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The Mouse That Roared (film)
''The Mouse That Roared'' is a 1959 British Satirical film, satirical comedy film on a Ban The Bomb theme, based on Leonard Wibberley's novel ''The Mouse That Roared'' (1955). It stars Peter Sellers in three roles: Duchess Gloriana XII; Count Rupert Mountjoy, the Prime Minister; and Tully Bascomb, the military leader; and co-stars Jean Seberg. The film was directed by Jack Arnold (director), Jack Arnold, and the screenplay was written by Roger MacDougall and Stanley Mann. Plot The minuscule European Duchy of Grand Fenwick is bankrupted when an American company comes up with a cheaper imitation of Fenwick's sole export, its fabled Pinot Grand Fenwick wine. Crafty Prime Minister Count Mountjoy devises a plan: Grand Fenwick will declare war on the United States, then surrender, taking advantage of American largesse toward its defeated enemies to rebuild the defeated nation's economy. Duchess Gloriana is hesitant but agrees to the plan. Mild-mannered game warden Tully Bascomb is cha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jack Arnold (director)
Jack Arnold (born John Arnold Waks, October 14, 1916 – March 17, 1992) was an American film and television director, considered one of the leading filmmakers of 1950s science fiction films. His most notable films are ''It Came from Outer Space'' (1953), ''Creature from the Black Lagoon'' (1954), ''Tarantula (film), Tarantula'' (1955), and ''The Incredible Shrinking Man'' (1957). Early years Arnold was born in New Haven, Connecticut, to Russian immigrants.Fischer, Dennis. ''Science Fiction Film Directors, 1895-1998'', McFarland & Co. (2000) As a child, he read a lot of science fiction, which laid the foundations for his genre films of the 1950s. He hoped to become a professional actor and in his late teens he enrolled in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, where his classmates included Hume Cronyn, Betty Field and Garson Kanin. After graduating he worked as a vaudeville dancer and, in 1935, began getting roles in Broadway plays. He was acting in My Sister Eileen (play), ''My ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Grand Fenwick
The Duchy of Grand Fenwick is a tiny fictional country created by Leonard Wibberley in a series of comedic novels beginning with '' The Mouse That Roared'' (1955), which was made into a 1959 film. In the novels, Wibberley goes beyond the merely comic, placing the tiny nation (15 square miles/39 square kilometres) in absurd situations so as to comment satirically on contemporary politics and events. History and topography The Duchy of Grand Fenwick is described as no more than five miles (8 km) long and three miles (5 km) wide and lies in a fold in the Northern Alps. The imaginary country features three valleys, a river, and a mountain with an elevation of . The Duchy, ruled by the Duchess Gloriana XII, is described as bordering Switzerland and France in the Alps. Internal evidence points to the Duchy being in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France, near (or on top of) Les Gras. On the northern slopes are of vineyards. The hillsides where the ground is less ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Carl Foreman
Carl Foreman, CBE (July 23, 1914 – June 26, 1984) was an American screenwriter and film producer who wrote the award-winning films '' The Bridge on the River Kwai'' and ''High Noon'', among others. He was one of the screenwriters who were blacklisted in Hollywood in the 1950s because of their suspected communist sympathy or membership in the Communist Party. He once said his most common theme was "the struggle of the individual against a society that for one reason or another is hostile." He elaborated that "the stories that work best for me involve a loner, out of step or in direct conflict with a group of people." Biography Born in Chicago, Illinois, to a working-class Jewish family, he was the son of Fanny (née Rozin) and Isidore Foreman. He studied at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. In 1934, at age 19, he quit college to go to Hollywood. "I was mostly on the bum and saw the underside of Hollywood", he later said. He soon returned to Chicago and atten ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Howard Dietz
Howard Dietz (September 8, 1896 – July 30, 1983) was an American publicist, lyricist, and librettist, best remembered for his songwriting collaboration with Arthur Schwartz. According to historian Stanley Green, Dietz and Schwartz were "most closely identified with the revue form of musical theatre." Biography Dietz was born in New York City. He attended Columbia College and then studied journalism at Columbia University. He also served as publicist/director of advertising for Goldwyn Pictures and later MGM and is often credited with creating Leo the Lion, its lion mascot, and choosing their slogan '' Ars Gratia Artis''. In 1942, he was made MGM's Vice President in Charge of Publicity. He held that position until his retirement in 1957. He began a long association with composer Arthur Schwartz, when they teamed up for the Broadway revue '' The Little Show'' in 1929. They would continue to work on and off over the next 30 or so years. Dietz served in the US Navy in World War ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Harold Kasket
Harold Kasket (26 July 1926 – 20 January 2002) was an English actor in theatre, films and later television from the 1940s. Kasket usually played Arabs or mainland European types in many films and TV programmes such as '' Maigret'', '' The Saint'', '' Danger Man'', '' Z-Cars'', '' Department S'' and ''The Tomorrow People''. His theatre work included appearances with Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh on Broadway in '' Caesar and Cleopatra'' in 1951; and playing Uncle Ben opposite Warren Mitchell at the National Theatre in '' Death of a Salesman'' in 1979. His last role was in the TV mini series '' War and Remembrance'' (1988). He died in his native London. Selected filmography * '' No Orchids for Miss Blandish'' (1948) - (uncredited) * '' Children of Chance'' (1949) - (uncredited) * '' Hotel Sahara'' (1951) - Oriental Gentleman (uncredited) * '' Made in Heaven'' (1952) - The Fat Man (uncredited) * '' Moulin Rouge'' (1952) - Charles Zidler * '' The House of the Arrow'' ( ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Colin Gordon
Colin Gordon (27 April 1911 – 4 October 1972) was a British actor. Although primarily a stage actor he made numerous appearances on television and in cinema films, generally in comedies. His stage career was mainly in the West End, but he was seen in the provinces in some touring productions. Biography Early years Gordon was born in British Ceylon, the son of William Arthur Gordon and his wife Lily Vera, ''née'' Troup. He was educated at Marlborough College and Christ Church, Oxford.Herbert, pp. 843–844 He first appeared on the professional stage in repertory at the Palace Theatre, Watford from January to December 1934. He made his first West End appearance in 1934 as the hind legs of Alfred, the carthorse, in a production of ''Toad of Toad Hall'' at the Royalty Theatre. At the same theatre he played James in ''Frolic Wind'' (March 1935, described by ''The Stage'' as "a distinguished failure"), and Peter in ''Closing At Sunrise'' (September 1935). From 1936 to 1939 he di ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alan Gifford
Alan Gifford (born John Lennox; March 11, 1911 – March 20, 1989) was an American-born actor from Taunton, Massachusetts, who worked mainly in the UK, where he died in Blairgowrie, Scotland at age 78. Known best for his role in '' 2001: A Space Odyssey'' (1968). and featured regularly alongside Noele Gordon in the soap opera '' Crossroads'' as Dr Lloyd Monroe. On television, in 1960, he appeared in ''Danger Man'' in the episode entitled "An Affair of State" as Mr. Hartley. Gifford narrated the audio cassette version of the book '' I'm OK – You're OK''. Selected filmography * '' The Kangaroo Kid'' (1950) − Steve Corbett * ''The Magic Box'' (1951) − Industry Man (uncredited) * '' It Started in Paradise'' (1952) − American captain (uncredited) * '' Appointment in London'' (1953) − US General (uncredited) * '' Lilacs in the Spring'' (1954) − Hollywood Director * '' A Prize of Gold'' (1955) − Major Bracken * '' Barbados Quest'' (1955) − Henry Warburg * '' N ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Monte Landis
Max Landstein (20 April 1933 – 14 December 2024), known as Monte Landis, was a Scottish-American film and television actor. Landis was perhaps best known for playing the comic foil in multiple episodes of ''The Monkees'', most notably as Mr. Zero in the episode "The Devil and Peter Tork". He began his career in Britain before moving to the United States in 1963. Landis also had a career in Paris in the mid-1950s as emcee in cabarets and jazz clubs (Crazy Horse, Club Saint-Germain, etc.) – he played his own role later in '' Charade'' (1963) – and choreographer for the French vocal group The Blue Stars of France. Landis died in Joshua Tree, California on 14 December 2024, at the age of 91. Partial filmography *'' The Mouse That Roared'' (1959) - Cobbley *'' School for Scoundrels'' (1960) - Fleetsnod *''The Pure Hell of St Trinian's'' (1960) - Octavius *'' On the Fiddle'' (1961) - Conductor *'' Play It Cool'' (1962) - Horace - the Beatnik Man *'' Village of Daughters'' (1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Timothy Bateson
Timothy Dingwall Bateson (3 April 1926 – 15 September 2009) was an English actor. Life and career Born in London, the son of solicitor Dingwall Latham Bateson and the great-nephew of rugby player Harold Dingwall Bateson, he was educated at Lockers Park School in Hertfordshire, Uppingham School in Rutland and Wadham College, Oxford. At Oxford, he read history, rowed cox for the Wadham College Boat Club during Eights Week and performed in the Oxford University Dramatic Society.Michael CoveneObituary ''The Guardian'', 8 November 2009 Bateson's stage credits included the first British production of Samuel Beckett's ''Waiting for Godot'' in 1955 at the Arts Theatre in London in a production directed by Peter Hall. In 1957 he starred in the BBC adventure serial '' The Adventures of Peter Simple''. He appeared in many film, television and radio productions including '' The Avengers'', '' The Cadfael Chronicles'', ''Doctor Who'' (in the serial entitled " The Ribos Operation") ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Austin Willis
Alexander Austin Willis, (30 September 1917 – 4 April 2004) was a Canadian actor and television host. Biography Austin was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia to parents Alexander Samuel and Emma Graham (Pushie) Willis. His older brother, J. Frank Willis, was a radio broadcaster with the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission (later the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation). In 2002, Austin was made a Member of the Order of Canada. He is best known internationally for his appearance as Simmons, the man whom Auric Goldfinger beats at cards in the opening scenes of the James Bond film, '' Goldfinger''. Originally he was to have played Felix Leiter but, at the last minute, fellow Canadian Cec Linder switched roles with him. In Canada, he had a varied film and TV career, ranging from the early science-fiction series '' Space Command'', to hosting '' Cross-Canada Hit Parade'' for several years in the 1950s. In the 1970s he found new fans as the host of the humorous game show '' This I ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
MacDonald Parke
MacDonald Parke (1891–1960) was a Canadian film and television actor An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. .... He frequently portrayed American characters in British films such as '' No Orchids for Miss Blandish''.Keaney p.137 Filmography References Bibliography * Michael F. Keaney. ''British Film Noir Guide''. McFarland, 2008. External links * 1891 births 1960 deaths People from Cornwall, Ontario British male film actors British male television actors Canadian male film actors Canadian male television actors Canadian emigrants to the United Kingdom {{Canada-screen-actor-1890s-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leo McKern
Reginald "Leo" McKern (16 March 1920 – 23 July 2002) was an Australian actor who appeared in numerous British, Australian and American television programmes and films, and in more than 200 stage roles. His notable roles include Clang in ''Help! (film), Help!'' (1965), Thomas Cromwell in ''A Man for All Seasons (1966 film), A Man for All Seasons'' (1966), Tom Ryan in ''Ryan's Daughter'' (1970), Harry Bundage in ''Candleshoe'' (1977), Paddy Button in ''The Blue Lagoon (1980 film), The Blue Lagoon'' (1980), Dr. Grogan in ''The French Lieutenant's Woman (film), The French Lieutenant's Woman'' (1981), Father Imperius in ''Ladyhawke (film), Ladyhawke'' (1985), and the role that made him a household name as an actor, Rumpole of the Bailey, Horace Rumpole, whom he played in the British television series ''Rumpole of the Bailey''. He also portrayed Carl Bugenhagen in the The Omen, first and Damien - Omen II, second instalments of The Omen (franchise), ''The Omen'' series and Number ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
