Cliff Owen (22 April 1919 – November 1993) was a British

film A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...

and

TV director A television director is in charge of the activities involved in making a television program or section of a program. They are generally responsible for decisions about the editorial content and creative style of a program, and ensuring the prod ...

. He directed ''

The Wrong Arm of the Law ''The Wrong Arm of the Law'' is a 1963 British comedy film directed by Cliff Owen and starring Peter Sellers, Bernard Cribbins, Lionel Jeffries, John Le Mesurier, Bill Kerr and Nanette Newman. The final screenplay was written by John Antrobu ...

'' (1963), two of the three mid-1960s

Morecambe and Wise Eric Morecambe (John Eric Bartholomew; 14 May 1926 – 28 May 1984) and Ernie Wise (Ernest Wiseman; 27 November 1925 – 21 March 1999), known as Morecambe and Wise (and sometimes as Eric and Ernie), were an English comic double act, working ...

films, and the 1972 film version of the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

sitcom A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent settin ...

Steptoe and Son ''Steptoe and Son'' is a British sitcom written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson about a father-and-son rag-and-bone business in 26a Oil Drum Lane, a fictional street in Shepherd's Bush, London. Four series were broadcast by the BBC in black a ...

''. Owen was born in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. He died in

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire ( ; abbreviated ''Oxon'') is a ceremonial county in South East England. The county is bordered by Northamptonshire and Warwickshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Wiltshire and Glouceste ...

in November 1993, aged 74.

Filmography (as assistant director)

*'' Brighton Rock'' (1947) – 3rd assistant director *''

Noose A noose is a loop at the end of a rope in which the knot tightens under load and can be loosened without untying the knot. The knot can be used to secure a rope to a post, pole, or animal but only where the end is in a position that the loop can ...

'' (1947) – 2nd assistant director *''

Under Capricorn ''Under Capricorn'' is a 1949 British historical drama film directed by Alfred Hitchcock about a couple in Australia who started out as lady and stable boy in Ireland, and who are now bound together by a horrible secret. The film is based on t ...

'' (1949) – 2nd assistant director *''

The Hasty Heart ''The Hasty Heart'' is a 1949 war drama film, an Anglo-American co-production starring Ronald Reagan, Patricia Neal, and Richard Todd and directed by Vincent Sherman. The film is based on the 1945 play of the same name by John Patrick. ''The ...

'' (1949) – 3rd assistant director *''

Landfall Landfall is the event of a storm moving over land after being over water. More broadly, and in relation to human travel, it refers to 'the first land that is reached or seen at the end of a journey across the sea or through the air, or the fact ...

'' (1949) – 2nd assistant director *''

The Magic Box ''The Magic Box'' is a 1951 British Technicolor biographical drama film directed by John Boulting. The film stars Robert Donat as William Friese-Greene, with numerous cameo appearances by performers such as Peter Ustinov and Laurence Olivie ...

'' (1951) – assistant director *''

Young Wives' Tale ''Young Wives' Tale'', also known as ''Fun for Four'', is a 1951 British comedy film directed by Henry Cass and starring Joan Greenwood, Nigel Patrick, Derek Farr, and Guy Middleton. The film is based on the 1949 play '' Young Wives' Tale'' by ...

'' (1951) – 2nd assistant director *'' Castle in the Air'' (1952) – assistant director *''

Father's Doing Fine ''Father's Doing Fine'' is a 1952 British comedy film directed by Henry Cass and starring Richard Attenborough, Heather Thatcher, and Noel Purcell, and featuring Sid James. It was written by Anne Burnaby based on the 1948 play ''Little Lam ...

'' (1952) – assistant director *'' The Yellow Balloon'' (1953) – assistant director *''

Valley of Song ''Valley of Song'' (U.S.: ''Men Are Children Twice'' ) is a 1953 British second feature ('B') comedy drama film directed by Gilbert Gunn and starring Mervyn Johns, Clifford Evans, Maureen Swanson and the London Welsh Association Choral Societ ...

'' (1953) – assistant director

Filmography (as director)

* '' Offbeat'' a.k.a. ''The Devil Inside'' (1961) * ''

A Prize of Arms ''A Prize of Arms'' is a 1962 British crime film directed by Cliff Owen and starring Stanley Baker, Helmut Schmid, Patrick Magee and Tom Bell. It was written by Kevin Kavanagh and Nicolas Roeg. Set in 1956, the film follows a criminal gang ...

'' (1962) * ''

'' (1963) * ''

That Riviera Touch ''That Riviera Touch'' is a 1966 British comedy film directed by Cliff Owen and starring Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise. It is the second feature-length film made by the comedy duo Morecambe and Wise. Plot After Eric Simpson nearly gives ...

'' (1966) * ''

A Man Could Get Killed ''A Man Could Get Killed'' is a 1966 American Adventure film, adventure comedy film directed by Ronald Neame and Cliff Owen, shot on various locations in Portugal and starring James Garner, Melina Mercouri, Sandra Dee, Anthony Franciosa, and Rob ...

'' a.k.a. ''Welcome, Mr. Beddoes'' (1966) – co-director * ''

The Magnificent Two ''The Magnificent Two'' (also known as ''What Happened at Campo Grande?'' and ''Campo Grande'') is a 1967 British comedy film directed by Cliff Owen and starring Morecambe and Wise. It was the third and final of their 1960s films. Plot Two B ...

'' (1967) * ''

The Vengeance of She ''The Vengeance of She'' is a 1968 British fantasy film directed by Cliff Owen and starring John Richardson, Olinka Berova, Edward Judd, André Morell, and Colin Blakely. It has little in common with the 1905 novel '' Ayesha: The Return of S ...

'' (1968) * ''

'' (1972) * '' Ooh... You Are Awful'' a.k.a. ''Get Charlie Tully'' (1972) * ''

No Sex Please, We're British ''No Sex Please, We're British'' is a British farce written by Alistair Foot and Anthony Marriott, which premiered in London's West End on 3 June 1971 at the Strand Theatre. It was panned by critics, but ran until 5 September 1987, transferr ...

'' (1973) * ''Closed Up-Tight'' (1975) * ''

The Bawdy Adventures of Tom Jones ''The Bawdy Adventures of Tom Jones'' is a 1976 British comedy film directed by Cliff Owen and starring Nicky Henson, Trevor Howard and Terry-Thomas. It is an adaptation of the 1749 novel ''Tom Jones'' by Henry Fielding, which follows the main ...

'' (1976)The Bawdy Adventures of Tom Jones Director: Cliff Owen. Stars: Nicky Henson, Geraldine McEwan, Georgia Brown, Arthur Lowe, Trevor Howard 'X' Empire The Sunshine Boys Director: Herbert Ross Stars: Walter Matthau, George Burns 'A' ABC, Shaftesbury Avenue (Book Review) Robinson, Kenneth. The Spectator; London Vol. 236, Iss. 7700, (24 Jan 1976): 27.

Television (as director)

*''

London Playhouse ''London Playhouse'' is a UK television anthology series that aired from 1955–1956. There were a total of twenty-five episodes. Among its writing credits include Tad Mosel, N. Richard Nash, Henry James, Robert Lowell, and Robert Alan Aurth ...

'', "Fighting Chance" (1955) *''Hand In Glove'' (1955) (TV movie) *''As Others See Us'' (1955) *''The Seventh Dungeon'' (1955) (TV movie) *'' Boyd Q.C.,'' 4 episodes (1956) *''

ITV Television Playhouse ''ITV Television Playhouse'', often simplified to ''Television Playhouse'', is a British anthology television series produced by and airing on the ITV television network from 1955 through 1963. The series premiered with the teleplay ''Midlevel' ...

'', 12 episodes (1956–1961) *''

The New Adventures of Martin Kane ''Martin Kane, Private Eye'' is an American crime drama radio and television series sponsored by United States Tobacco Company. It aired via radio from 1949 to 1952 and was simultaneously a television series on NBC from 1949 to 1954. It was the " ...

'', "The Letter Story" and ''"''The Heiress Story" (1957) *''

Shadow Squad ''Shadow Squad'' is a British TV drama series that ran from 1957–1959 starring Peter Williams and George Moon. Three series were made, the first produced by Associated-Rediffusion and the second and third series produced by Granada Television. ...

'', "The Missing Cheese" (1957–59) – producer *''

ITV Play of the Week ''Play of the Week'' is a 90-minute British television anthology series produced for the ITV network by a variety of companies including Granada Television, Associated-Rediffusion, ATV and Anglia Television. Synopsis Approximately 500 episodes ...

'', 9 episodes (1958–61) *''

The Third Man ''The Third Man'' is a 1949 film noir directed by Carol Reed, written by Graham Greene, and starring Joseph Cotten as Holly Martins, Alida Valli as Anna Schmidt, Orson Welles as Harry Lime and Trevor Howard as Major Calloway. Set in post-Worl ...

'', 3 episodes (1959) *''Knight Errant Limited,'' "Mediterranean Cruise" (1959) *''

Drama 61-67 ''Drama 61-67'' is a British anthology In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs, or related fiction/non-fiction excerpts by diffe ...

,'' "Drama '62: No Decision" (1962) – also producer *''On Trial'', "The Dilke Case" and "Sir Roger Casement" (1960) *''

The Victorians ''The Victorians'' is a 2009 British documentary series which focuses on Victorian art and culture. The four-part series is written and presented by Jeremy Paxman and debuted on BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast ...

,'' "Still Waters Run Deep" (1963) *''

A Little Big Business ''A Little Big Business'' is a British comedy television series which originally aired on ITV After a pilot episode in 1963,Perry p.124 it was followed by two full series in 1964 and 1965. Several of the leading roles were recast after the pilot ...

,'' Episode 1.1 (1964) *''

The Sullavan Brothers ''The Sullavan Brothers'' is a British television drama series created by Ted Willis, Baron Willis, Ted Willis which originally aired 1964–1965 on ITV (TV network), ITV in 26 episodes. The series chronicles the adventures of four lawyer brothe ...

,'' "The Man from New York" (1964) *''Melina Mercouri's Greece'' (1965) (documentary) *''

The Avengers Avenger(s) or The Avenger(s) may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Marvel Comics universe * Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes **Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes of "The Infinity Sag ...

,'' "Killer" (1968) *'' Rogues' Gallery''(1968–69) *''

ITV Playhouse ''Playhouse'', also known as ''ITV Playhouse'', is a British television anthology series that ran from 1967 to 1983, which featured contributions from playwrights such as Dennis Potter, Rhys Adrian and Alan Sharp. The series began in black a ...

,'' "Murder: When Robin Was a Boy" (1969) *''Confession,'' "Just as the Sun Was Rising" (1970) *'' The Adventures of Don Quick,'' "The Higher the Fewer" (1970)

References

External links

*
Cliff Owen
at BFI {{DEFAULTSORT:Owen, Cliff 1919 births 1993 deaths British film directors