Michael Anderson (director)

His parents were the actors Lawrence (1893–1939) and Beatrice Anderson (1893–1977).

His great-aunt was Mary Anderson of Louisville, Kentucky, who became one of the first US Shakespearean actresses; the Mary Anderson Theatre in Louisville was dedicated to her.

Michael Joseph Anderson (30 January 1920 – 25 April 2018) was an English film and television director.

His career spanned nearly 50 years across three countries, working at various times in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada.

He began working in the industry as an actor during the 1930s.

He joined Elstree Studios as a production runner in 1936 and became an assistant director by 1938.

By 1938, he had graduated to working behind the camera as an assistant director.

During World War II, while serving in the British Army's Royal Signals Corps, he met Peter Ustinov and subsequently assisted him on two films.

Anderson appeared in two films as an actor: as Oily Boyd in Housemaster (1938); and as Marine Albert Fosdick in Noël Coward's In Which We Serve (1942).

His credits as assistant director include Spy for a Day (1940), Freedom Radio (1940), Quiet Wedding (1941), Cottage to Let (1941) and Jeannie (1941).

He was unit manager as well as actor on In Which We Serve (1942) and was assistant director on Unpublished Story (1942).

Anderson served with the Royal Corps of Signals during the Second World War, during which time he met Peter Ustinov.

On demobilisation, Anderson returned to the film industry working as an assistant director on Ustinov's films School for Secrets (1946) and Vice Versa (1947).

He was also an assistant director on Fame is the Spur (1947), One Night with You (1947) and Mr. Perrin and Mr. Traill (1948).

Anderson and Ustinov then wrote and directed a feature together, Private Angelo (1949).

"He's an old friend of mine and we've always got each other out of difficulties," said Ustinov.

Anderson made his solo directorial debut with a B film, Waterfront (1950) with Robert Newton and Richard Burton.

The Telegraph critic announced, "I can only burn my boats and prophesy that young Michael Anderson is possibly the most promising discovery since Carol Reed and David Lean."

Anderson followed his first at bat with some more B movies: Hell Is Sold Out (1951) for producer Raymond Stross; Night Was Our Friend (1952) and Dial 17 (1952).

In early 1952 he co directed a stage revue in London, The Irving Revue.

In April 1952 Anderson signed a contract with Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC) for whom he wound up making five films.

The first was a comedy, Will Any Gentleman...? (1953), based on a stage success.

It was followed by The House of the Arrow (1953).

His most critically and commercially successful works include the World War II film The Dam Busters (1955), the dystopian sci-fi film Logan's Run (1976), and the comedy adventure epic Around the World in 80 Days (1956), which won the 1957 Academy Award for Best Picture.

Anderson received nominations for the Best Director Oscar and the Golden Globe for Best Director for Around the World in 80 Days.

He was twice nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation (for Logan's Run and for the Ray Bradbury miniseries The Martian Chronicles), and for a Directors Guild of America Award and the Palme d'Or.

The third was the war film The Dam Busters (1955), starring Richard Todd.

Todd recalled when first told Anderson was to direct "I thought this was typical ABPC cheese-paring, instead of getting an expensive well-known director. Michael had made only small films before that, having previously been the best first assistant director in the business. But I had dinner with him one night and was totally won over by him. He knew what he was doing and was a delight to work with."

The Dam Busters was the most popular movie at the British box office in 1955.

Todd worked twice more with Anderson, calling him "a supremely authoritative, quiet, collected director who knew exactly what he wanted and what he could get out of his actors. He only had to give me a little quiet guidance, and we worked together very well."

Anderson was then called in to direct Around the World in 80 Days (1956), after original director John Farrow had a falling out with producer Mike Todd.

Todd reportedly hired him on the strength of The Dam Busters and the recommendation of Noël Coward.

The film was a huge hit and Anderson was nominated for an Academy Award (the film won Best Picture) and a Golden Globe for his direction.

Anderson was reunited with Richard Todd for another war film Yangtse Incident: The Story of H.M.S. Amethyst (1957) for producer Herbert Wilcox but it was not as popular as The Dam Busters.

Todd signed Anderson to a two-picture contract but Todd died in a plane crash in 1958.

Anderson followed this with the first cinema adaptation of George Orwell's 1984 (1956), co-financed by American interests.

It was a commercial failure, despite shooting a "happier" ending for the United States release.

In 2012, he received the Directors Guild of Canada's Lifetime Achievement Award.

Anderson was the father of actor Michael Anderson Jr., and the stepfather of actress Laurie Holden.

Anderson was born in London, United Kingdom, to a theatrical family.