'' is a 1936 British comedy film directed by Monty Banks and starring George Formby, Florence Desmond and Alastair Sim. It marked the film debut of the child star Binkie Stuart. The film was made by Associated Talking ...

'' (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 ''Feather Your Nest'' is a 1937 British musical comedy film directed by William Beaudine and starring George Formby, Polly Ward and Enid Stamp-Taylor. Plot A worker at a gramophone record factory surprisingly creates a hit song, " Leaning on a L ...

'' (1937) - writer *''

Good Morning, Boys ''Good Morning, Boys!'' is a 1937 British comedy film directed by Marcel Varnel and featuring Will Hay, Graham Moffatt, Martita Hunt, Lilli Palmer and Peter Gawthorne. It was made at the Gainsborough Studios in Islington. The film marked the fir ...

'' (1937) - writer *''

'' (1937) - writer, director * ''

I See Ice ''I See Ice'' is a 1938 British comedy film directed by Anthony Kimmins and starring George Formby, Kay Walsh and Betty Stockfeld. The film depicts the adventures of a photographer working for a London newspaper. It features the songs "In My Lit ...

'' (1938) - writer, director *''

George Takes the Air ''It’s in the Air'' is a 1938 British comedy film written and directed by Anthony Kimmins and starring George Formby, Polly Ward and Jack Hobbs. The film was released in the United States with the alternative title ''George Takes the Air'' in 1 ...

'' (1938) aka ''It's in the Air'' - writer, director * '' Trouble Brewing'' (1939) - writer, director * '' Come on George'' (1939) - writer, director * ''

Under Your Hat ''Under Your Hat'' is a 1940 British musical comedy spy film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Jack Hulbert, Cicely Courtneidge and Austin Trevor. Production The film was an independent production made at Isleworth Studios. It was based on a ...

'' (1940) - writer *''

Narcisse Narcisse can be both a given name and surname. Notable people with the name include: Given name * Narcisse Bambara (born 1989), Burkinabé footballer * Narcisse Blais (1812–1888), Canadian farmer and political figure in Quebec * Narcisse Bona ...

'' (1940) - novel * ''

'' (1947) - director, producer * ''

'' (1948) - director * ''

'' (1951) - director, producer * '' Flesh and Blood'' (1951) - director * ''

The Passionate Sentry ''Who Goes There!'' is a 1952 British comedy film directed by Anthony Kimmins and starring Nigel Patrick, Valerie Hobson and George Cole (actor), George Cole. The film depicts the farcical activities of the various inhabitants of a grace and fa ...

'' (1952) - director, producer * '' The Captain's Paradise'' (1953) - director, producer *'' Top of the Form'' (1953) - writer * '' Aunt Clara'' (1954) - director, producer * ''

'' (1956) - director, writer, producer *"While Parents Sleep" episode of ''

Armchair Theatre ''Armchair Theatre'' is a British television drama anthology series of single plays that ran on the ITV network from 1956 to 1974. It was originally produced by ABC Weekend TV. Its successor Thames Television took over from mid-1968. The Canadi ...

'' (1957) - writer * ''

Smiley Gets a Gun ''Smiley Gets a Gun'' is a 1958 Australian comedy-drama film in CinemaScope directed by Anthony Kimmins and starring Sybil Thorndike and Chips Rafferty. It is the sequel to the 1956 film Smiley (1956 film), ''Smiley''. Synopsis A young boy named ...

'' (1958) - director, writer, producer * ''

'' (US: ''The Playgirl and the War Minister'', 1962) - director, writer (and original play)

Select theatre credits

*''

'' (1932)

References

External links

Profile
nytimes.com; accessed July 4, 2015 * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Kimmins, Anthony 1901 births 1964 deaths Royal Navy officers English film directors English male screenwriters English male dramatists and playwrights People from Harrow, London Male actors from London Writers from London 20th-century English screenwriters 20th-century English male writers Royal Navy officers of World War II Military personnel from London