Maurice Elvey

Directing·Nov 11, 1887·Stockton-on-Tees, England, UK

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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.

Film	Credit
Silent Sherlock: Three Classic Cases2025 · Director	Director
Second Fiddle1957 · Director	Director
Stars in Your Eyes1956 · Director	Director
Dry Rot1956 · Director	Director
Fun at St. Fanny's1955 · Director	Director
Room in the House1955 · Director	Director
You Lucky People!1955 · Director	Director
The Happiness of Three Women1954 · Director	Director
What Every Woman Wants1954 · Director	Director
The Gay Dog1954 · Director	Director
The Harassed Hero1954 · Director	Director
Is Your Honeymoon Really Necessary?1953 · Director	Director
House of Blackmail1953 · Director	Director
The Great Game1953 · Director	Director
My Wife's Lodger1952 · Director	Director
The Late Edwina Black1951 · Director	Director
The Third Visitor1951 · Director	Director
Beware of Pity1946 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
Strawberry Roan1944 · Director	Director
Medal for the General1944 · Director	Director
The Lamp Still Burns1943 · Director	Director
Salute John Citizen1942 · Director	Director
Room for Two1940 · Director	Director
Under Your Hat1940 · Director	Director
FFor Freedom1940 · Director	Director
TThe Spider1940 · Director	Director
Sons of the Sea1939 · Director, Screenplay	Director, Screenplay
SSword of Honour1939 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
The Return of the Frog1938 · Director	Director
WWho Killed John Savage?1938 · Director	Director
Who Goes Next?1938 · Director	Director
CChange for a Sovereign1937 · Director	Director
A Romance in Flanders1937 · Director	Director
The Man in the Mirror1936 · Director	Director
SSpy of Napoleon1936 · Director	Director
The Tunnel1935 · Director	Director
The Clairvoyant1935 · Director	Director
Heat Wave1935 · Director	Director
RRoad House1934 · Director	Director
My Song for You1934 · Director	Director
LLily of Killarney1934 · Director	Director
Princess Charming1934 · Director	Director
Love, Life and Laughter1934 · Director	Director
The Wandering Jew1933 · Director	Director
This Week of Grace1933 · Director	Director
I Lived with You1933 · Director	Director
The Lost Chord1933 · Director	Director
Soldiers of the King1933 · Director	Director
The Lodger1932 · Director	Director
Diamond Cut Diamond1932 · Director	Director
TThe Marriage Bond1932 · Director	Director
The Water Gipsies1932 · Director	Director
IIn a Monastery Garden1932 · Director	Director
FFrail Women1932 · Director	Director
A Honeymoon Adventure1931 · Director	Director
Sally in Our Alley1931 · Director	Director
Potiphar's Wife1931 · Director	Director
The School for Scandal1930 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
High Treason1929 · Director	Director
You Know What Sailors Are1928 · Director	Director
Palais De Danse1928 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
Balaclava1928 · Director	Director
MMademoiselle Parley Voo1928 · Director	Director
The Flight Commander1928 · Director	Director
QQuinneys1927 · Director	Director
The Flag Lieutenant1927 · Director	Director
Hindle Wakes1927 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
The Glad Eye1927 · Producer, Director	Producer, Director
Roses of Picardy1927 · Producer, Director	Producer, Director
TThe Woman Tempted1927 · Director	Director
Mademoiselle from Armentieres1927 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
Human Law1927 · Director	Director
BBaddesley Manor: The Phantom Gambler1926 · Director	Director
TThe Tower of London1926 · Director	Director
GGlamis Castle1926 · Director	Director
WWindsor Castle1926 · Director	Director
Every Man's Wife1925 · Director	Director
She Wolves1925 · Director	Director
Curlytop1924 · Director	Director
Folly of Vanity1924 · Director	Director
My Husband's Wives1924 · Director	Director
TThe Love Story of Aliette Brunton1924 · Director	Director
SSlaves of Destiny1924 · Director	Director
HHenry, King of Navarre1924 · Director	Director
Sally Bishop1923 · Director	Director
DDon Quixote1923 · Director	Director
TThe Royal Oak1923 · Director	Director
GGuy Fawkes1923 · Director	Director
The Sign of Four1923 · Director, Writer	Director, Writer
TThe Wandering Jew1923 · Director	Director
AA Debt of Honour1922 · Director	Director
Dick Turpin's Ride to York1922 · Director	Director
RRunning Water1922 · Director	Director
MMan and His Kingdom1922 · Director	Director
The Passionate Friends1922 · Director	Director
A Romance of Wastdale1921 · Director	Director
TThe Fruitful Vine1921 · Director	Director
The Hound of the Baskervilles1921 · Director	Director
TThe Tragedy of a Comic Song1921 · Director	Director
AA Gentleman of France1921 · Director	Director
The Devil's Foot1921 · Director	Director
The Man with the Twisted Lip1921 · Director	Director
The Dying Detective1921 · Director	Director
TThe Red-Haired League1921 · Director	Director
AA Case of Identity1921 · Director	Director
TThe Yellow Face1921 · Director	Director
TThe Resident Patient1921 · Director	Director
A Scandal in Bohemia1921 · Director	Director
TThe Beryl Coronet1921 · Director	Director
TThe Noble Bachelor1921 · Director	Director
TThe Copper Beeches1921 · Director	Director
TThe Empty House1921 · Director	Director
TThe Tiger of San Pedro1921 · Director	Director
TThe Priory School1921 · Director	Director
TThe Solitary Cyclist1921 · Director	Director
Innocent1921 · Director	Director
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes1921 · Director	Director
TThe Tavern Knight1920 · Director	Director
The Hundredth Chance1920 · Director	Director
AAt the Villa Rose1920 · Director	Director
Bleak House1920 · Director	Director
The Swindler1919 · Director	Director
God's Good Man1919 · Director	Director
TThe Rocks of Valpre1919 · Director	Director
Comradeship1919 · Director	Director
AAdam Bede1918 · Director	Director
NNelson1918 · Director	Director
The Life Story of David Lloyd George1918 · Director	Director
HHindle Wakes1918 · Director	Director
DDombey and Son1917 · Director, Producer	Director, Producer
TThe King's Daughter1916 · Director	Director
TThe Princess of Happy Chance1916 · Director	Director
Florence Nightingale1915 · Director	Director
LLove in a Wood1915 · Director	Director
The Suicide Club1914 · Director	Director
TThe Cup Final Mystery1914 · Actor, Director	Actor, Director
HHer Luck in London1914 · Director	Director
BBlack-Eyed Susan1914 · Director	Director
BBeautiful Jim1914 · Director	Director
IInquisitive Ike1914 · Director	Director
TThe Idol of Paris1914 · Director	Director
MMaria Marten or The Mystery of the Red Barn1913 · Captain Matthews, Director, Writer	Captain Matthews, Director, Writer
BBridegrooms Beware!1913 · Director	Director
TThe Great Gold Robbery1913 · Director	Director
TThe Fallen idol1913 · The lover, Director	The lover, Director
Maria Marten, or Murder in the Red Barn1913 · Capt. Matthews, Director	Capt. Matthews, Director
PPopsy Wopsy1913 · Director	Director
VVice VersaDirector	Director