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Laxdale Hall
''Laxdale Hall'' (also known as ''Poacher Story'' and ''The Road to Nowhere''; U.S. title: ''Scotch on the Rocks'') is a 1953 British romantic comedy film directed by John Eldridge and starring Ronald Squire, Kathleen Ryan, Raymond Huntley and Sebastian Shaw, with Prunella Scales and Fulton Mackay in early roles. It was adapted by Alfred Shaughnessy and Eldridge from the 1951 novel '' Laxdale Hall'' by Eric Linklater. The people of a small Scottish community refuse to pay their road tax until the government repairs their road. The story touches upon the British Town Planning system – mocking the New Towns Act 1946 ( 9 & 10 Geo. 6. c. 68). Plot The few car owners of Laxdale, a remote village near the Isle of Skye at Applecross, refuse to pay their Road Fund taxes, in protest against the poor state of the only road to the village. A series of summonses, sent out via the local police, mysteriously disappear. The government sends a delegation to investigate. It is led by Samu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Eldridge (director)
John Eldridge (1917–1962) was a British film director. Gaining fame as documentary film maker in the Second World War for the Ministry of Information (United Kingdom), Ministry of Information his topics covered both war, and architecture and urban planning. Often working with poets he had at least five collaborative projects with Dylan Thomas. Life He was born in Folkestone on 26 July 1917. Around 1950 he joined John Grierson's film company Group 3 Films, Group 3 Productions. In addition to directing, he also wrote screenplays, most notably for ''Pool of London (film), Pool of London'' (1951) and ''Operation Amsterdam'' (1959). Plagued by ill-health he died in Brompton Hospital in London on 14 June 1962. Works *''Sea Lights'' (1938) – co-directed with Martin Curtis *''Village School (film), Village School'' (1940) – documentary *''Story of Michael Flaherty'' (1940) – starring Morton King *''S.O.S.'' (1940) – documentary short *''War Front (film), War Front'' (194 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
9 & 10 Geo
9 (nine) is the natural number following and preceding . Evolution of the Hindu–Arabic digit Circa 300 BC, as part of the Brahmi numerals, various Indians wrote a digit 9 similar in shape to the modern closing question mark without the bottom dot. The Kshatrapa, Andhra and Gupta started curving the bottom vertical line coming up with a -look-alike. How the numbers got to their Gupta form is open to considerable debate. The Nagari continued the bottom stroke to make a circle and enclose the 3-look-alike, in much the same way that the sign @ encircles a lowercase ''a''. As time went on, the enclosing circle became bigger and its line continued beyond the circle downwards, as the 3-look-alike became smaller. Soon, all that was left of the 3-look-alike was a squiggle. The Arabs simply connected that squiggle to the downward stroke at the middle and subsequent European change was purely cosmetic. While the shape of the glyph for the digit 9 has an Ascender (typography), ascender ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rikki Fulton
Robert Kerr "Rikki" Fulton (15 April 1924 – 27 January 2004) was a Scottish comedian and actor best remembered for writing and performing in the long-running BBC Scotland sketch show, ''Scotch and Wry''. He was also known for his appearances as one half of the double act, ''Francie and Josie'', alongside Jack Milroy. Early life The youngest of three brothers, Robert Kerr Fulton was born into a non-theatrical family at 46 Appin Road, Dennistoun, Glasgow. Fulton's mother, who was 40 at the time of his birth, developed severe postnatal depression. Due to this, Fulton grew up a "solitary child" and developed a "voracious reading habit" throughout his childhood. His father was a master locksmith who changed trades, purchasing a newsagent and stationery shop at 28 Roebank Street, Dennistoun. At the age of three, Fulton and his family moved to Riddrie, another district of Glasgow. There he attended the local primary school but later returned to Dennistoun for his secondary education ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Roddy McMillan
Roddy McMillan OBE (23 March 1923 – 9 July 1979) was a British actor and playwright, possibly most famous for his comedy role as Para Handy for BBC Scotland's television series, ''The Vital Spark''. He also played the lead role in Edward Boyd's private eye series, '' The View from Daniel Pike''. Biography The Glasgow-born McMillan worked for a time in a glassworks. His theatre work began in the mid-1940s with the Glasgow Unity Theatre. Later that decade, he began acting with the Glasgow Citizen's Company before moving on to Edinburgh's Gateway Theatre in the mid-1950s. His first play, ''All in Good Faith'', about a Glasgow family which unexpectedly comes into possession of £15,000, was first staged in 1954. He performed in his second play, ''The Bevellers'', which premiered at the Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh and achieved success at the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow during 1973 and then as a televised ''Play for Today'' for the BBC. McMillan also played Detective Ins ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nell Ballantyne
Nell Ballantyne (1 December 1898 – 21 February 1959) was a Scottish stage actor, stage, radio actor, radio and film actress. Ballantyne was born Nellie Lochhead Ballantyne on 1 December 1898 in Glasgow, Scotland. She was the daughter of Elizabeth Lochhead and dairyman, Peter Ballantyne. She married a manufacturer's agent, Robert McGregor Graham, in 1925, they had a daughter in 1929 and they later divorced. After graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 1921, she became one of the first members of the Scottish National Players. Her best known role on stage was in the world premiere of ''The Glen is Mine'' by John Brandane on 25 January 1923. She was also well known for her parts in two radio soap operas; ''Front Line Family'' in 1941 and ''The McFlannels'' in 1947. The first film she appeared in was ''The Shipbuilders'' in 1943 alongside Morland Graham. Ballantyne appeared in the Gateway Theatre (Edinburgh), Edinburgh Gateway Company's production of John Brandane' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Andrew Keir
Andrew Keir (né Buggy, 3 April 19265 October 1997) was a Scottish actor who appeared in a number of films made by Hammer Film Productions in the 1960s. He was also active in television, and especially in the theatre, in a professional career that lasted from the 1940s to the 1990s. His obituary in ''The Times'' described him as possessing "considerable range and undeniable distinction." Keir starred as Professor Bernard Quatermass in Hammer's film version of '' Quatermass and the Pit'' (1967). He also appeared in the big screen version of the ''Doctor Who'' story ''The Dalek Invasion of Earth'', '' Daleks' Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.'' (1966). He originated the role of Thomas Cromwell in Robert Bolt's play '' A Man for All Seasons'' (1960). He played Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa in the 1963 Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor vehicle ''Cleopatra''. Early life and career Keir was born in Shotts, Lanarkshire, Scotland. He was the son of a coal miner, and had five brothers and one si ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kynaston Reeves
Philip Arthur Reeves (29 May 18935 December 1971), known professionally as Kynaston Reeves, was an English character actor who appeared in numerous films and many television plays and series. Early life Reeves was born in London on 29 May 1893 and was the first of two sons of Arthur Robert Reeves (born 1855) and Clarissa Mary Kynaston (b. 1864). His brother was John Edward. He was married to the Australian Jewish stage actress Paula Sabina. They had two children, Thomas and Suzanne. Career Philip Arthur Reeves, professionally known as P. Kynaston Reeves or Kynaston Reeves, took his mother's maiden name as a middle name when commencing his film career with a small part in the 1931 film ''Many Waters'', before dispensing with the prefixed initial. He believed that having a name that reminded directors of the famous actor Edward Kynaston would help him to get work. In 1932, he progressed to a supporting role, playing an editor called Bob Mitchell alongside Ivor Novello and Jac ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Keith Faulkner
Keith Faulkner (born 25 July 1936) is a British-born Australian actor. Early life Faulkner was born in Richmond, Surrey. He started his career at Corona Academy at the age of eleven and moved on to a career in film and television in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Career Faulkner later left acting and moved to Australia, where he worked for a telecommunications company. In the late-1940s, he appeared at the London Coliseum in ''Annie Get Your Gun'' playing Annie Oakley's brother Little Jake. In 1951, he appeared at Stratford-upon-Avon's Memorial Theatre during the Festival of Britain Season, playing Falstaff's Page in ''Henry IV'' and the Boy in ''Henry V''. This was followed by an extensive tour of Britain with the Elizabethan Theatre Company, performing various Shakespearean productions. In the 1950s, Keith Faulkner was known for his roles as Ginger in ''Just William'' and Bob Cherry in ''Billy Bunter of Greyfriars School'' (both BBC TV series) and also featured in juveni ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jameson Clark
Jameson Clark (8 July 1907, in Kilbirnie, North Ayrshire, Scotland – 4 January 1984, in Kilbirnie, Ayrshire, ScotlandYear of birth and date of death BFI.org.uk website. Retrieved 22 January 2008.) was a Scottish who appeared in 22 films and made many appearances on television. Career His first appearance in a major film was the British production '' Whisky Galore!'' (1949), playing Con ...[...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jean Colin
Jean Colin (24 March 1905 – 7 March 1989) was an England, English actress. She began her career on stage in pantomime, musical theatre and operettas. She appeared in several films beginning in the 1930s. Colin was born in Brighton, Sussex and died in London. In her later years, she lived in a flat near Marble Arch in central London. Career Her stage debut was in 1923 in Brighton when Mary Lynn, niece of Ralph Lynn, persuaded her to work up a dancing act with her. Her big chance came when she was given the part originally meant for June in ''The Five O'Clock Girl''. ''The Hate Ship'' was her first film. Selected filmography * ''The Hate Ship'' (1930) * ''Compromising Daphne'' (1930) * ''Lord Babs'' (1932) * ''Charing Cross Road (film), Charing Cross Road'' (1935) * ''Such Is Life (1936 film), Such Is Life'' (1936) * ''Stardust (1938 film), Stardust'' (1938) * ''The Mikado (1939 film), The Mikado'' (1939) * ''Laugh It Off (1940 film), Laugh It Off'' (1940) * ''Bob's Your Uncle ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Macbeth
''The Tragedy of Macbeth'', often shortened to ''Macbeth'' (), is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, estimated to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the physically violent and damaging psychological effects of political ambitions and power. It was first published in the Folio of 1623, possibly from a prompt book, and is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy. Scholars believe ''Macbeth'', of all the plays that Shakespeare wrote during the reign of King James I, contains the most allusions to James, patron of Shakespeare's acting company. In the play, a brave Scottish general named Macbeth receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to violence by his wife, Macbeth murders the king and takes the Scottish throne for himself. Then, racked with guilt and paranoia, he commits further violent murders to protect himself from enmity and suspicion, soon becoming a tyrannical ruler. The bloo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Scottish Office
The Scottish Office was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom from 1885 until 1999, exercising a wide range of government functions in relation to Scotland under the control of the Secretary of State for Scotland. Following the establishment of the Scottish Parliament in 1999, most of its work was transferred to the newly established Scottish Executive (now officially the Scottish Government), with a small residue of functions retained by the Scotland Office. History Following the Act of Union 1707 and the adjournment of the old Parliament of Scotland, the post of Secretary of State for Scotland was established within the government of the Kingdom of Great Britain. The Secretary of State was entrusted with general responsibility for the governance of Scotland, with the Lord Advocate acting as chief law officer in Scotland. The post of Secretary of State for Scotland was abolished in 1746, and the Lord Advocate assumed responsibility for government business in Sco ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
