Charles Saunders (director)
| Charles Saunders | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Charles Joel Saunders 8 April 1904 Paddington, London, England |
| Died | April 1997 (aged 93) Denham, Buckinghamshire, England |
| Other names | Chas Saunders |
| Occupation | Film director, screenwriter, film editor |
| Relatives | Sir Peter Saunders (brother) |
Charles Joel Saunders (8 April 1904 – April 1997) was an English film director and screenwriter who started in the industry as a film editor, and who also contributed to television. He was the brother of the theatrical producer Sir Peter Saunders.
Saunders entered the world of films in 1930 with his drama called No Exit (which he wrote, produced and directed), about a publisher's daughter who wrongly believes that a humble staff writer of her father's is secretly a best-selling author.
He then served as art director for three films in 1931 and 1932. However, his main occupation from 1930 to 1943 was in the film editing sphere, learning the trade by contributing to over 20 films, and rising to become supervising editor for the 1942 Gainsborough movie Alibi, a thriller which starred James Mason and Margaret Lockwood.
In 1944, he combined with Bernard Miles to co-direct (and co-screenwrite) Tawny Pipit, a film starring Miles himself as the Army colonel involved with village folk in an effort to protect rare birds' nests from egg thieves.
After working as a second unitdirector in 1945 on The Way to the Stars, and as a location director in 1947 on The White Unicorn, he began his career proper as a dedicated director.
Following his solo debut with Fly Away Peter in 1948, Saunders would go on to make around ten films (including 1951's One Wild Oat, featuring a very young Audrey Hepburn as a hotel receptionist) before switching to the medium of television, and in 1953 and 1954 he directed 8 episodes of the anthology series Douglas Fairbanks Presents, for Douglas Fairbanks Productions Limited.
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