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Peter Collinson (film director)

January 01, 1970

Peter Collinson (1 April 1936 – 16 December 1980) was a British film director probably best remembered for directing The Italian Job (1969).

Peter Collinson
Born
Peter Kenneth Collinson

(1936-04-01)1 April 1936
Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom
Died16 December 1980(1980-12-16) (aged 44)
Los Angeles, United States
Years active1961–1980

Early life edit

Peter Collinson was born in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire in 1936. His parents, an actress and a musician, separated when he was two years old; he was raised by his grandparents. From the age of eight until 14 he attended the Actor's Orphanage in Chertsey, Surrey, where he had the chance to write and act in many plays.

Noël Coward, who was president of the orphanage at the time, became his godfather and helped him to obtain jobs in the entertainment industry, which was dramatized in the radio play Mr Bridger's Orphan by Marcy Kahan in 2013.[1] (Collinson later directed Coward in his best-known film, The Italian Job (1969)). He auditioned for RADA but was rejected, so went to work for the New Cross Empire theatre when aged 14. He did a variety of theatrical jobs until 1954, when he was called up for national service. He served as a private with the Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) for two years in Malaya during the Malayan Emergency.[2]

Career edit

Collinson's early television work included time as a floor manager for the BBC and directing for ATV at Elstree studios. He was an assistant director on a short, The Pit (1962), and made a documentary, Blackwater Holiday (1963).

He also worked with Telefís Éireann, the Republic of Ireland's national TV station, and in 1963 he won a Jacob's Award for his production The Bomb.[3][4] He produced a stage musical in Dublin, Carrie (1963), starring Ray McAnally.[5]

Collinson began to direct TV: the film Don't Ever Talk to Clocks (1964), In Loving Memory (1964), The One Nighters.[6] He also made episodes of Sergeant Cork (1964), The Sullavan Brothers (1964), The Plane Makers (1964), Love Story (1964–65), Front Page Story (1965), Knock on Any Door (1965), A Day of Peace (1965) Blackmail (1965–66), and The Power Game, Women, Women, Women and The Informer (all 1966).

Features edit

Whilst working in TV he met producer Michael Klinger, who offered him the director role on the film The Penthouse (1967); this became Collinson's directorial debut. Starring Suzy Kendall, the low-budget film was released in the US and proved to be a surprise hit.[7] Collinson followed it with Up the Junction (1968), starring Kendall and Dennis Waterman, which received some strong reviews.[8]

Collinson directed two films for Paramount, both produced by Michael Deeley: The Long Day's Dying (1968), a low-budget war film, and The Italian Job (1969), a caper movie starring Michael Caine and Noël Coward. Dino De Laurentiis said he was to direct a film about Ned Kelly in Australia, The Iron Outlaw, but it was never made.[9] Instead, Collinson went to Turkey where he directed Tony Curtis and Charles Bronson in You Can't Win 'Em All (1970). He clashed with Curtis during filming.[10] He was meant to helm a biopic of Robert Capa, but it was never made.[11]

Back in England he made Fright (1971), a thriller with Susan George. He did a horror movie for Hammer Films, Straight On till Morning (1972), with Rita Tushingham, then Innocent Bystanders (1972), a thriller shot in Spain and Turkey with Stanley Baker.

Collinson went to Spain to direct a Western, The Man Called Noon (1973).[12] He followed it with Open Season (1974), starring Peter Fonda; a remake of And Then There Were None (1974), filmed in Iran with Oliver Reed; a remake of The Spiral Staircase (1975), shot in England with Jacqueline Bisset; Target of an Assassin (1976), filmed in South Africa with Anthony Quinn; and The Sell Out (1976), shot in Israel with Reed.[13]

He went to Canada for Tomorrow Never Comes (1978), with Oliver Reed and Susan George; it was entered into the 11th Moscow International Film Festival.[14] He followed it with The House on Garibaldi Street (1979), a US telemovie starring Topol.

His last feature was The Earthling (1980), shot in Australia with William Holden and Ricky Schroder.[15][16]

He was meant to direct The Gangster Chronicles for US television but died shortly before filming was to begin. Richard Sarafian stepped in.[17]

Death edit

During the filming of The Earthling (1980), Collinson discovered he was terminally ill; he died from lung cancer in Los Angeles. He was survived by his wife Hazel and two sons.[18]

Filmography edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Afternoon Play – Mr Bridger's Orphan". BBC.
  2. ^ "BRIEFING/WHO & WHY: "Plain hunt of an actor"". The Observer. London (UK). 14 November 1965. p. 23.
  3. ^ The Irish Times, 4 December 1963. "Presentation of television awards and citations".{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ "Death of film director". The Irish Times. 20 December 1980. p. 7.
  5. ^ "FESTIVAL PLAYS WELL BOOKED-EXCEPT ONE". The Irish Times. 27 September 1963. p. 4.
  6. ^ "COLLINSON REPLACED AS FESTIVAL DIRECTOR". The Irish Times. 4 August 1964. p. 1.
  7. ^ "Big Rental Films of 1968". Variety. 8 January 1969. p. 15. Please note this figure is a rental accruing to distributors.
  8. ^ A.H. WEILER (8 October 1967). "And Now Antonioni Will 'Blow Up' America". The New York Times. p. X19.
  9. ^ "DINO DE LAURENTIIS SETS NED KELLY FILM". Los Angeles Times. 23 May 1969. p. e13.
  10. ^ "Tony Curtis Ends Turkey Filming". Los Angeles Times. 5 November 1969. p. f15.
  11. ^ A.H. WEILER (12 April 1970). "A Kooky Time for Coco: Kooky Coco". The New York Times. p. D13.
  12. ^ Johnson, Molly. (22 October 1972). ""Englishman Puts on His Chaps"". Los Angeles Times. p. m22.
  13. ^ "Obituary 2 -- No Title". Chicago Tribune. 20 December 1980. p. w_a10.
  14. ^ . MIFF. Archived from the original on 3 April 2014. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
  15. ^ Johnson, Patricia (20 January 1980). "AN AUSSIE WELCOME FOR 'EARTHLING'". Los Angeles Times. p. n24.
  16. ^ ""THE EARTHLING"". The Australian Women's Weekly. Vol. 47, no. 24. 14 November 1979. p. 19. Retrieved 27 July 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  17. ^ O'Connor, John J. (22 February 1981). "TV VIEW: 'The Gangster Chronicles'--A Flashy Portrait of Some Unpretty People". The New York Times. p. D29.
  18. ^ "OBITUARY: British film and TV director". The Guardian. 20 December 1980. p. 2.

Other sources edit

External links edit

January 01, 1970
peter, collinson, film, director, peter, collinson, april, 1936, december, 1980, british, film, director, probably, best, remembered, directing, italian, 1969, peter, collinsonbornpeter, kenneth, collinson, 1936, april, 1936cleethorpes, lincolnshire, united, k. Peter Collinson 1 April 1936 16 December 1980 was a British film director probably best remembered for directing The Italian Job 1969 Peter CollinsonBornPeter Kenneth Collinson 1936 04 01 1 April 1936Cleethorpes Lincolnshire United KingdomDied16 December 1980 1980 12 16 aged 44 Los Angeles United StatesYears active1961 1980 Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 2 1 Features 3 Death 4 Filmography 5 References 6 Other sources 7 External linksEarly life editPeter Collinson was born in Cleethorpes Lincolnshire in 1936 His parents an actress and a musician separated when he was two years old he was raised by his grandparents From the age of eight until 14 he attended the Actor s Orphanage in Chertsey Surrey where he had the chance to write and act in many plays Noel Coward who was president of the orphanage at the time became his godfather and helped him to obtain jobs in the entertainment industry which was dramatized in the radio play Mr Bridger s Orphan by Marcy Kahan in 2013 1 Collinson later directed Coward in his best known film The Italian Job 1969 He auditioned for RADA but was rejected so went to work for the New Cross Empire theatre when aged 14 He did a variety of theatrical jobs until 1954 when he was called up for national service He served as a private with the Queen s Royal Regiment West Surrey for two years in Malaya during the Malayan Emergency 2 Career editCollinson s early television work included time as a floor manager for the BBC and directing for ATV at Elstree studios He was an assistant director on a short The Pit 1962 and made a documentary Blackwater Holiday 1963 He also worked with Telefis Eireann the Republic of Ireland s national TV station and in 1963 he won a Jacob s Award for his production The Bomb 3 4 He produced a stage musical in Dublin Carrie 1963 starring Ray McAnally 5 Collinson began to direct TV the film Don t Ever Talk to Clocks 1964 In Loving Memory 1964 The One Nighters 6 He also made episodes of Sergeant Cork 1964 The Sullavan Brothers 1964 The Plane Makers 1964 Love Story 1964 65 Front Page Story 1965 Knock on Any Door 1965 A Day of Peace 1965 Blackmail 1965 66 and The Power Game Women Women Women and The Informer all 1966 Features edit Whilst working in TV he met producer Michael Klinger who offered him the director role on the film The Penthouse 1967 this became Collinson s directorial debut Starring Suzy Kendall the low budget film was released in the US and proved to be a surprise hit 7 Collinson followed it with Up the Junction 1968 starring Kendall and Dennis Waterman which received some strong reviews 8 Collinson directed two films for Paramount both produced by Michael Deeley The Long Day s Dying 1968 a low budget war film and The Italian Job 1969 a caper movie starring Michael Caine and Noel Coward Dino De Laurentiis said he was to direct a film about Ned Kelly in Australia The Iron Outlaw but it was never made 9 Instead Collinson went to Turkey where he directed Tony Curtis and Charles Bronson in You Can t Win Em All 1970 He clashed with Curtis during filming 10 He was meant to helm a biopic of Robert Capa but it was never made 11 Back in England he made Fright 1971 a thriller with Susan George He did a horror movie for Hammer Films Straight On till Morning 1972 with Rita Tushingham then Innocent Bystanders 1972 a thriller shot in Spain and Turkey with Stanley Baker Collinson went to Spain to direct a Western The Man Called Noon 1973 12 He followed it with Open Season 1974 starring Peter Fonda a remake of And Then There Were None 1974 filmed in Iran with Oliver Reed a remake of The Spiral Staircase 1975 shot in England with Jacqueline Bisset Target of an Assassin 1976 filmed in South Africa with Anthony Quinn and The Sell Out 1976 shot in Israel with Reed 13 He went to Canada for Tomorrow Never Comes 1978 with Oliver Reed and Susan George it was entered into the 11th Moscow International Film Festival 14 He followed it with The House on Garibaldi Street 1979 a US telemovie starring Topol His last feature was The Earthling 1980 shot in Australia with William Holden and Ricky Schroder 15 16 He was meant to direct The Gangster Chronicles for US television but died shortly before filming was to begin Richard Sarafian stepped in 17 Death editDuring the filming of The Earthling 1980 Collinson discovered he was terminally ill he died from lung cancer in Los Angeles He was survived by his wife Hazel and two sons 18 Filmography editThe Penthouse 1967 Up the Junction 1968 The Long Day s Dying 1968 The Italian Job 1969 You Can t Win Em All 1970 Fright 1971 Straight On till Morning 1972 Innocent Bystanders 1972 The Man Called Noon 1973 Open Season 1974 And Then There Were None 1974 The Spiral Staircase 1975 Target of an Assassin aka Tigers Don t Cry 1976 The Sell Out 1976 Tomorrow Never Comes 1978 The House on Garibaldi Street 1979 The Earthling 1980 References edit Afternoon Play Mr Bridger s Orphan BBC BRIEFING WHO amp WHY Plain hunt of an actor The Observer London UK 14 November 1965 p 23 The Irish Times 4 December 1963 Presentation of television awards and citations a href Template Cite news html title Template Cite news cite news a CS1 maint numeric names authors list link Death of film director The Irish Times 20 December 1980 p 7 FESTIVAL PLAYS WELL BOOKED EXCEPT ONE The Irish Times 27 September 1963 p 4 COLLINSON REPLACED AS FESTIVAL DIRECTOR The Irish Times 4 August 1964 p 1 Big Rental Films of 1968 Variety 8 January 1969 p 15 Please note this figure is a rental accruing to distributors A H WEILER 8 October 1967 And Now Antonioni Will Blow Up America The New York Times p X19 DINO DE LAURENTIIS SETS NED KELLY FILM Los Angeles Times 23 May 1969 p e13 Tony Curtis Ends Turkey Filming Los Angeles Times 5 November 1969 p f15 A H WEILER 12 April 1970 A Kooky Time for Coco Kooky Coco The New York Times p D13 Johnson Molly 22 October 1972 Englishman Puts on His Chaps Los Angeles Times p m22 Obituary 2 No Title Chicago Tribune 20 December 1980 p w a10 11th Moscow International Film Festival 1979 MIFF Archived from the original on 3 April 2014 Retrieved 14 January 2013 Johnson Patricia 20 January 1980 AN AUSSIE WELCOME FOR EARTHLING Los Angeles Times p n24 THE EARTHLING The Australian Women s Weekly Vol 47 no 24 14 November 1979 p 19 Retrieved 27 July 2019 via National Library of Australia O Connor John J 22 February 1981 TV VIEW The Gangster Chronicles A Flashy Portrait of Some Unpretty People The New York Times p D29 OBITUARY British film and TV director The Guardian 20 December 1980 p 2 Other sources editField M 2001 The Making of the Italian Job Batsford ISBN 0 7134 8682 1 External links editPeter Collinson at IMDb Peter Collinson biography and filmography at the BFI s Screenonline Collinson interview Archived 14 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Peter Collinson film director amp oldid 1210930390, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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