Jack Gold
Encyclopedia
Jack Gold is a British film and television director
. He was part of the British Realist Tradition that followed Free Cinema
.
programme. Gold became a freelance documentary filmmaker, also making dramas as a platform for his social and political observations.
He is best known for having directed films such as; The Visit (1959), The National Health
(1973), The Naked Civil Servant
(1975), Man Friday
(1975), The Medusa Touch
(1978), Charlie Muffin
(1979) aka A Deadly Game (USA), The Chain (1985) and Escape From Sobibor
(1987).
His other works include the televised BBC/Lifetime version of The Merchant of Venice (1980) and Macbeth (1983) -- the latter starring Nicol Williamson
-- as well as the rare but effective made-for-TV adaptation of Graham Greene
's The Tenth Man (1988), starring Anthony Hopkins
. He also directed the final episode of Inspector Morse
: "The Remorseful Day".
, with whom he shares a birthday (born one year apart on 28 June 1930 and 1931). Gold's nephew Ricky Paull Goldin
is also an actor.
Television director
A television director directs the activities involved in making a television program and is part of a television crew.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or recorded to video tape or video server .In both types of productions, the...
. He was part of the British Realist Tradition that followed Free Cinema
Free Cinema
Free Cinema was a documentary film movement that emerged in England in the mid-1950s. The term referred to an absence of propagandised intent or deliberate box office appeal. Co-founded by Lindsay Anderson, though he later disdained the 'movement' tag, with Karel Reisz, Tony Richardson and Lorenza...
.
Career
Gold was born in London, and was educated at University College London (UCL). After leaving UCL, he began his career as an editor on BBC's TonightTonight (1957 TV series)
Tonight was a BBC television current affairs programme presented by Cliff Michelmore and broadcast in Britain live on weekday evenings from February 1957 to 1965. The producers were the future Controller of BBC1 Donald Baverstock and the future Director-General of the BBC Alasdair Milne...
programme. Gold became a freelance documentary filmmaker, also making dramas as a platform for his social and political observations.
He is best known for having directed films such as; The Visit (1959), The National Health
The National Health (film)
The National Health is a 1973 British comedy film directed by Jack Gold and starring Lynn Redgrave, Colin Blakely and Eleanor Bron. It is based on the play The National Health by Peter Nichols, in which the staff struggle to cope in an underfunded NHS hospital...
(1973), The Naked Civil Servant
The Naked Civil Servant (film)
The Naked Civil Servant is a 1975 TV film based on the 1968 autobiography by the gay icon Quentin Crisp, also titled The Naked Civil Servant. It stars John Hurt in the title role....
(1975), Man Friday
Man Friday (film)
Man Friday is a 1975 British/American film. It is adapted from the 1973 play by Adrian Mitchell based on Daniel Defoe's novel Robinson Crusoe, but reverses the roles, portraying Crusoe as a blunt, stiff Englishman, while the native he calls Man Friday is much more intelligent and empathic...
(1975), The Medusa Touch
The Medusa Touch (film)
The Medusa Touch is a 1978 British supernatural thriller film directed by Jack Gold. It starred Richard Burton, Lino Ventura, Lee Remick and Harry Andrews, with cameos by Alan Badel, Derek Jacobi, Gordon Jackson, Jeremy Brett and Michael Hordern...
(1978), Charlie Muffin
Charlie Muffin
Charlie Muffin is a 1979 made-for-TV film based on the novel Charlie M by Brian Freemantle. In the U.S., the picture was later re-released under the title A Deadly Game....
(1979) aka A Deadly Game (USA), The Chain (1985) and Escape From Sobibor
Escape from Sobibor
Escape from Sobibor is a 1987 British made-for-TV film which aired on CBS. It deals with the extermination camp at Sobibor, the site of the most successful uprising by Jewish prisoners of German extermination camps...
(1987).
His other works include the televised BBC/Lifetime version of The Merchant of Venice (1980) and Macbeth (1983) -- the latter starring Nicol Williamson
Nicol Williamson
Nicol Williamson is a Scottish-born English actor who was described by English playwright John Osborne as "the greatest actor since Marlon Brando".-Early life:...
-- as well as the rare but effective made-for-TV adaptation of Graham Greene
Graham Greene
Henry Graham Greene, OM, CH was an English author, playwright and literary critic. His works explore the ambivalent moral and political issues of the modern world...
's The Tenth Man (1988), starring Anthony Hopkins
Anthony Hopkins
Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, KBE , best known as Anthony Hopkins, is a Welsh actor of film, stage and television...
. He also directed the final episode of Inspector Morse
Inspector Morse (TV series)
Inspector Morse is a detective drama based on Colin Dexter's series of Chief Inspector Morse novels. The series starred John Thaw as Chief Inspector Morse and Kevin Whately as Sergeant Lewis. Dexter makes a cameo appearance in all but three of the episodes....
: "The Remorseful Day".
Personal life
Gold is married to actor Denyse AlexanderDenyse Alexander
Denyse Alexander is a British film and television actress. She is married to Jack Gold.-Selected filmography:* Orders to Kill * The Medusa Touch * The Sailor's Return * Lady Jane -Television roles:...
, with whom he shares a birthday (born one year apart on 28 June 1930 and 1931). Gold's nephew Ricky Paull Goldin
Ricky Paull Goldin
Richard "Ricky" Paull Goldin is an American actor. He is currently in the cast of All My Children as Jake Martin since April 2008...
is also an actor.
Filmography
- The Bofors GunThe Bofors GunThe Bofors Gun is a 1968 British drama film directed by Jack Gold and starring Nicol Williamson, Ian Holm and John Thaw. It was based on the play Events While Guarding The Bofors Gun by John McGrath. It portrays the British peacetime occupation of West Germany following the Second World War.-Cast:*...
(1968) - The ReckoningThe Reckoning (1969 film)The Reckoning is a 1969 British drama film directed by Jack Gold and starring Nicol Williamson, Ann Bell and Lilita De Barros. A high-flying London businessman has to return to his working-class Liverpool roots when he returns to the city following a death in the family.-Cast:* Nicol Williamson -...
(1969) - The National HealthThe National Health (film)The National Health is a 1973 British comedy film directed by Jack Gold and starring Lynn Redgrave, Colin Blakely and Eleanor Bron. It is based on the play The National Health by Peter Nichols, in which the staff struggle to cope in an underfunded NHS hospital...
(1973) - Who? (1973)
- Man FridayMan Friday (film)Man Friday is a 1975 British/American film. It is adapted from the 1973 play by Adrian Mitchell based on Daniel Defoe's novel Robinson Crusoe, but reverses the roles, portraying Crusoe as a blunt, stiff Englishman, while the native he calls Man Friday is much more intelligent and empathic...
(1975) - Aces HighAces High (film)Aces High is a 1976 British war film directed by Jack Gold and starring Malcolm McDowell, Christopher Plummer and Simon Ward. The screenplay was written by Howard Barker. As acknowledged in the opening credits, the film is based on the 1930s play Journey's End by R. C. Sherriff and the memoir...
(1976) - The Medusa TouchThe Medusa Touch (film)The Medusa Touch is a 1978 British supernatural thriller film directed by Jack Gold. It starred Richard Burton, Lino Ventura, Lee Remick and Harry Andrews, with cameos by Alan Badel, Derek Jacobi, Gordon Jackson, Jeremy Brett and Michael Hordern...
(1978) - The Sailor's Return (1978)
- Little Lord FauntleroyLittle Lord Fauntleroy (1980 film)Little Lord Fauntleroy is a 1980 British family film directed by Jack Gold and starring Alec Guiness, Rick Schroder and Eric Porter. It is based on the children's novel of the same name.-Plot synopsis:...
(1980) - Red MonarchRed MonarchRed Monarch is a 1983 British TV film starring Colin Blakely as Joseph Stalin. It is directed by Jack Gold and features David Suchet as Lavrentiy Beria and David Threlfall as Stalin's son Vasily....
(1983) - The Chain (1984)