Gordon Wong Wellesley (8 December 1894 – 1980) was an Australian-born screenwriter and writer of Chinese descent. Born in Sydney in 1894 He wrote over thirty screenplays in the United States and Britain, often collaborating with the director

Carol Reed Sir Carol Reed (30 December 1906 – 25 April 1976) was an English film director and producer, best known for '' Odd Man Out'' (1947), '' The Fallen Idol'' (1948), ''The Third Man'' (1949), and ''Oliver!'' (1968), for which he was awarded the ...

. He began his career in Hollywood in the early 1930s and worked in Britain beginning about 1935. He was married to the scriptwriter Katherine Strueby. He was nominated for an

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People * Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms. * Oscar (Irish mythology) ...

for Best Writing, Original Story at the 1942 Oscars for ''

Night Train to Munich ''Night Train to Munich'' is a 1940 British-American thriller film directed by Carol Reed and starring Margaret Lockwood and Rex Harrison. Written by Sidney Gilliat and Frank Launder, based on the 1939 short story ''Report on a Fugitive'' by Go ...

'', which was based on his novel, ''Report on a Fugitive''.

Biography

Early life

Gordon Wellesley Wong was born in Australia, of English and Chinese descent and was educated in London. By 1923 his short stories such as ''A Lesson in Cocktails'' were appearing in magazines. A biography around this time called him "one of the best known commercial men in the Federated Malay states." In 1931 he was living in Kuala Lumpur.Oriental Writer Here on Visit Los Angeles Times 19 Feb 1931: A5. (Another article says he was from Singapore.) He was reportedly "a business man as well as a traveler, writer, explorer and official film producer for the Malayan government." A 1931 profile said he was educated at the University of London and had directed a Malayan picture called ''Black Sands'' "which created a lot of excitement in Europe".

Hollywood

He travelled to Hollywood in 1931, when he was 36 years old. He sold the film rights to his novel, ''Pagan River'' to Universal. He also sold a story he wrote about the Sino-Japanese war called ''Shanghai Interlude'' which was going to be made by director John Ford and star

Lew Ayres Lewis Frederick Ayres III (December 28, 1908 – December 30, 1996) was an American actor whose film and television career spanned 65 years. He is best known for starring as German soldier Paul Bäumer in the film '' All Quiet on the Western Fr ...

. He was using the name "Wong Wellesley" around this time. He says he did this "because with a Chinese surname I might be expected to write nothing but Chinese stories." ''Pagan River'' was filmed as ''

Nagana Animal trypanosomiasis, also known as nagana and nagana pest, or sleeping sickness, is a disease of vertebrates. The disease is caused by trypanosomes of several species in the genus ''Trypanosoma'' such as ''Trypanosoma brucei''. '' Trypanosom ...

'' (1933). Wellesley also worked on the script for ''

Shanghai Madness ''Shanghai Madness'' is a 1933 American Pre-Code drama film directed by John G. Blystone and starring Spencer Tracy, Fay Wray, Ralph Morgan, and Albert Conti. It was released by Fox Film Corporation. Plot After attacking and destroying a Chin ...

'' (1933) made with

Spencer Tracy Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the first actor to win two cons ...

. In July 1933 he left Los Angeles for London.

Britain

He moved to Britain in 1933. He wrote scripts for '' The Right to Live'' (1933) for Fox, and ''

Over the Garden Wall ''Over the Garden Wall'' is an American animated television miniseries created by Patrick McHale for Cartoon Network. The series centers on two half-brothers who travel across a mysterious forest to find their way home, encountering a variet ...

'' (1934) for

British International Pictures Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC), originally British International Pictures (BIP), was a British film production, distribution and exhibition company active from 1927 until 1970 when it was absorbed into EMI. ABPC also owned appr ...

Associated Talking Pictures

Wellesley wrote a series of films for

Associated Talking Pictures Associated may refer to: *Associated, former name of Avon, Contra Costa County, California * Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto, a school in Canada *Associated Newspapers, former name of DMG Media, a British publishing company See also *Associat ...

, the forerunner of

Ealing Studios Ealing Studios is a television and film production company and facilities provider at Ealing Green in West London. Will Barker bought the White Lodge on Ealing Green in 1902 as a base for film making, and films have been made on the site ever s ...

: '' Love, Life and Laughter'' (1934) with Gracie Fields and ''

Java Head Tanjung Layar, formerly Java's Eerste Punt in Dutch, and Java's First Point, or Java Head in English is a prominent cape at the extreme western end of Java, at the Indian Ocean entrance to the Sunda Strait. Java Head is a bluff at the sea's ed ...

'' (1934) with

Anna May Wong Wong Liu Tsong (January 3, 1905 – February 3, 1961), known professionally as Anna May Wong, was an American actress, considered the first Chinese-American movie star in Hollywood, as well as the first Chinese-American actress to gain intern ...

directed by

Thorold Dickinson Thorold Barron Dickinson (16 November 1903 – 14 April 1984) was a British film director, screenwriter, film editor, film producer, and Britain's first university professor of film. Dickinson's work received much praise, with fellow directo ...

; the latter had

as assistant director. Wellesley wrote a second film for Fields, ''

Sing As We Go ''Sing As We Go'' is a 1934 British musical film starring Gracie Fields, John Loder and Stanley Holloway. The script was written by Gordon Wellesley and J. B. Priestley. Considered by many to be British music hall star Gracie Fields' finest ...

'' (1934), directed by Basil Dean. Also for Dean he wrote ''

Lorna Doone ''Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor'' is a novel by English author Richard Doddridge Blackmore, published in 1869. It is a romance based on a group of historical characters and set in the late 17th century in Devon and Somerset, particularly ar ...

'' (1934) and a third with Fields, ''

Look Up and Laugh ''Look Up and Laugh'' is a 1935 British comedy film directed by Basil Dean and starring Gracie Fields, Alfred Drayton and Douglas Wakefield. The film is notable for featuring an appearance by Vivien Leigh in an early supporting role. Plot Gracie ...

'' (1935). He was loaned out to work on the script for '' Death Drives Through'' (1935), independently done at Ealing, then helped write a comedy, ''

No Limit No Limit may refer to: Music Record labels *No Limit Records, a record label founded by Master P * No Limit Forever Records, a record label founded by Romeo Miller, son of Master P Albums * ''No Limit'' (Art Pepper album), 1977 * ''No Limit'' ...

'' (1935) for a new star,

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 ...

. It was a big hit and helped turn Formby into a movie star. Wellesley worked on a biopic of Mozart for Dean, '' Whom the Gods Love'' (1936), and he did another for Fields, ''

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). Wellesley wrote '' Laburnum Grove'' (1936), directed by Carol Reed and produced by Dean.

Producer and ''Night Train to Munich''

Wellesley turned producer with '' The High Command'' (1937) for director

and Fanfare Films. In early 1939 a short story of his was published, ''Report on a Fugitive''. It was bought by 20th Century Fox who turned it into ''

'' (1940), directed by Reed and written by

Frank Launder Frank Launder (28 January 1906 – 23 February 1997) was a British writer, film director and producer, who made more than 40 films, many of them in collaboration with Sidney Gilliat. Early life and career He was born in Hitchin, Hertfordshire ...

and Sidney Gilliat. The film was very successful in the UK and the US. In February 1942, Wellesley earned an Oscar nomination for his story for ''Night Train''. It was the only nomination given to a British film that year. Wellesley did some uncredited work on the script ''

Sailors Three ''Sailors Three'' (released in the US as ''Three Cockeyed Sailors'') is a 1940 British war comedy film directed by Walter Forde and starring Tommy Trinder, Claude Hulbert and Carla Lehmann. This was cockney music hall comedian Trinder's debut ...

'' (1940) for Ealing. He also helped write ''

Freedom Radio ''Freedom Radio'' (a.k.a. ''A Voice in the Night'') is a 1941 British propaganda film directed by Anthony Asquith and starring Clive Brook, Diana Wynyard, Raymond Huntley and Derek Farr. It is set in Nazi Germany during the Second World Wa ...

'' (1941), ''

Atlantic Ferry ''Atlantic Ferry'' (alternate U.S. title: ''Sons of the Sea'') is a 1941 British film directed by Walter Forde and starring Michael Redgrave and Valerie Hobson. It was made at Teddington Studios. Plot In 1837 Liverpool, brothers Charles and ...

'' (1941), and '' This Was Paris'' (1942). In 1941 a script was being prepared based on a story of his, ''Lisbon Clipper''. He wrote two films for Walter Forde at Warners, ''

Flying Fortress The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Relatively fast and high-flying for a bomber of its era, the B-17 was used primarily in the European Theater ...

'' (1942) and '' The Peterville Diamond'' (1942).

Director

Wellesley turned director with ''

The Silver Fleet ''The Silver Fleet'' is a 1943 British war film written and directed by Vernon Sewell and Gordon Wellesley and produced by Powell and Pressburger under the banner of "The Archers". Plot Early during the World War II, Second World War, the Nazi ...

'' (1942), a film whose storyline was based on a suggestion of President Roosevelt. He wrote and directed it in tandem with

Vernon Sewell Vernon Campbell Sewell (4 July 1903 – 21 June 2001) was a British film director, writer, producer and, briefly, an actor. Sewell was born in London, England, and was educated at Marlborough College. He directed more than 30 films during his ...

and the film was produced by

Powell and Pressburger The British film-making partnership of Michael Powell (1905–1990) and Emeric Pressburger (1902–1988)—together often known as The Archers, the name of their production company—made a series of influential films in the 1940s and 1950s. ...

. He directed ''

Rhythm Serenade ''Rhythm Serenade'' is a 1943 British musical film directed by Gordon Wellesley and starring Vera Lynn, Peter Murray-Hill and Julien Mitchell. It was shot at the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith. The film's sets were designed by the art dire ...

'' (1943) with

Vera Lynn Dame Vera Margaret Lynn (; 20 March 191718 June 2020) was an English singer and entertainer whose musical recordings and performances were very popular during World War II. She is honorifically known as the " Forces' Sweetheart", having giv ...

. Wellesley returned to working just as a writer: '' The Shipbuilders'' (1943) and '' Mr. Emmanuel'' (1944). Wellesley's later credits include ''

The Lost People ''The Lost People'' is a 1949 British drama film directed by Muriel Box and Bernard Knowles and starring Dennis Price, Mai Zetterling and Richard Attenborough. It is based on the play ''Cockpit'' by Bridget Boland. It was shot partly at Den ...

'' (1949), and '' The Reluctant Widow'' (1950) (which he also produced).

Television

He wrote episodes of ''

Douglas Fairbanks Presents ''Douglas Fairbanks Presents'' is a 1953-1956 syndicated half-hour dramatic anthology series. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. was the host, and he sometimes starred in episodes. It was also known as ''Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Presents''. A total of 117 episo ...

'' as well as the features '' The Green Scarf'' (1954) and '' The March Hare'' (1956) Most of his later work was for TV: '' The Gay Cavalier'', '' White Hunter'', ''

The Young Jacobites ''The Young Jacobites'' is a 1960 British serial for the Children's Film Foundation.YOUNG JACOBITES, The Monthly Film Bulletin; London Vol. 27, Iss. 312, (Jan 1, 1960): 116. Plot Two children on holiday on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, go back in ...

'', ''

International Detective ''International Detective'' is a 1959 British TV series.INTRIGUED BY TRIVIA ART FLEMING -- THE ORIGINAL HOST OF TV'S JEOPARDY!' -- FINDS HAPPINESS NEAR THE OCEAN IN LIGHTHOUSE POINT.: EWS/SUN-SENTINEL EditionRODRIGUEZ-FLORIDO, LOURDES. Sun Sentin ...

'', ''

Sir Francis Drake Sir Francis Drake ( – 28 January 1596) was an English explorer, sea captain, privateer, slave trader, naval officer, and politician. Drake is best known for his circumnavigation of the world in a single expedition, from 1577 to 1580 ( ...

'' and ''Beware of the Dog''. He still wrote features such as ''

Passport to China ''Passport to China'' (a.k.a. ''Visa to Canton'') is a 1960 British adventure spy film released by Columbia Pictures; directed by Michael Carreras and starring Richard Basehart, Lisa Gastoni, Eric Pohlmann and Bernard Cribbins. The screenplay, ...

'' (1961), ''

Dead Man's Evidence ''Dead Man's Evidence'' is a 1962 British crime thriller film directed by Francis Searle. Its plot follows a British spy sent to Ireland to investigate the death of a former colleague who defected and who has been found dead on a beach. Cast * C ...

'' (1962), and '' Doomsday at Eleven'' (1962).

Later career

In 1967 he was awarded a Writers Guild Award for distinguished service.

Selected filmography

*''

'' (1933) - writer of original novel * ''

'' (1933) - writer *'' The Right to Live'' (1933) - writer * '' Love, Life and Laughter'' (1934) - writer * ''

'' (1934) - writer * ''

'' (1934) - script editor * ''

'' (1934) - writer * ''

'' (1935) - scenario editor * '' Death Drives Through'' (1935) - scenario editor *''

'' (1935) - scenario editor * '' Whom the Gods Love'' (1936) - writer *''

'' (1936) - scenario editor * '' Laburnum Grove'' (1936) - scenario editor * '' The High Command'' (1936) - producer * ''

'' (1940) - original story *'' Three Cockeyed Sailors'' (1940) - uncredited contribution to story * ''

'' (1941) aka ''A Voice in the Night'' - story * ''

'' (1941) - writer * '' This Was Paris'' (1942) - story * ''

'' (1942) - writer * '' The Peterville Diamond'' (1942) - writer * ''

'' (1943) - co-director, writer *''

'' (1943) aka ''I Love to Sing''- director * '' The Shipbuilders'' (1943) - writer, dialogue editor *'' Mr. Emmanuel'' (1944) - writer *''

'' (1949) - producer * '' The Reluctant Widow'' (1950) - writer, producer *''

Rheingold Theatre ''Douglas Fairbanks Presents'' is a 1953-1956 syndicated half-hour dramatic anthology series. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. was the host, and he sometimes starred in episodes. It was also known as ''Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Presents''. A total of 117 episo ...

'' (1953) (TV series) - episode "The Heel" - writer * '' The Green Scarf'' (1954) - writer * '' The March Hare'' (1956) - writer *'' The Gay Cavalier'' (1956–57) (TV series) - writer *'' White Hunter'' (1957) (TV series) - writer * ''

'' (1960) - writer *''

'' (1960) (TV series) - writer * ''

'' (1961) - writer *''

'' (1962) - script supervisor *''

'' (1962) (TV series) - writer *'' Doomsday at Eleven'' (1962) - director *''

Beware of the Dog Beware of the dog (also rendered as Beware of dog) is a warning sign indicating that a dangerous dog is within. Such signs may be placed to deter burglary even if there is no dog. History Warning signs of this sort have been found in ancie ...

'' (1964) (TV series) - writer *''Trouble with Junia'' (1967) (short) - director *''

The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre The ''Edgar Wallace Mysteries'' is a British second-feature film series mainly produced at Merton Park Studios for Anglo-Amalgamated. There were 48 films in the series, which were released between 1960 and 1965. The series was screened as ''The ...

'' (1967) (TV series) - writer - episode "The Malpas Mystery"

Other writing

*''A Lesson in Cocktails'' (1923) - magazine story *''The Bait'' (1923) - magazine serial *''Anything Might Happen'' (1923) - magazine story *''The Proper Thing'' (1923) - magazine story *''Pagan River'' (1931) - magazine serial *''Report on a Fugitive: A Drama of the Secret Service'' (1939) - magazine story *''Lisbon Clipper'' (1941) - magazine story.Screen News Here and in Hollywood New York Times 3 Oct 1941: 27. *''The Silver Fleet: The Story of the Film Put Into Narrative'' (1943) - book *''Sec and the Occult'' (1973) - book

References

External links

Biography of Gordon Wellesley
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wellesley, Gordon Australian television writers Australian screenwriters 1894 births 1980 deaths Australian people of Chinese descent Australian people of English descent Australian emigrants to England Writers from Sydney Australian expatriates in the United States 20th-century Australian screenwriters Australian male television writers