Guy Mervin Charles Green

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

BSC (5 November 191315 September 2005) was an English film director, producer, screenwriter, and cinematographer. In

1948 Events January * January 1 ** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated. ** The current Constitutions of Constitution of Italy, Italy and of Constitution of New Jersey, New Jersey (both later subject to amendment) ...

, he won an

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People and fictional and mythical characters * Oscar (given name), including lists of people and fictional characters named Oscar, Óscar or Oskar * Oscar (footballer, born 1954), Brazilian footballer ...

cinematographer The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the recording of a film, television production, music video or other live-action piece. The cinematographer is the chief of the camera ...

for the film ''

Great Expectations ''Great Expectations'' is the thirteenth novel by English author Charles Dickens and his penultimate completed novel. The novel is a bildungsroman and depicts the education of an orphan nicknamed Pip. It is Dickens' second novel, after ''Dav ...

''. In 2002, Green was given a

Lifetime Achievement Award Lifetime achievement awards are awarded by various organizations, to recognize contributions over the whole of a career, rather than or in addition to single contributions. Such awards, and organizations presenting them, include: A * A.C. ...

by the

BAFTA The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA, ) is an independent trade association and charity that supports, develops, and promotes the arts of film, television and video games in the United Kingdom. In addition to its annual awa ...

, and, in 2004, he was named an Officer of the

Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

for his lifetime contributions to British cinema.

Biography

Green was born in

Frome Frome ( ) is a town and civil parish in Somerset, England, on uneven high ground at the eastern end of the Mendip Hills and on the River Frome, south of Bath. The population of the parish was 28,559 in 2021. Frome was one of the largest tow ...

Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

. He began working in film in 1929 and became a noted film

and a founding member of the

British Society of Cinematographers The British Society of Cinematographers (abbreviated B.S.C. or BSC) is an organisation formed in 1949 by Bert Easey (23 August 1901 – 28 February 1973), the then head of the Denham and Pinewood studio camera departments, to represent British c ...

. Green became a full-time director of photography in the mid-1940s, working on such films as

David Lean Sir David Lean (25 March 190816 April 1991) was an English film director, producer, screenwriter, and editor, widely considered one of the most important figures of Cinema of the United Kingdom, British cinema. He directed the large-scale epi ...

's ''

Oliver Twist ''Oliver Twist; or, The Parish Boy's Progress'', is the second novel by English author Charles Dickens. It was originally published as a serial from 1837 to 1839 and as a three-volume book in 1838. The story follows the titular orphan, who, ...

'' in 1948. About

1955 Events January * January 3 – José Ramón Guizado becomes president of Panama. * January 17 – , the first nuclear-powered submarine, puts to sea for the first time, from Groton, Connecticut. * January 18– 20 – Battle of Yijian ...

, Green switched to directing, making his first films for

Nat Cohen Nat Cohen (23 December 1905 – 10 February 1988)William D. Rubinstein, et al (eds.''The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History'' Palgrave Macmillan, 2011, p.171 was a British film producer and executive. For over four decades he was one of t ...

. He moved to

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

around

1962 The year saw the Cuban Missile Crisis, which is often considered the closest the world came to a Nuclear warfare, nuclear confrontation during the Cold War. Events January * January 1 – Samoa, Western Samoa becomes independent from Ne ...

. In addition to directing ''

A Patch of Blue ''A Patch of Blue'' is a 1965 American Drama (film and television), drama film directed and written by Guy Green (filmmaker), Guy Green about the friendship between an educated black man (played by Sidney Poitier) and an illiterate, blind, white ...

'' (

1965 Events January–February * January 14 – The First Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years. * January 20 ** Lyndon B. Johnson is Second inauguration of Lynd ...

), Green also wrote and co-produced the film. After his death, his widow Josephine told AP that it was his proudest accomplishment. Among his other films as director are ''

The Angry Silence ''The Angry Silence'' is a 1960 black-and-white British drama film directed by Guy Green and starring Richard Attenborough, Pier Angeli, Michael Craig and Bernard Lee. The film marked the first release through screenwriter Bryan Forbes's p ...

'' (

1960 It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism. Events January * Janu ...

), '' The Mark'' (

1961 Events January * January 1 – Monetary reform in the Soviet Union, 1961, Monetary reform in the Soviet Union. * January 3 ** United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower announces that the United States has severed diplomatic and cons ...

) (nominated for the

Palme d'Or The (; ) is the highest prize awarded to the director of the Best Feature Film of the Official Competition at the Cannes Film Festival. It was introduced in 1955 by the festival's organizing committee. Previously, from 1939 to 1954, the festiv ...

at the

Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Film Festival (; ), until 2003 called the International Film Festival ('), is the most prestigious film festival in the world. Held in Cannes, France, it previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from all around ...

), '' Jacqueline Susann's Once Is Not Enough'' (1975), and '' The Devil's Advocate'' (

1977 Events January * January 8 – 1977 Moscow bombings, Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (no ...

). Green felt his career never recovered from the cancellation of a high profile film in 1969 during pre production. Green died in his

Beverly Hills Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. A notable and historic suburb of Los Angeles, it is located just southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Beverly Hil ...

home from kidney and heart failure, aged 91. In addition to his wife of 57 years, he was survived by his son, Michael; his daughter, Marilyn Feldman; and two grandchildren.

Works

Selected filmography

* ''

Song of the Plough A song is a musical composition performed by the human voice. The voice often carries the melody (a series of distinct and fixed pitches) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs have a structure, such as the common ABA form, and are usuall ...

'' (1933) aka ''Country Fair'' - clapper boy * '' Radio Parade of 1935'' (1934) - camera operator * '' The Limping Man'' (1936) -camera operator * '' The Price of Folly'' (1937) - camera operator * '' Glamorous Night'' (1937) - camera operator * '' The Spell of Amy Nugent'' (1941) aka ''Spellbound'' - camera operator * ''

Pimpernel Smith ''Anagallis'' is a formerly recognized genus of flowering plants in the family Primulaceae. It had about 20–25 species, commonly called pimpernels. Molecular phylogenetic studies showed that ''Anagallis'' was embedded in the genus ''Lysimachi ...

'' (1941) - camera operator * ''

In Which We Serve ''In Which We Serve'' is a 1942 British patriotic war film directed by Noël Coward and David Lean, who made his debut as a director. It was made during the Second World War with the assistance of the Ministry of Information. The screenplay ...

'' (1942) -

camera operator A camera operator, or depending on the context cameraman or camerawoman, is a professional operator of a film camera or video camera as part of a film crew. The term "cameraman" does not necessarily imply that a male is performing the task. ...

* '' One of Our Aircraft Is Missing'' (1942) - camera operator * ''

Escape to Danger ''Escape to Danger'' is a 1943 British thriller film directed by Lance Comfort and Victor Hanbury and starring Eric Portman, Ann Dvorak and Karel Stepanek. Plot During the Second World War a British schoolteacher working in Denmark is caug ...

'' (1943) - cinematographer * ''

The Way Ahead ''The Way Ahead'' (also known as ''Immortal Battalion'') (1944) is a British Second World War drama film directed by Carol Reed. The screenplay was written by Eric Ambler and Peter Ustinov. The film stars David Niven, Stanley Holloway and Wi ...

'' (1944) aka ''Immortal Battalion'' -

* ''

This Happy Breed ''This Happy Breed'' is a play by Noël Coward. It was written in 1939 but, because of the outbreak of World War II, it was not staged until 1942, when it was performed on alternating nights with another Coward play, '' Present Laughter''. The ...

'' (1944) - camera operator * ''

The Way to the Stars ''The Way to the Stars'' is a 1945 Anglo-American black-and-white Second World War drama film made by Two Cities Films. The film was produced by Anatole de Grunwald, directed by Anthony Asquith, and stars Michael Redgrave, John Mills, Rosamu ...

'' (1945) - 2nd unit * ''

Carnival Carnival (known as Shrovetide in certain localities) is a festive season that occurs at the close of the Christian pre-Lenten period, consisting of Quinquagesima or Shrove Sunday, Shrove Monday, and Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras. Carnival typi ...

'' (1946) - cinematographer, writer * ''

'' (1946) - cinematographer * ''

Take My Life ''Take My Life'' is a 1947 British crime film directed by Ronald Neame and starring Hugh Williams, Greta Gynt and Marius Goring. It was adapted from Winston Graham's 1947 novel of the same name. It was shot at Pinewood Studios and on locati ...

'' (1947) - cinematographer * '' Blanche Fury'' (1948) -cinematographer * ''

'' (1948) - cinematographer * '' The Passionate Friends'' (1949) - cinematographer * '' Adam and Evalyn'' (1949) - cinematographer * '' Madeleine'' (1950) -cinematography * '' Night Without Stars'' (1951) - cinematography * ''

Captain Horatio Hornblower ''Captain Horatio Hornblower'' is a 1951 British naval swashbuckling war film in Technicolor from Warner Bros., produced by Gerry Mitchell, directed by Raoul Walsh, that stars Gregory Peck, Virginia Mayo, Robert Beatty and Terence Morgan. ...

'' (1951, cinematographer) * '' The Hour of 13'' (1952, cinematographer) * '' The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men'' (1952, cinematographer) * ''

Decameron Nights ''Decameron Nights'' (also known as ''Tres Historias De Amor'') is a 1953 British-American anthology Technicolor film directed by Hugo Fregonese and starring Joan Fontaine and Louis Jourdan. It was written by George Oppenheimer based on three ...

'' (1953) - cinematography * ''

The Beggar's Opera ''The Beggar's Opera'' is a ballad opera in three acts written in 1728 by John Gay with music arranged by Johann Christoph Pepusch. It is one of the watershed plays in Augustan drama and is the only example of the once thriving genre of sati ...

'' (1953) - cinematography * '' Rob Roy: The Highland Rogue'' (1953) - cinematography * ''Cocktails in the Kitchen'' (1954) - cinematography * ''Souls in Conflict'' (1954) - cinematography * '' River Beat'' (1954) - director * '' Postmark for Danger'' (1955) aka ''Portrait of Alison'' - writer, director * '' The Warriors'' (1955) aka ''The Dark Avenger'' - cinematography * ''

I Am a Camera ''I Am a Camera'' is a 1951 Broadway play by John Van Druten adapted from Christopher Isherwood's 1939 novel '' Goodbye to Berlin'', which is part of '' The Berlin Stories''. The title is a quotation taken from the novel's first page: "I am a c ...

'' (1955) - cinematography * '' Lost'' (1955) aka ''Tears for Simon'' -

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 ...

) * '' House of Secrets'' aka ''Triple Deception'' (1956) - director * '' Sea of Sand'' (1958) aka ''Desert Patrol'' - director * '' The Snorkel'' (1958, director) * ''

SOS Pacific ''SOS Pacific'' is a 1959 British adventure drama film directed by Guy Green and starring Richard Attenborough, Pier Angeli, John Gregson, Eva Bartok and Eddie Constantine. The film was shot in black and white, but later underwent colourisatio ...

'' (1959, director) * ''

'' (1960, director) * ''

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 ...

'' - episode "Hallelujah Corner" (1961) - writer * '' The Mark'' (1961, director) * '' Light in the Piazza'' (1962, director) * '' Diamond Head'' (1963, director) * ''

55 Days at Peking ''55 Days at Peking'' is a 1963 American epic historical war film dramatizing the siege of the foreign legations' compounds in Beijing (then still Peking, in English) during the Boxer Uprising, which took place in China in the summer of 1 ...

'' (1963) - director, uncredited * ''

'' (1965) - director, writer, producer * '' Pretty Polly'' (1967) - director * '' The Magus'' (1968) - director * '' A Walk in the Spring Rain'' (1969) - director * '' Luther'' (1974) - director * '' Jacqueline Susann's Once Is Not Enough'' (1975, director) * '' The Devil's Advocate'' (1977, director) * '' The Incredible Journey of Doctor Meg Laurel'' (1979, director) * ''Jennifer: A Woman's Story'' (1979) (TV movie) - director * ''Jimmy B. and Andre'' (1980) (TV movie) - director * ''Inmates: A Love Story'' (1981) (TV movie) - director * '' Isabel's Choice'' (1981) (TV movie) - director * ''

Strong Medicine ''Strong Medicine'' is an American medical drama with a focus on feminist politics, health issues and class conflict that aired on the Lifetime network from 2000 to 2006. It was created and produced in part by Whoopi Goldberg, who made cam ...

'' (1987) (TV Movie) - director

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Green, Guy 1913 births 2005 deaths People from Frome BAFTA winners (people) Best Cinematographer Academy Award winners English cinematographers Deaths from kidney failure in California English film directors English male screenwriters Officers of the Order of the British Empire 20th-century English screenwriters 20th-century English male writers