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'''Leslie Armande Norman''' (25 February 1911&nbsp;– 18 February 1993) was an [[English people|English]] post-war film director, producer and editor who also worked extensively on 1960s television series later in his career.<ref name="brian">Brian McFarlane, ''An Autobiography of British Cinema'', Metheun 1997 p439-441</ref><ref name="Oxford">{{cite news |last=Oxford |first=Esther |date=21 February 1993 |title='Cruel Sea' producer dies |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/cruel-sea-producer-dies-1474461.html |newspaper=The Independent |access-date=4 December 2016}}</ref><ref name="Vallance">{{cite news |last=Vallance |first=Tom |date=27 February 1993 |title=Obituary: Leslie Norman |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-leslie-norman-1475461.html |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |access-date=4 December 2016}}</ref>
'''Leslie Armande Norman''' (25 February 1911&nbsp;– 18 February 1993) was an [[English people|English]] post-war film director, producer and editor who also worked extensively on 1960s television series later in his career.<ref name="brian">Brian McFarlane, ''An Autobiography of British Cinema'', Metheun 1997 p439-441</ref><ref name="Oxford">{{cite news |last=Oxford |first=Esther |date=21 February 1993 |title='Cruel Sea' producer dies |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/cruel-sea-producer-dies-1474461.html |newspaper=The Independent |access-date=4 December 2016}}</ref><ref name="Vallance">{{cite news |last=Vallance |first=Tom |date=27 February 1993 |title=Obituary: Leslie Norman |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-leslie-norman-1475461.html |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |access-date=4 December 2016}}</ref>


==Biography==
==Early life==
⚫
Norman was born on 25 February 1911 in [[Fulham]], [[London]], the second youngest of eleven children.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=pyeJHDCO%2FW4ziSDr1hydDQ&scan=1|title=Index entry|accessdate=4 December 2016|work=FreeBMD|publisher=ONS}}</ref><ref name="Norman">{{cite book |last=Norman |first=Barry |author-link=Barry Norman |year=2002 |title=And why not? (As I never did say) |url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=mBIbAQAAIAAJ |location=London |publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]] |page=26 |isbn=0743230965}}</ref>
===Early life===

⚫
Norman was born on 25 February 1911 in [[Fulham]], [[London]], the second youngest of eleven children.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=pyeJHDCO%2FW4ziSDr1hydDQ&scan=1|title=Index entry|accessdate=4 December 2016|work=FreeBMD|publisher=ONS}}</ref><ref name="Norman">{{cite book |last=Norman |first=Barry |author-link=Barry Norman |year=2002 |title=And why not? (As I never did say) |url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=mBIbAQAAIAAJ |location=London |publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]] |page=26 |isbn=0743230965}}</ref> Leaving school at 14, Norman worked in the film industry from the age of 16, working his way up from sweeper of the cutting-room floors at [[Ealing Studios]] to become an editor at 19. In 1939, prior to joining the British Army, Norman co-directed with Anthony Hankey the thriller ''[[Too Dangerous to Live]]'' starring [[Sebastian Shaw (actor)|Sebastian Shaw]] and [[Anna Konstam]].<ref name="Vallance"/>
Leaving school at 14, Norman worked in the film industry from the age of 16, working his way up from sweeper of the cutting-room floors at [[Ealing Studios]] to become an editor at 19.
===Editor===
Norman's early credits as editor were for British International. They included ''[[The Man from Chicago]]'' (1930), ''[[Compromising Daphne]]'' (1930), ''[[Fascination (1931 film)|Fascination]]'' (1931) for director Miles Mander, ''[[Potiphar's Wife (1931 film)|Potiphar's Wife]]'' (1931) with [[Laurence Olivier]] for director [[Maurice Elvey]], and ''[[Men Like These]]'' (1932) which he also co wrote.

Norman went on to edit ''[[Carmen (1932 film)|Carmen]]'' (1932), ''[[The Innocents of Chicago|Why Saps Leave Home]]'' (1932), ''[[Lucky Girl (1932 film)|Lucky Girl]]'' (1932), ''[[The Maid of the Mountains (film)|The Maid of the Mountains]]'' (1932), ''[[Timbuctoo]]'' (1933), ''[[Red Wagon]]'' (1933), ''[[Facing the Music]]'' (1933), ''[[Over the Garden Wall]]'' (1934), and ''[[April Blossoms]]'' (1934) with [[Richard Tauber]].

Norman edited ''[[I Spy]]'' (1934) for director [[Allan Dwan]], then ''[[The Old Curiosity Shop]]'' (1934), ''[[Mimi]]'' (1935), ''[[Regal Cavalcade]]'' (1935), ''[[Heart's Desire]]'' (1935) with Tauber, ''[[Viennese Love Song]]'' (1936), ''[[The Perfect Crime]]'' (1937), ''[[Who Killed John Savage?]]'' (1937), and ''[[Glamour Girl]]'' (1938).

Norman edited an early movie for TV, ''[[The Case of the Frightened Lady]]'' (1938). Then he returned to features: ''[[They Drive by Night]]'' (1938), ''[[Everything Happens to Me]]'' (1938), ''[[The Nursemaid Who Disappeared]]'' (1938).

In 1939, prior to joining the British Army, Norman co-directed with Anthony Hankey the thriller ''[[Too Dangerous to Live]]'' starring [[Sebastian Shaw (actor)|Sebastian Shaw]] and [[Anna Konstam]].<ref name="Vallance"/>

He returned to editing with ''[[Hoots Mon]]'' (1940) for Roy William Neil, and ''[[The Frightened Lady]]'' (1940). His last editing credits before entering the services were ''[[The Prime Minister]]'' (1941) for [[Thorold Dickinson]] and ''[[This Was Paris]]'' (1942).


===Second World War===
===Second World War===
In 1942 Norman was enlisted in the British Army rising to the rank of Major. In August 1945 he was deployed to Burma as part of a secret mission to trial sonic warfare in the fight against the Japanese. This involved Norman and his platoon broadcasting the sound of troop movements in the Burmese jungle as a decoy to allow strategic Allied troop activity to take place in what would otherwise have been heavily fortified or armoured Japanese positions.
In 1942 Norman was enlisted in the British Army rising to the rank of Major. In August 1945 he was deployed to Burma as part of a secret mission to trial sonic warfare in the fight against the Japanese. This involved Norman and his platoon broadcasting the sound of troop movements in the Burmese jungle as a decoy to allow strategic Allied troop activity to take place in what would otherwise have been heavily fortified or armoured Japanese positions.
===Return to editing===
After the war Norman returned to editor on ''[[The Overlanders (1946 film)|The Overlanders]]'' (1946), ''[[The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby]]'' (1947) and ''[[Frieda]]'' (1947) for Basil Dearden.
==Producer==
Norman was sent to Australia by Ealing to help with ''[[Eureka Stockade (film)|Eureka Stockade]]'' (1949) as associate producer and editor.

The studio promoted him to producer, on which he worked ''[[A Run for Your Money]]'' (1949) which he also co wrote. Norman went back to Australia to produce ''[[Bitter Springs]]'' (1950) directed by Ralph Smart.

Norman then went with director Henry Watt to Kenya where they made ''[[Where No Vultures Fly]]'' (1951); Norman was credited as producer and writer. It was a huge success. So too were the next two films Norman producer: ''[[Mandy]]'' (1952) and ''[[The Cruel Sea]]'' (1953).

Norman and Watt reunited with ''[[West of Zanzibar]]'' (1954) a sequel to ''Where No Vultures Fly''.
==Director==
Norman returned to directing with the thriller ''[[The Night My Number Came Up]]'' (1955). He moved over to Hammer Film for who he made the sci-fi/horror ovie ''[[X the Unknown]]'' (1956).

Norman went to Australia again to make ''[[The Shiralee (film)|The Shiralee]]'' (1957) starring Peter Finch for Ealing and MGM. The movie was a success. Norman had another hit with the war movie ''[[Dunkirk (film)|Dunkirk]]'' (1958) starring John Mills and Richard Attenborough. However another trip to Australia, to produce and direct an adaptation of the play ''[[Summer of the Seventeenth Doll (film)|Summer of the Seventeenth Doll]]'' (1959), was not a success.


Norman directed an adaptation of ''[[The Long and the Short and the Tall]]'' (1961) which was commercially successful in England. Less well received were ''[[Spare the Rod]]'' (1961) with [[Max Bygraves]] and ''[[Mix Me a Person]]'' (1962) with [[Adam Faith]].
===Film career===
His film career spanned nearly fifty years, from 1930 until 1978. In that time he had many different roles in the industry, ending his career directing episodes of filmed television series. He directed three cinema films in the 1950s, ''[[The Night My Number Came Up]]'' (1955), the sci-fi horror film ''[[X the Unknown]]'' (1956) and the Second World War drama ''[[Dunkirk (1958 film)|Dunkirk]]'' (1958), while his production credits include another Second World War drama in the form of ''[[The Cruel Sea (1953 film)|The Cruel Sea]]'' (1953).<ref name="IMDb">{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0635554/ |title=Leslie Norman |publisher=[[IMDb]]}}</ref> Amongst the films he directed in the early 1960s was the war drama ''The Long and the Short and The Tall'' (1960).


===Television career===
===Television career===
In the 1960s, he worked as director on several notable British TV series including ''[[Gideon's Way]]'' (7 episodes), ''[[The Baron]]'' (3 episodes), ''[[The Saint (TV series)|The Saint]]'' (21 episodes), ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]'' (2 episodes), ''[[Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)]]'' (3 episodes), ''[[Department S (TV series)|Department S]]'' (3 episodes), ''[[The Persuaders!]]'' (6 episodes).<ref name="IMDb"/>
In the 1960s, he worked as director on several notable British TV series including ''[[Gideon's Way]]'' (7 episodes), ''[[The Baron]]'' (3 episodes), ''[[The Champions]]'', ''[[The Saint (TV series)|The Saint]]'' (21 episodes), ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]'' (2 episodes), ''[[My Partner the Ghost]]'', ''[[Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)]]'' (3 episodes), ''[[Department S (TV series)|Department S]]'' (3 episodes), ''[[Shirley's World]]'', ''[[The Persuaders!]]'' (6 episodes), ''[[The Pathfinders]]'' and ''[[Return of the Saint]]''.<ref name="IMDb"/>


He did some uncredited directing on Hammer's ''[[The Lost Continent]]'' (1969)
===Retirement and death===
===Retirement and death===
Norman was forced into retirement after a [[laryngectomy]] for cancer in 1978. He died in [[Knebworth]], [[Hertfordshire]] on 18 February 1993 at the age of 81 after suffering a seizure whilst driving near his home.<ref name="Vallance"/><ref name="Oxford"/>
Norman was forced into retirement after a [[laryngectomy]] for cancer in 1978. He died in [[Knebworth]], [[Hertfordshire]] on 18 February 1993 at the age of 81 after suffering a seizure whilst driving near his home.<ref name="Vallance"/><ref name="Oxford"/>

Revision as of 10:50, 9 July 2020

For other people with the same name, see Leslie Norman.
Leslie Norman
Born
Leslie Armande Norman

(1911-02-25)25 February 1911
Fulham, London, England
Died18 February 1993(1993-02-18) (aged 81)
Knebworth, Hertfordshire, England
NationalityBritish
Occupation(s)Director, producer, editor
Years active1930 – 1978
Military career
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Years of service1942-1945
RankMajor
Service number238604
UnitRoyal Army Ordnance Corps

Leslie Armande Norman (25 February 1911 – 18 February 1993) was an English post-war film director, producer and editor who also worked extensively on 1960s television series later in his career.[1][2][3]

Early life

Norman was born on 25 February 1911 in Fulham, London, the second youngest of eleven children.[4][5]

Leaving school at 14, Norman worked in the film industry from the age of 16, working his way up from sweeper of the cutting-room floors at Ealing Studios to become an editor at 19.

Editor

Norman's early credits as editor were for British International. They included The Man from Chicago (1930), Compromising Daphne (1930), Fascination (1931) for director Miles Mander, Potiphar's Wife (1931) with Laurence Olivier for director Maurice Elvey, and Men Like These (1932) which he also co wrote.

Norman went on to edit Carmen (1932), Why Saps Leave Home (1932), Lucky Girl (1932), The Maid of the Mountains (1932), Timbuctoo (1933), Red Wagon (1933), Facing the Music (1933), Over the Garden Wall (1934), and April Blossoms (1934) with Richard Tauber.

Norman edited I Spy (1934) for director Allan Dwan, then The Old Curiosity Shop (1934), Mimi (1935), Regal Cavalcade (1935), Heart's Desire (1935) with Tauber, Viennese Love Song (1936), The Perfect Crime (1937), Who Killed John Savage? (1937), and Glamour Girl (1938).

Norman edited an early movie for TV, The Case of the Frightened Lady (1938). Then he returned to features: They Drive by Night (1938), Everything Happens to Me (1938), The Nursemaid Who Disappeared (1938).

In 1939, prior to joining the British Army, Norman co-directed with Anthony Hankey the thriller Too Dangerous to Live starring Sebastian Shaw and Anna Konstam.[3]

He returned to editing with Hoots Mon (1940) for Roy William Neil, and The Frightened Lady (1940). His last editing credits before entering the services were The Prime Minister (1941) for Thorold Dickinson and This Was Paris (1942).

Second World War

In 1942 Norman was enlisted in the British Army rising to the rank of Major. In August 1945 he was deployed to Burma as part of a secret mission to trial sonic warfare in the fight against the Japanese. This involved Norman and his platoon broadcasting the sound of troop movements in the Burmese jungle as a decoy to allow strategic Allied troop activity to take place in what would otherwise have been heavily fortified or armoured Japanese positions.

Return to editing

After the war Norman returned to editor on The Overlanders (1946), The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (1947) and Frieda (1947) for Basil Dearden.

Producer

Norman was sent to Australia by Ealing to help with Eureka Stockade (1949) as associate producer and editor.

The studio promoted him to producer, on which he worked A Run for Your Money (1949) which he also co wrote. Norman went back to Australia to produce Bitter Springs (1950) directed by Ralph Smart.

Norman then went with director Henry Watt to Kenya where they made Where No Vultures Fly (1951); Norman was credited as producer and writer. It was a huge success. So too were the next two films Norman producer: Mandy (1952) and The Cruel Sea (1953).

Norman and Watt reunited with West of Zanzibar (1954) a sequel to Where No Vultures Fly.

Director

Norman returned to directing with the thriller The Night My Number Came Up (1955). He moved over to Hammer Film for who he made the sci-fi/horror ovie X the Unknown (1956).

Norman went to Australia again to make The Shiralee (1957) starring Peter Finch for Ealing and MGM. The movie was a success. Norman had another hit with the war movie Dunkirk (1958) starring John Mills and Richard Attenborough. However another trip to Australia, to produce and direct an adaptation of the play Summer of the Seventeenth Doll (1959), was not a success.

Norman directed an adaptation of The Long and the Short and the Tall (1961) which was commercially successful in England. Less well received were Spare the Rod (1961) with Max Bygraves and Mix Me a Person (1962) with Adam Faith.

Television career

In the 1960s, he worked as director on several notable British TV series including Gideon's Way (7 episodes), The Baron (3 episodes), The Champions, The Saint (21 episodes), The Avengers (2 episodes), My Partner the Ghost, Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) (3 episodes), Department S (3 episodes), Shirley's World, The Persuaders! (6 episodes), The Pathfinders and Return of the Saint.[6]

He did some uncredited directing on Hammer's The Lost Continent (1969)

Retirement and death

Norman was forced into retirement after a laryngectomy for cancer in 1978. He died in Knebworth, Hertfordshire on 18 February 1993 at the age of 81 after suffering a seizure whilst driving near his home.[3][2]

Family

Norman's son, Barry, was a prominent UK film critic and broadcaster, whilst his daughter, Valerie, is a script editor and director.

Selected filmography

Editor

Producer

Executive Producer

Director

References

  1. ^ Brian McFarlane, An Autobiography of British Cinema, Metheun 1997 p439-441
  2. ^ a b Oxford, Esther (21 February 1993). "'Cruel Sea' producer dies". The Independent. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  3. ^ a b c Vallance, Tom (27 February 1993). "Obituary: Leslie Norman". The Independent. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  4. ^ "Index entry". FreeBMD. ONS. Retrieved 4 December 2016.
  5. ^ Norman, Barry (2002). And why not? (As I never did say). London: Simon & Schuster. p. 26. ISBN 0743230965.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference IMDb was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leslie_Norman_(director)&oldid=966816558"