About

Known credits:
162
Birthday:
1887-11-11
Place of birth:
Stockton-on-Tees, England, UK
Website:
N/A

Maurice Elvey

Overview

Maurice Elvey was born in Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, England, the oldest son of William Clarence Folkard, an inspecting engineer, and Sarah Anna Seward Folkard (formerly Pearce). He never had a formal education, and was working on the streets of London by the age of nine after having run away from home. For a time he worked as a page boy in the Hyde Park Hotel, and a lucky encounter with a wealthy American set him on the road to a career in first the theatre and then in films. It was while in New York when working as a stage producer that he saw his first film, The Flying Dutchman (1923). This made such an impression on him that when he came back to England he was determined to produce and direct films; thus began a career spanning 44 years, during which time he made over 300 feature films and innumerable shorts. Amongst the "firsts" that Maurice Elvey can claim as a director are: Gaumont's first talking film (High Treason (1929)) and the first British colour film Sons of the Sea (1939)). Carol Reed and David Lean began their distinguished careers in film by working for him, and he directed Gracie Fields in her first movie, Sally in Our Alley (1931). Maurice Elvey was the older brother of Fred V. Merrick, and during the 1920s and 1930s they worked on a number of films together. In May 1996 the world premiere of a long-lost film about David Lloyd George, directed by Elvey, took place in Cardiff more than 70 years later than scheduled. The three-hour film was suppressed on the eve of its release under circumstances that have still not been fully explained. The film was acclaimed by cinema historians as a milestone in film making, and it is believed that had it been released in 1918, as originally planned, it may well have changed the course of British cinema.

Maurice Elvey was married three times. His first marriage took place on 31st December 1910 to Adeline Maud Charlton Preston (aka actress 'Philippa Preston'. This marriage ended in divorce. He then married Florence Hill Clarke (a sculptor) on 2nd February 1916. This marriage, too, ended in divorce. On 13th January 1923 he married Isabella Reed (aka actress Isobel Elsom), but this marriage also ended in divorce. As Elvey's niece and god-daughter I was privileged to unveil a plaque in April 1997 at the Green Dragon Museum, Stockton-on-Tees as part of the Centenary of Cinema Celebrations.

Known for

Acting
1914 The Cup Final Mystery Actor N/A
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1913 The Fallen idol Actor The lover N/A
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1913 Maria Marten, or Murder in the Red Barn Actor Capt. Matthews N/A
N/A

Directing
1957 Second Fiddle Directing Director 58
Average
1956 Stars in Your Eyes Directing Director 58
Average
1956 Dry Rot Directing Director 59
Average
1955 Fun at St. Fanny's Directing Director 59
Average
1955 Room in the House Directing Director N/A
N/A
1955 You Lucky People! Directing Director 58
Average
1954 The Happiness of Three Women Directing Director 58
Average
1954 What Every Woman Wants Directing Director 59
Average
1954 The Gay Dog Directing Director 59
Average
1954 The Harassed Hero Directing Director 59
Average
1953 Is Your Honeymoon Really Necessary? Directing Director 58
Average
1953 House of Blackmail Directing Director 59
Average
1953 The Great Game Directing Director 58
Average
1952 My Wife's Lodger Directing Director 58
Average
1951 The Late Edwina Black Directing Director 58
Average
1951 The Third Visitor Directing Director 58
Average
1946 Beware of Pity Directing Director 59
Average
1944 Strawberry Roan Directing Director 59
Average
1944 Medal for the General Directing Director 59
Average
1943 The Lamp Still Burns Directing Director 59
Average
1943 The Gentle Sex Directing Co-Director 59
Average
1942 Salute John Citizen Directing Director N/A
N/A
1940 Under Your Hat Directing Director 58
Average
1940 For Freedom Directing Director N/A
N/A
1940 The Spider Directing Director 59
Average
1939 Sons of the Sea Directing Director 58
Average
1939 Sword of Honour Directing Director N/A
N/A
1938 The Return of the Frog Directing Director 58
Average
1938 Who Killed John Savage? Directing Director N/A
N/A
1938 Who Goes Next? Directing Director 59
Average
1937 Change for a Sovereign Directing Director N/A
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1937 A Romance in Flanders Directing Director N/A
N/A
1936 The Man in the Mirror Directing Director 59
Average
1936 Spy of Napoleon Directing Director N/A
N/A
1935 The Tunnel Directing Director 58
Average
1935 The Clairvoyant Directing Director 59
Average
1935 Heat Wave Directing Director N/A
N/A
1934 Road House Directing Director 59
Average
1934 My Song for You Directing Director 59
Average
1934 Princess Charming Directing Director 59
Average
1934 Love, Life and Laughter Directing Director 59
Average
1934 Lily of Killarney Directing Director 58
Average
1933 The Wandering Jew Directing Director 59
Average
1933 This Week of Grace Directing Director 58
Average
1933 I Lived with You Directing Director 58
Average
1933 The Lost Chord Directing Director N/A
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1933 Soldiers of the King Directing Director N/A
N/A
1932 The Lodger Directing Director 58
Average
1932 Diamond Cut Diamond Directing Director N/A
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1932 The Marriage Bond Directing Director N/A
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1932 The Water Gipsies Directing Director 58
Average
1932 In a Monastery Garden Directing Director N/A
N/A
1932 Frail Women Directing Director 58
Average
1931 A Honeymoon Adventure Directing Director 58
Average
1931 Sally in Our Alley Directing Director 58
Average
1931 Potiphar's Wife Directing Director N/A
N/A
1930 The School for Scandal Directing Director N/A
N/A
1929 High Treason Directing Director 58
Average
1928 You Know What Sailors Are Directing Director N/A
N/A
1928 Palais De Danse Directing Director N/A
N/A
1928 Balaclava Directing Director N/A
N/A
1927 Quinneys Directing Director N/A
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1927 The Flag Lieutenant Directing Director N/A
N/A
1927 Hindle Wakes Directing Director 59
Average
1927 The Flight Commander Directing Director N/A
N/A
1927 The Glad Eye Directing Director N/A
N/A
1927 Roses of Picardy Directing Director N/A
N/A
1927 Human Law Directing Director N/A
N/A
1926 Mademoiselle from Armentieres Directing Director N/A
N/A
1926 Baddesley Manor: The Phantom Gambler Directing Director N/A
N/A
1926 Windsor Castle Directing Director N/A
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1926 Glamis Castle Directing Director N/A
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1926 The Tower of London Directing Director N/A
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1925 Folly of Vanity Directing Director N/A
N/A
1924 Curlytop Directing Director N/A
N/A
1924 The Love Story of Aliette Brunton Directing Director N/A
N/A
1924 Slaves of Destiny Directing Director N/A
N/A
1924 Henry, King of Navarre Directing Director N/A
N/A
1923 Sally Bishop Directing Director N/A
N/A
1923 Don Quixote Directing Director 58
Average
1923 The Royal Oak Directing Director N/A
N/A
1923 The Sign of Four Directing Director 58
Average
1923 The Wandering Jew Directing Director N/A
N/A
1922 A Debt of Honour Directing Director N/A
N/A
1922 Dick Turpin's Ride to York Directing Director N/A
N/A
1922 Man and His Kingdom Directing Director N/A
N/A
1922 The Passionate Friends Directing Director N/A
N/A
1921 A Romance of Wastdale Directing Director N/A
N/A
1921 The Fruitful Vine Directing Director N/A
N/A
1921 The Hound of the Baskervilles Directing Director 58
Average
1921 The Tragedy of a Comic Song Directing Director N/A
N/A
1921 A Gentleman of France Directing Director N/A
N/A
1921 The Devil's Foot Directing Director 58
Average
1921 The Man with the Twisted Lip Directing Director 58
Average
1921 The Dying Detective Directing Director 58
Average
1921 The Solitary Cyclist Directing Director N/A
N/A
1921 The Yellow Face Directing Director N/A
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1921 The Beryl Coronet Directing Director N/A
N/A
1921 The Copper Beeches Directing Director N/A
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1921 The Red-Haired League Directing Director N/A
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1921 The Resident Patient Directing Director N/A
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1921 A Case of Identity Directing Director N/A
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1921 The Empty House Directing Director N/A
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1921 The Tiger of San Pedro Directing Director N/A
N/A
1921 A Scandal in Bohemia Directing Director N/A
N/A
1921 The Priory School Directing Director N/A
N/A
1921 The Noble Bachelor Directing Director N/A
N/A
1921 Innocent Directing Director N/A
N/A
1921 The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Directing Director N/A
N/A
1920 The Tavern Knight Directing Director N/A
N/A
1920 The Hundredth Chance Directing Director N/A
N/A
1920 At the Villa Rose Directing Director N/A
N/A
1920 Bleak House Directing Director N/A
N/A
1919 The Swindler Directing Director 58
Average
1919 God's Good Man Directing Director N/A
N/A
1919 The Rocks of Valpre Directing Director N/A
N/A
1919 Comradeship Directing Director N/A
N/A
1918 Adam Bede Directing Director N/A
N/A
1918 Nelson Directing Director 58
Average
1918 Hindle Wakes Directing Director N/A
N/A
1918 The Life Story of David Lloyd George Directing Director 59
Average
1916 The King's Daughter Directing Director N/A
N/A
1916 The Princess of Happy Chance Directing Director N/A
N/A
1915 Florence Nightingale Directing Director N/A
N/A
1915 Love in a Wood Directing Director N/A
N/A
1914 The Suicide Club Directing Director N/A
N/A
1914 The Idol of Paris Directing Director N/A
N/A
1914 Her Luck in London Directing Director N/A
N/A
1914 The Cup Final Mystery Directing Director N/A
N/A
1914 Black-Eyed Susan Directing Director N/A
N/A
1914 Inquisitive Ike Directing Director N/A
N/A
1914 Beautiful Jim Directing Director N/A
N/A
1913 Maria Marten or The Mystery of the Red Barn Directing Director 58
Average
1913 Bridegrooms Beware! Directing Director N/A
N/A
1913 The Great Gold Robbery Directing Director N/A
N/A
1913 The Fallen idol Directing Director N/A
N/A
1913 Popsy Wopsy Directing Director N/A
N/A
1913 Maria Marten, or Murder in the Red Barn Directing Director N/A
N/A
Vice Versa Directing Director N/A
N/A

Writing
1954 The Happiness of Three Women Writing Theatre Play 58
Average
1939 Sons of the Sea Writing Screenplay 58
Average
1931 Potiphar's Wife Writing Adaptation N/A
N/A
1923 The Sign of Four Writing Writer 58
Average

Production
1946 Beware of Pity Production Producer 59
Average
1944 Medal for the General Production Associate Producer 59
Average
1939 Sword of Honour Production Producer N/A
N/A
1930 The School for Scandal Production Producer N/A
N/A
1930 A Sister to Assist 'Er Production Producer N/A
N/A
1928 Palais De Danse Production Producer N/A
N/A
1928 Sailors Don't Care Production Producer N/A
N/A
1927 The Arcadians Production Producer N/A
N/A
1927 A Woman in Pawn Production Producer N/A
N/A
1927 Hindle Wakes Production Producer 59
Average
1927 A Sister to Assist 'Er Production Producer N/A
N/A
1927 The Glad Eye Production Producer N/A
N/A
1927 Roses of Picardy Production Producer N/A
N/A
1920 Darby and Joan Production Producer N/A
N/A
1917 Masks and Faces Production Producer 58
Average
1916 Her Greatest Performance Production Producer N/A
N/A