About

Known credits:
28
Birthday:
1912-09-08
Place of birth:
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Website:
N/A

Alexander Mackendrick

Overview

Alexander Mackendrick (September 8, 1912 – December 22, 1993) was an American-born Scottish film director and screenwriter. He directed nine feature films between 1949 and 1967, before retiring from filmmaking to become an influential professor at the California Institute of the Arts.

Born to Scottish immigrant parents in Boston, he was raised in Glasgow from the age of 6. He began making television commercials before moving into post-production editing and directing films, most notably for Ealing Studios where his films include Whisky Galore! (1949), The Man in the White Suit (1951) - which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay, The Maggie (1954), and The Ladykillers (1955).

In 1957, Mackendrick directed his first American film Sweet Smell of Success, which was a critical and commercial success. However, his directing career declined throughout the following decade, and he was fired or replaced from several projects, owing in part to his perfectionist approach to filmmaking.

Mackendrick retired from directing in the late 1960's after completing A High Wind in Jamaica (1965) and Don't Make Waves (1967), becoming the founding Dean (and later a Professor) of the CalArts School of Film/Video.

Known for

Acting
1995 Typically British: A Personal History of British Cinema Actor 59
Average
1986 Made In Ealing: The Story of Ealing Studios Actor Interviewee 59
Average
1986 Mackendrick: The Man Who Walked Away Actor Self N/A
N/A
1970 The Ealing Comedies Actor Self N/A
N/A

Directing
1967 Don't Make Waves Directing Director 58
Average
1967 Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mamma's Hung You in the Closet and I'm Feeling So Sad Directing Director 58
Average
1965 A High Wind in Jamaica Directing Director 59
Average
1963 Sammy Going South Directing Director 59
Average
1957 Sweet Smell of Success Directing Director 67
Fair
1955 The Ladykillers Directing Director 65
Fair
1954 The 'Maggie' Directing Director 59
Average
1952 Mandy Directing Director 59
Average
1951 The Man in the White Suit Directing Director 61
Fair
1949 Whisky Galore! Directing Director 60
Fair
1943 Contraries Directing Director N/A
N/A

Writing
1958 Fanfare Writing Script Consultant 59
Average
1954 The 'Maggie' Writing Story 59
Average
1951 The Man in the White Suit Writing Screenplay 61
Fair
1950 Dance Hall Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1948 Saraband for Dead Lovers Writing Writer 59
Average
1948 Robinson Charley Writing Script Consultant N/A
N/A
1943 Abu and the Poisoned Well Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1943 Abu's Dungeon Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1939 Love on the Range Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1938 South Sea Sweethearts Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1937 Midnight Menace Writing Story 58
Average

Crew
2017 Logan Crew Thanks 77
Good
2007 3:10 to Yuma Crew Thanks 70
Good