Lionel Chetwynd

Lionel Chetwynd (born January 29, 1940) is an English-born Canadian–American screenwriter, motion picture and television film director and producer.

Lionel Chetwynd was born in Hackney, London, the son of Betty (née Dion) and Peter Chetwynd. His family moved to Canada when he was eight years old. Problems within his dysfunctional family led him to quit school at the age of 14.

Chetwynd returned the following year but was promptly expelled. He then enlisted in the Canadian Army. After serving with The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada, Chetwynd turned his life around.

He walked into to Sir George Williams University — now Montreal’s Concordia University — and waited two hours to meet its principal, Henry F. Hall, who had a reputation for giving students a second chance. After a battery of tests, Chetwynd received conditional admittance as a mature student.

Chetwynd became an honours student in philosophy and economics. He also championed Sir George Williams University on televised youth panels and in debating competitions. Shortly after graduating as valedictorian, Chetwynd married future Hollywood actor Gloria Carlin, whom he met at Sir George.

He excelled to the point that he earned a scholarship to Montreal's McGill University Law School. At McGill law he served as a contributing editor for the McGill Law Journal.

After obtaining his degree, Chetwynd did graduate work in law in the United Kingdom at Trinity College, Oxford. After completing his studies, he remained in London, working for Columbia Pictures's distribution branch where he worked his way up to assistant managing director. Pursuing an interest in writing screenplays, after he met Canadian film director Ted Kotcheff, Chetwynd co-wrote the script for the film The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz with fellow Montrealer Mordecai Richler who had written the novel from which it was adapted.

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