Robert Tronson (18 May 1924 – 27 November 2008) was an English film and television director, born in

Chilmark, Wiltshire Chilmark is a Wiltshire village and Civil parishes in England, civil parish of some 150 houses straddling the B3089 road, west of Salisbury, England. The parish includes the hamlets of Mooray and Portash, both close to the south of Chilmark vi ...

. Educated at

Churcher's College Churcher's College is an independent, fee-charging day school for girls and boys, founded in 1722. The Senior School (ages 11–18) is in the market town of Petersfield, Hampshire with the Junior School and Nursery (ages 2 years, 9 months–11 ...

in Hampshire, followed by the

Royal Naval College, Dartmouth Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, Iowa, a ...

, he served with the Royal Navy from 1941. After leaving the service at the end of the Second World War he determined to become a writer, but soon joined the BBC, where he produced children's television programmes. In 1955 he joined

Associated-Rediffusion Associated-Rediffusion, later Rediffusion London, was the British ITV franchise holder for London and parts of the surrounding counties, on weekdays between 22 September 1955 and 29 July 1968. It was the first ITA franchisee to go on air, ...

, and by the end of the decade he was working on television drama serials. From the 1960s onwards he worked as a freelance director in a career spanning almost 50 years. His final television credits were for directing five episodes of ''

Hetty Wainthropp Investigates ''Hetty Wainthropp Investigates'' is a British crime drama television series, starring Patricia Routledge as the title character, Henrietta "Hetty" Wainthropp, that aired for four series between 3 January 1996 and 4 September 1998 on BBC One. T ...

'' for the BBC, between 1996 and 1998. In 1965 Tronson married Nona Richards (died 1987). He died on 27 November 2008 and was survived by their son.

Filmography

Films

*''

Shooting Star Shooting star refers to a meteor. Shooting star may also refer to: Film, television, and theater * ''Shooting Star'' (2015 film), a 2015 Bulgarian short film * ''Shooting Star'' (2020 film), a 2020 Canadian short film * ''Shooting Stars'' ( ...

'' (1951), written with Hazel Adair *''

The Professor's Secret ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' (1951), written with Hazel Adair *'' Happy Holidays'' (1954) *'' Never Back Losers'' (1961) * '' Man at the Carlton Tower'' (1961) * '' Man Detained'' (1961) *''

The Traitors ''The Traitors'' is a reality game show franchise created by the All3Media company IDTV which originally aired on RTL 4 in the Netherlands in 2021. Gameplay The players are divided into two groups: the "Faithfuls" and the "Traitors," with on ...

'' (1962) *'' On the Run'' (1963) *'' Farewell Performance'' (1963) *''

Ring of Spies ''Ring of Spies'' (also known as ''Ring of Treason'') is a 1964 British spy film directed by Robert Tronson and starring Bernard Lee, William Sylvester and Margaret Tyzack. It is based on the real-life case of the Portland Spy Ring, whose activ ...

'' (1964) *''

Act of Reprisal ''Act of Reprisal'' is an American drama film directed by Erricos Andreou and Robert Tronson and starring Ina Balin, Jeremy Brett and Giannis Voglis. The film was produced in 1964, but was not released in theaters until 1991. The film depicts a r ...

'' (1964)

Television

*'' Man in a Suitcase'' (1967–68) *''

The Avengers Avenger, Avengers, The Avenger, or The Avengers may refer to: Arts and entertainment In the Marvel Comics universe * Avengers (comics), a team of superheroes ** Avengers (Marvel Cinematic Universe), a central team of protagonist superheroes o ...

'' *'' The Saint'' *''Public Enemy'' *''

Callan Callan is a given name and surname of Irish and Scottish origin. It can derive from Ó Cathaláin, meaning ''descendant of Cathalán''. Callan can also be an Anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Allin or Mac Callin. Notable people with the name includ ...

'' *''

The Baron Baron is a title of nobility. Baron, The Baron or Barons may also refer to: Places * Barons, Alberta, Canada * Baron, Gard, France * Baron, Gironde, France * Baron, Oise, France * Baron, Saône-et-Loire, France * Baron-sur-Odon, France * Bar ...

'' *''

Randall and Hopkirk Deceased ''Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)'' is a British private detective television series, starring Mike Pratt (actor), Mike Pratt and Kenneth Cope respectively as the private detectives Jeff Randall and Marty Hopkirk. The series was created by Den ...

'' *''

The Five Red Herrings ''The Five Red Herrings'' (also ''The 5 Red Herrings'') is a 1931 novel by Dorothy L. Sayers, her sixth featuring Lord Peter Wimsey. In the United States it was published in the same year under the title ''Suspicious Characters''. Foreword T ...

'' (A four-part BBC adaptation, in 1975, of the

Lord Peter Wimsey Lord Peter Death Bredon Wimsey (later 17th Duke of Denver) is the fictional protagonist in a series of detective novels and short stories by Dorothy L. Sayers (and their continuation by Jill Paton Walsh). A dilettante who solves mysteries ...

story) *'' Armchair Thriller'' *'' Boon'' *'' Dempsey and Makepeace'' *'' Bergerac'' *''

Rumpole of the Bailey ''Rumpole of the Bailey'' is a British television series created and written by the British writer and barrister John Mortimer. It starred Leo McKern as Horace Rumpole, a middle-aged London barrister who defended a broad variety of clients, oft ...

'' *'' Under the Hammer'' *''

'' (1996–98) *'' All Creatures Great and Small'' *'' The Darling Buds of May''

Legacy

"I was very fond of Bob Tronson, who directed [the '' All Creatures Great and Small'' episode] 'Choose a Bright Morning' and many of our stories", recalled Robert Hardy in 2016.''All Memories Great & Small'', Oliver Crocker (2016; MIWK) "I loved him, we got on very well. He was inventive and he gave me free rein."

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Tronson, Robert 1924 births 2008 deaths English television directors English film directors People educated at Churcher's College