About

Known credits:
15
Birthday:
1913-01-27
Place of birth:
Slad, Gloucestershire, England
Website:
N/A

Jack Lee

Overview

Wilfred John Raymond Lee (27 January 1913 – 15 October 2002) was a British film director, screenwriter, editor, and producer, who directed a number of postwar films on location in Asia and Australia for The Rank Organisation.

Lee was born in the village of Slad near Stroud, Gloucestershire, the eldest brother of Laurie Lee, author of Cider with Rosie. In childhood, the two boys were close but fell out in later life. Natural rivals, Jack gained a place at the grammar school (Marling School in Stroud); Laurie failed to do so, attending Stroud Central School for Boys.

He directed and co-wrote the screenplay of the pioneering motorcycle speedway film Once a Jolly Swagman (1949) which starred Dirk Bogarde.

Among Jack Lee's other films are The Wooden Horse (1950), a popular Second World War POW escape film; Turn the Key Softly (1953), a realistic drama; A Town Like Alice (1956), starring Virginia McKenna and Peter Finch, based on Nevil Shute's novel; and Robbery Under Arms (1957), a Western-style adventure set in Australia, based on the 1888 bushranger novel by "Rolf Boldrewood".

During the Australian feature film renaissance ushered in with Picnic at Hanging Rock, he served as chairman (from 1976 to 1981) of the South Australian Film Corporation, which started the careers of Bruce Beresford and Peter Weir.

Known for

Directing
1960 Circle of Deception Directing Director 59
Average
1959 The Captain's Table Directing Director 59
Average
1957 Robbery Under Arms Directing Director 58
Average
1956 A Town Like Alice Directing Director 59
Average
1953 Turn the Key Softly Directing Director 59
Average
1953 South of Algiers Directing Director 59
Average
1950 The Wooden Horse Directing Director 59
Average
1949 Once a Jolly Swagman Directing Director 58
Average
1947 Children on Trial Directing Director N/A
N/A
1947 The Woman in the Hall Directing Director 58
Average
1941 The Pilot Is Safe Directing Director N/A
N/A
1941 Ordinary People Directing Director N/A
N/A

Writing
1953 Turn the Key Softly Writing Screenplay 59
Average
1947 Children on Trial Writing Writer N/A
N/A
1947 The Woman in the Hall Writing Screenplay 58
Average