Michael McCarthy (27 February 1917 – 7 May 1959) was a British

screenwriter A screenwriter (also called scriptwriter, scribe, or scenarist) is a person who practices the craft of writing for visual mass media, known as screenwriting. These can include short films, feature-length films, television programs, television ...

and

television Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

and

film director A film director or filmmaker is a person who controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfillment of that Goal, vision. The director has a key role ...

. He entered the film industry in 1934 and worked at the

Crown Film Unit The Crown Film Unit was an organisation within the British Government's Ministry of Information during the Second World War; until 1940, it was the GPO Film Unit. Its remit was to make films for the general public in Britain and abroad. Its outp ...

. He directed some of the first films for Anglo-Amalgamated. He died aged 42, survived by a wife and three children. A ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' obituary said he was "regarded as a director of considerable promise".

Selected filmography

*''

Greek Testament (''The New Testament in Greek'') is a critical edition of the New Testament in its original Koine Greek published by ''Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft'' (German Bible Society), forming the basis of most modern Bible translations and biblical crit ...

'' (1943) (documentary) - assistant director *''

My Learned Friend ''My Learned Friend'' is a 1943 British, black-and-white, comedy, farce, directed by Basil Dearden with his regular collaborator, Will Hay, as the film's star in the role of William Fitch. The principal supporting roles were taken by Claude Hulb ...

'' (1943) - assistant director *''

San Demetrio London ''San Demetrio London'' is a 1943 British World War II docudrama based on the true story of the 1940 salvage of the tanker MV ''San Demetrio'' by some of her own crew, who reboarded her after she had been set on fire by the German heavy cruiser ...

'' (1943) - assistant director *''

The Halfway House ''The Halfway House'' is a 1944 British drama film directed by Basil Dearden and starring Mervyn Johns, his daughter Glynis Johns, Tom Walls and Françoise Rosay. The film tells the story of ten people who are drawn to stay in an old Welsh count ...

'' (1944) - assistant director *'' While Nero Fiddled'' (1944) aka ''Fiddlers Three'' - assistant director *'' The Girl of the Canal'' (1945) aka ''Painted Boats'' (short feature) - story *''

Johnny Frenchman ''Johnny Frenchman'' is a 1945 British comedy-drama romance war film produced by Ealing Studios and directed by Charles Frend. The film was produced by Michael Balcon from a screenplay by T. E. B. Clarke, with cinematography by Roy Kellino. ...

'' (1945) - unit manager *''

Feature Story A feature story is a piece of non-fiction writing about news covering a single topic in detail. A feature story is a type of soft news, primarily focused on entertainment rather than a higher level of professionalism. The main subtypes are ...

'' (1949) (short feature) - director *''

No Highway in the Sky ''No Highway in the Sky'' (also known as ''No Highway'') is a 1951 black-and-white aviation drama film directed by Henry Koster from a screenplay by R. C. Sherriff, Oscar Millard, and Alec Coppel, based on the 1948 novel '' No Highway'' by ...

'' (1951) - actor * ''

Assassin for Hire ''Assassin for Hire'' is a 1951 British crime film directed by Michael McCarthy and starring Sydney Tafler, Ronald Howard and Katharine Blake. Its plot follows a contract killer who becomes stricken with remorse when he is led to believe he ...

'' (1951) - director * '' Mystery Junction'' (1951) - director, writer *''Road Sense'' (1951) (instructional film) - director *'' Hunted'' (1952) - idea * '' Crow Hollow'' (1952) - director *'' Wheel of Fate'' (1953) - actor *'' Behind the Headlines'' (1953) - actor *''

Forces' Sweetheart Forces Sweetheart (or Forces' Sweetheart) is an accolade given to entertainers, actors and singers. Originally the term was used in the United Kingdom to note popular showbiz personalities that became a favourite of soldiers in the British Arm ...

'' (1953) - actor *''

Flannelfoot ''Flannelfoot'' is a 1953 British second feature ('B') crime film directed by Maclean Rogers and starring Ronald Howard, Mary Germaine and Jack Watling. It was written by Carl Heck and Jack Henry, and made at Walton Studios. The film's sets ...

'' (1953) - actor *''

John of the Fair John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second Ep ...

'' (1954) - director, writer *''

Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Presents ''Douglas Fairbanks Presents'' is a 1953–1956 Television syndication, 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. Present ...

'' (1954–55) - director, writer - including ''

The Awakening The Awakening may refer to: Religion * Awakening (Finnish religious movement), a Lutheran movement in Finland * Great Awakening, several periods of Anglo-American Christian revival Film and television Film * ''The Awakening'', a 1913 film starring ...

'' (1954) * ''

Shadow of a Man ''Shadow of a Man'' is a 1955 British second feature ('B') crime film directed by Michael McCarthy and starring Paul Carpenter, Rona Anderson and Jane Griffiths. It was written by Paul Erickson based on his play ''Shadow of a Man''. Pre ...

'' (1955) - director, additional scenes *''

The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel ''The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel'' is a 1955–1956 British television series based on the 1905 novel ''The Scarlet Pimpernel'' by Baroness Orczy, Baroness Emmuska Orczy. The series was created by writer Michael Hogan (screenwriter), M ...

'' (1955) - director * '' It's Never Too Late'' (1956) - director *''

Assignment Foreign Legion ''Assignment Foreign Legion'' is an American TV series that starred Merle Oberon. It ran on CBS from October 1, 1957, until December 24, 1957. Premise The series related activities of the French Foreign Legion during World War II. Oberon narrated ...

'' (1956–57) (TV series) - director * '' The Traitor'' (1957) aka ''The Accursed'' - director, writer *''

Wire Service A news agency is an organization that gathers news reports and sells them to subscribing news organizations, such as newspapers, magazines and All-news radio, radio and News broadcasting, television Broadcasting, broadcasters. A news agency ma ...

'' (1957) (TV series) - director *''

Sailor of Fortune ''Sailor of Fortune'' is a 1955 British-Canadian TV series starring Lorne Greene. There were 26, 25 minute episodes film for this television series. Several episodes were directed by John Guillermin. It was filmed at New Elstree Studios and Net ...

'' (1957) (TV series) - director * ''

Operation Amsterdam ''Operation Amsterdam'' is a 1959 black and white British action film, directed by Michael McCarthy (film director), Michael McCarthy, and featuring Peter Finch, Eva Bartok and Tony Britton. It is based on a true story as described in the book ' ...

'' (1959) - director, writer

References

External links

*
Michael McCarthy
at BFI British film directors British male screenwriters Mass media people from Birmingham, West Midlands 1917 births 1959 deaths 20th-century British screenwriters {{UK-film-director-stub