Ronald Adam (actor)
Encyclopedia
Ronald Adam OBE
(31 December 1896 – 28 March 1979), born Ronald George Hinings Adams, was a British RAF
officer, an actor on stage and screen and a successful theatre manager.
, Worcestershire
on 31 December 1896, the son of Blake Adams and his wife Mona Robin. His parents and grand-parents were all in the theatrical profession. He was educated at University College School
.
When still only 17 years old Adams volunteered to join the British Army
on the outbreak of the First World War. On 2 December 1914 he was commissioned as a temporary second Lieutenant in the 15th (reserve) battalion of the Middlesex Regiment
. He then transferred to the Royal Flying Corps
(RFC) as an observer and undertook pilot training. Adams then served with No. 18 Squadron and flew Sopwith Camel
s with No. 44 Squadron on home defence duties. He then joined No.73 Squadron, also flying Sopwith Camels in France
. On 7 April 1918 he was shot down near Villers-Bretonneux
in Northern France, either by Hans Kirschstein
, or possibly Manfred von Richthofen
. Adams was wounded and captured and on the evening of his aerial defeat was visited by a German orderly who gave him von Richthofen's compliments. Ronald Adams spent eight months in hospitals and prison camps before he was re-repatriated on 17 December 1918.
, but his interest moved to theatre. He dropped the final "s" from his surname and adopted the stage name "Ronald Adam".
From 1924–26, he was engaged as manager for Leslie Henson
and Dion Titheradge, and at the Little
, His Majesty's
, and Strand
Theatres;
He entered on the management of the Embassy Theatre
, in April 1932, with the production of Madame Pepita, and made over 150 new productions and revivals from 1932–1939. Thirty of his productions were transferred to various West End theatres, including
Ten Minute Alibi, Close Quarters, The Dominant Sex, Professor Bernhardi
, and Judgment Day.
He presented several plays on tour, and acted in many of them, both at the Embassy and on their transfer.
He made his film debut with Strange Boarders, The Drum
(both 1938) and Too Dangerous to Live
(1939). Meanwhile he continued with live theatre. At the Old Vic
in June 1939 he played Lord Stagmantle in The Ascent of F6
and
at the Phoenix
in November 1939, Judge Tsankov in Judgment Day.
He was director of Howard and Wyndham
's Repertory Seasons in Edinburgh and Glasgow, 1938–9.
On the outbreak of the Second World War Ronald Adam rejoined the RAF
as a Wing Commander
and served from 1939–1945. During the Battle of Britain
in the summer of 1940 he was the Fighter Controller for the Hornchurch
sector. It was Adam's job to co-ordinate the fighter command
interceptions by using data gathered by radar and ground observers and then to dispatch fighters to intercept.
During the war he continued to take part in films, for example as a German bomber chief in The Lion Has Wings
(1939), as Mons. Besnard in At the Villa Rose
(1940) and as Sir Charles Fawcett in The Foreman Went to France
(1942).
in 1946.
After 1946 he continued to act in live theatre. At the Garrick
in March 1950 he played Mr Gibb in Mr Gillie. He made his Broadway
debut in December 1951 in Antony and Cleopatra
at the Ziegfeld Theatre
.
His main activity at this stage, however, was in film and television. From 1946 to 1978 he took part in over 140 film or television productions.
After the Second World War Ronald Adam lived in Surbiton
, Surrey
, and died on 28 March 1979.
and The Melody That Got Lost, among other works.
He was the author of the plays
An English Summer (1948), A Wind on the Heath (1949), and Marriage Settlement (1950), which he also produced.
He published a book on his theatrical memories:
In the middle of the war he wrote two novels arising from his experiences in the RAF. Initially they were published using the pseudonym "Blake",
Both of these were later republished under his own name.
He wrote again about his wartime experiences in:
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(31 December 1896 – 28 March 1979), born Ronald George Hinings Adams, was a British RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
officer, an actor on stage and screen and a successful theatre manager.
Early life
Ronald George Hinings Adams was born in BromyardBromyard
Bromyard is a town in northeast Herefordshire, England with a population of approximately 4,000. It lies near to the county border with Worcestershire on the A44 between Leominster and Worcester. Bromyard has a number of traditional half-timbered pubs and some buildings dating back to Norman times...
, Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
on 31 December 1896, the son of Blake Adams and his wife Mona Robin. His parents and grand-parents were all in the theatrical profession. He was educated at University College School
University College School
University College School, generally known as UCS, is an Independent school charity situated in Hampstead, north west London, England. The school was founded in 1830 by University College London and inherited many of that institution's progressive and secular views...
.
When still only 17 years old Adams volunteered to join the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
on the outbreak of the First World War. On 2 December 1914 he was commissioned as a temporary second Lieutenant in the 15th (reserve) battalion of the Middlesex Regiment
Middlesex Regiment
The Middlesex Regiment was a regiment of the British Army. It was formed in 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms when the 57th and 77th Regiments of Foot were amalgamated with the county's militia and rifle volunteer units.On 31 December 1966 The Middlesex Regiment was amalgamated with three...
. He then transferred to the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
(RFC) as an observer and undertook pilot training. Adams then served with No. 18 Squadron and flew Sopwith Camel
Sopwith Camel
The Sopwith Camel was a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter introduced on the Western Front in 1917. Manufactured by Sopwith Aviation Company, it had a short-coupled fuselage, heavy, powerful rotary engine, and concentrated fire from twin synchronized machine guns. Though difficult...
s with No. 44 Squadron on home defence duties. He then joined No.73 Squadron, also flying Sopwith Camels in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. On 7 April 1918 he was shot down near Villers-Bretonneux
Villers-Bretonneux
Villers-Bretonneux is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:Villers-Bretonneux is situated some 19 km due east of Amiens, on the D1029 road and the A29 motorway.-History - World War I:...
in Northern France, either by Hans Kirschstein
Hans Kirschstein
Hans Kirschstein , winner of the Pour le Merite, Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, and the Iron Cross was a German lieutenant and World War I fighter ace credited with 27 aerial victories.-Early life:...
, or possibly Manfred von Richthofen
Manfred von Richthofen
Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen , also widely known as the Red Baron, was a German fighter pilot with the Imperial German Army Air Service during World War I...
. Adams was wounded and captured and on the evening of his aerial defeat was visited by a German orderly who gave him von Richthofen's compliments. Ronald Adams spent eight months in hospitals and prison camps before he was re-repatriated on 17 December 1918.
Career in the theatre
After the war he trained as a chartered accountantChartered Accountant
Chartered Accountants were the first accountants to form a professional body, initially established in Britain in 1854. The Edinburgh Society of Accountants , the Glasgow Institute of Accountants and Actuaries and the Aberdeen Society of Accountants were each granted a royal charter almost from...
, but his interest moved to theatre. He dropped the final "s" from his surname and adopted the stage name "Ronald Adam".
From 1924–26, he was engaged as manager for Leslie Henson
Leslie Henson
Leslie Lincoln Henson was an English comedian, actor, producer for films and theatre, and film director. He initially worked in silent films and Edwardian musical comedy and became a popular music hall comedian who enjoyed a long stage career...
and Dion Titheradge, and at the Little
Little Theatre in the Adelphi
Little Theatre in the Adelphi was a theatre in London, on what is now John Adam Street just west of the Royal Society of Arts. It should not be confused with either the Little Theatre or the Adelphi Theatre both of which are in the West End...
, His Majesty's
Her Majesty's Theatre
Her Majesty's Theatre is a West End theatre, in Haymarket, City of Westminster, London. The present building was designed by Charles J. Phipps and was constructed in 1897 for actor-manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree, who established the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art at the theatre...
, and Strand
Novello Theatre
The Novello Theatre is a West End theatre on Aldwych, in the City of Westminster.-History:The theatre was built as one of a pair with the Aldwych Theatre on either side of the Waldorf Hotel, both being designed by W. G. R. Sprague. The theatre opened as the Waldorf Theatre on 22 May 1905, and was...
Theatres;
He entered on the management of the Embassy Theatre
Embassy Theatre (London)
The Embassy Theatre is a theatre at 64, Eton Avenue, Swiss Cottage, London.- Early years :The Embassy Theatre was opened as a repertory company in September 1928 on the initiative of Sybil Arundale and Herbert Jay., when the premises of Hampstead Conservatoire of Music were adapted by architect...
, in April 1932, with the production of Madame Pepita, and made over 150 new productions and revivals from 1932–1939. Thirty of his productions were transferred to various West End theatres, including
Ten Minute Alibi, Close Quarters, The Dominant Sex, Professor Bernhardi
Professor Bernhardi
Professor Bernhardi is one of the best known plays written by the Viennese dramatist, short story writer and novelist Arthur Schnitzler...
, and Judgment Day.
He presented several plays on tour, and acted in many of them, both at the Embassy and on their transfer.
He made his film debut with Strange Boarders, The Drum
The Drum (1938 film)
The Drum is a 1938 British Technicolor film from the book by A. E. W. Mason. The film was directed by Zoltan Korda and produced by Alexander Korda...
(both 1938) and Too Dangerous to Live
Too Dangerous to Live
Too Dangerous to Live is a 1939 British crime film directed by Anthony Hankey and Leslie Norman and starring Sebastian Shaw, Anna Konstam and Reginald Tate. It was based on the novel Crime Unlimited by David Hume. A private detective goes undercover by joining a gang of burglars.-Cast:* Sebastian...
(1939). Meanwhile he continued with live theatre. At the Old Vic
Old Vic
The Old Vic is a theatre located just south-east of Waterloo Station in London on the corner of The Cut and Waterloo Road. Established in 1818 as the Royal Coburg Theatre, it was taken over by Emma Cons in 1880 when it was known formally as the Royal Victoria Hall. In 1898, a niece of Cons, Lilian...
in June 1939 he played Lord Stagmantle in The Ascent of F6
The Ascent of F6
The Ascent of F6: A Tragedy in Two Acts, by W. H. Auden and Christopher Isherwood, was the second play in the Auden-Isherwood collaboration, first published in 1936...
and
at the Phoenix
Phoenix Theatre (London)
The Phoenix Theatre is a West End theatre in the London Borough of Camden, located on Charing Cross Road . The entrance is in Phoenix Street....
in November 1939, Judge Tsankov in Judgment Day.
He was director of Howard and Wyndham
Howard & Wyndham Ltd
Howard & Wyndham Ltd was a theatre owning, production and management company, founded in 1895 by Baillie Michael Simons of Glasgow to formalise and extend an 1883 partnership between Irish born John B. Howard and Edinburgh born Frederick WP Wyndham which had first formed in order to run the Royal...
's Repertory Seasons in Edinburgh and Glasgow, 1938–9.
On the outbreak of the Second World War Ronald Adam rejoined the RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
as a Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
and served from 1939–1945. During the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
in the summer of 1940 he was the Fighter Controller for the Hornchurch
RAF Hornchurch
RAF Hornchurch was an airfield in the south of Hornchurch in what is now the London Borough of Havering. Known as Sutton's Farm during the First World War, it occupied of the farm of the same name and was situated east north-east of Charing Cross...
sector. It was Adam's job to co-ordinate the fighter command
RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command was one of three functional commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War, gaining recognition in the Battle of Britain. The Command continued until 17 November 1943, when...
interceptions by using data gathered by radar and ground observers and then to dispatch fighters to intercept.
During the war he continued to take part in films, for example as a German bomber chief in The Lion Has Wings
The Lion Has Wings
The Lion Has Wings is a 1939 British, black-and-white, documentary-style, propaganda, war film. The film was directed by Adrian Brunel, Brian Desmond Hurst, Alexander Korda and Michael Powell...
(1939), as Mons. Besnard in At the Villa Rose
At the Villa Rose (1940 film)
At the Villa Rose is a 1940 British detective film directed by Walter Summers and based on the novel At the Villa Rose by A.E.W. Mason featuring the French detective Inspector Hanaud. The film is also known as House of Mystery...
(1940) and as Sir Charles Fawcett in The Foreman Went to France
The Foreman Went to France
The Foreman Went to France, also known as Somewhere in France, is a 1942 British World War II war film starring Clifford Evans, Tommy Trinder, Constance Cummings and Gordon Jackson...
(1942).
Postwar period
He was awarded the OBEOrder of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1946.
After 1946 he continued to act in live theatre. At the Garrick
Garrick Theatre
The Garrick Theatre is a West End theatre, located on Charing Cross Road, in the City of Westminster. It opened on 24 April 1889 with The Profligate, a play by Arthur Wing Pinero. In its early years, it appears to have specialised in the performance of melodrama, and today the theatre is a...
in March 1950 he played Mr Gibb in Mr Gillie. He made his Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
debut in December 1951 in Antony and Cleopatra
Antony and Cleopatra
Antony and Cleopatra is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607. It was first printed in the First Folio of 1623. The plot is based on Thomas North's translation of Plutarch's Lives and follows the relationship between Cleopatra and Mark Antony...
at the Ziegfeld Theatre
Ziegfeld Theatre
The Ziegfeld Theatre was a Broadway theater located at the intersection of Sixth Avenue and 54th Street in Manhattan, New York City. It was built in 1927 and, despite public protests, was razed in 1966....
.
His main activity at this stage, however, was in film and television. From 1946 to 1978 he took part in over 140 film or television productions.
Selected filmography
- The DrumThe Drum (1938 film)The Drum is a 1938 British Technicolor film from the book by A. E. W. Mason. The film was directed by Zoltan Korda and produced by Alexander Korda...
(1938) - Strange BoardersStrange BoardersStrange Boarders is a 1938 British comedy thriller film, directed by Herbert Mason for Gainsborough Pictures and starring Tom Walls, Renée Saint-Cyr, Googie Withers and Ronald Adam. The film is an adaptation of the 1934 espionage novel The Strange Boarders of Palace Crescent by E. Phillips...
(1938) - Too Dangerous to LiveToo Dangerous to LiveToo Dangerous to Live is a 1939 British crime film directed by Anthony Hankey and Leslie Norman and starring Sebastian Shaw, Anna Konstam and Reginald Tate. It was based on the novel Crime Unlimited by David Hume. A private detective goes undercover by joining a gang of burglars.-Cast:* Sebastian...
(1939) - The Lion Has WingsThe Lion Has WingsThe Lion Has Wings is a 1939 British, black-and-white, documentary-style, propaganda, war film. The film was directed by Adrian Brunel, Brian Desmond Hurst, Alexander Korda and Michael Powell...
(1939) - Hell's CargoHell's CargoHell's Cargo is a 1939 British adventure film directed by Harold Huth and starring Walter Rilla, Kim Peacock and Robert Newton.-Cast:* Walter Rilla - Cmndt. Lestailleur* Kim Peacock - Cmdr. Falcon* Robert Newton - Cmdr. Tomasou...
(1939) - The Missing PeopleThe Missing PeopleThe Missing People is a 1940 British, black-and-white, mystery film directed by Jack Raymond and starring Ronald Shiner as Sam Hackett and Will Fyffe as Mr. J. G. Reeder. It was produced by Jack Raymond Productions. Ronald Shiner, Will Fyffe and Jack Raymond were also all involved in another Mr....
(1940) - Meet Maxwell ArcherMeet Maxwell ArcherMeet Maxwell Archer is a 1940 British mystery film directed by John Paddy Carstairs and starring John Loder, Leueen MacGrath and Athole Stewart...
(1940) - At the Villa RoseAt the Villa Rose (1940 film)At the Villa Rose is a 1940 British detective film directed by Walter Summers and based on the novel At the Villa Rose by A.E.W. Mason featuring the French detective Inspector Hanaud. The film is also known as House of Mystery...
(1940) - The Foreman Went to FranceThe Foreman Went to FranceThe Foreman Went to France, also known as Somewhere in France, is a 1942 British World War II war film starring Clifford Evans, Tommy Trinder, Constance Cummings and Gordon Jackson...
(1942) - Escape to DangerEscape to DangerEscape to Danger is a 1943 British thriller film directed by Lance Comfort and Victor Hanbury and starring Eric Portman, Ann Dvorak and Karel Stepanek. During the Second World War a British schoolteacher working in Denmark is caught up when the Germans invade.-Cast:* Eric Portman ... Arthur...
(1943) - Pink String and Sealing WaxPink String and Sealing WaxPink String and Sealing Wax is a 1945 British drama film directed by Robert Hamer and starring Mervyn Johns, Googie Withers and Gordon Jackson.-Cast:* Mervyn Johns as Edward Sutton* Googie Withers as Pearl Bond* Gordon Jackson as David Sutton...
(1945) - Green for DangerGreen for Danger (film)Green for Danger is a 1946 British thriller film, based on the popular 1944 detective novel by Christianna Brand.The book Green for Danger was praised for its clever plot, interesting characters, and wartime hospital setting. The film version, starring Alastair Sim and Trevor Howard, with Sally...
(1946) - Fame is the SpurFame is the Spur (film)Fame is the Spur is a 1947 British drama film directed by Roy Boulting. It stars Michael Redgrave, Rosamund John, Bernard Miles, David Tomlinson, Maurice Denham and Kenneth Griffith. A British politician rises to power, abandoning on the way his radical views for more conservative ones...
(1947) - Take My LifeTake My LifeTake My Life is a 1947 British thriller film directed by Ronald Neame and starring Hugh Williams, Greta Gynt and Marius Goring.-Cast:* Hugh Williams as Nicholas Talbot* Greta Gynt as Philippa Shelley* Marius Goring as Sidney Flemming...
(1947) - CounterblastCounterblast (film)Counterblast is a 1948 British drama film directed by Paul L. Stein and starring Robert Beatty, Mervyn Johns and Nova Pilbeam.-Plot:A Nazi scientist experiments with biological warfare with which he intends to wage the next war against Britain.-Cast:...
(1948) - All Over the TownAll Over the TownAll Over the Town is a 1949 British comedy film directed by Derek N. Twist and starring Norman Wooland, Sarah Churchill and Cyril Cusack. A newspaper reporter in a small seaside town tries to use his paper to imrprove the community.-Cast:...
(1949) - The Bad Lord ByronThe Bad Lord ByronThe Bad Lord Byron is a 1949 British historical drama film centered around the life of Lord Byron. It was directed by David MacDonald and starred Dennis Price as Byron with Mai Zetterling, Linden Travers and Joan Greenwood....
(1949) - The Case of Charles PeaceThe Case of Charles PeaceThe Case of Charles Peace is a 1949 British crime film directed by Norman Lee and starring Michael Martin Harvey, Chili Bouchier and Valentine Dyall.-Cast:* Michael Martin Harvey ... Charles Peace* Chili Bouchier ... Katherine Dyson...
(1949) - That Dangerous AgeThat Dangerous AgeThat Dangerous Age is a 1949 British romance film directed by Gregory Ratoff and starring Myrna Loy, Roger Livesey and Peggy Cummins. It is an adaptation of the play Autumn by Ilya Surguchev.-Partial cast:* Myrna Loy - Lady Cathy Brooke...
(1949) - Christopher ColumbusChristopher Columbus (film)Christopher Columbus is a 1949 British biographical film starring Fredric March as Christopher Columbus and Florence Eldridge as Queen Isabella. It was based on the novel Christopher Columbus by Rafael Sabatini.-Cast:...
(1949) - ObsessionObsession (1949 film)Obsession, released in the US as The Hidden Room, is a 1949 British crime film directed by Edward Dmytryk, based on the book A Man About A Dog by Alec Coppel, who also wrote the screenplay for the film, and turned the story into a novel. Obsession was entered into the 1949 Cannes Film...
(1949) - Black MagicBlack Magic (1949 film)Black Magic is a 1949 film adaptation of Alexandre Dumas, père's novel. It was directed by the Russian-born Gregory Ratoff and stars Orson Welles in the lead role as Joseph Balsamo and Nancy Guild as Lorenza/Marie Antoinette...
(1949) - Under CapricornUnder CapricornUnder Capricorn is an Alfred Hitchcock historical feature film.-Production:The film is based on the novel Under Capricorn by Helen Simpson, with screenplay by James Bridie, and adaptation by Hume Cronyn. The movie was co-produced by Hitchcock and Sidney Bernstein for their short-lived production...
(1949) - Diamond CityDiamond City (film)Diamond City is a 1949 British drama film directed by David MacDonald and starring David Farrar, Honor Blackman, Diana Dors and Niall MacGinnis.-Plot:...
(1949) - Boys in BrownBoys in BrownBoys in Brown is a 1949 British drama film directed by Montgomery Tully. Depicting life in a borstal for young offenders, it starred Jack Warner, Richard Attenborough, Dirk Bogarde and Jimmy Hanley.-Cast:* Jack Warner as Governor...
(1949) - My Daughter JoyMy Daughter JoyMy Daughter Joy is a 1950 British drama film directed by Gregory Ratoff and starring Edward G. Robinson, Peggy Cummins and Richard Greene. A millionaire spoils his only daughter, but has a strained relationship with his wife.-Cast:...
(1950) - Shadow of the PastShadow of the Past (film)Shadow of the Past is a 1950 British crime film directed by Mario Zampi and starring Joyce Howard, Terence Morgan and Michael Medwin. A man catches sight of a woman believed by everyone to be dead.-Cast:* Joyce Howard - Lady in Black...
(1950) - Seven Days to NoonSeven Days to NoonSeven Days to Noon is a 1950 British drama / thriller film directed by John Boulting and Roy Boulting. Paul Dehn and James Bernard won the Academy Award for Best Story for this film.-Plot:The film is set in the early 1950s...
(1950) - The Late Edwina BlackThe Late Edwina BlackThe Late Edwina Black is a 1951 British drama film, directed by Maurice Elvey and starring David Farrar, Geraldine Fitzgerald and Roland Culver...
(1951) - The AdventurersThe Adventurers (1951 film)The Adventurers is a 1951 British adventure film directed by David MacDonald and starring Jack Hawkins, Peter Hammond and Dennis Price. In the wake of the Boer War several men journey into the South African veldt in search of diamonds.-Cast:...
(1951) - Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N. (1951)
- Laughter in ParadiseLaughter in ParadiseLaughter in Paradise is the title of a British comedy film released in 1951. The film stars Alastair Sim, Fay Compton, George Cole, and Guy Middleton...
(1951) - The Lavender Hill MobThe Lavender Hill MobThe Lavender Hill Mob is a 1951 comedy film from Ealing Studios, written by T.E.B. Clarke, directed by Charles Crichton, starring Alec Guinness and Stanley Holloway and featuring Sid James and Alfie Bass...
(1951) - Hell is Sold OutHell is Sold OutHell is Sold Out is a 1951 British drama film directed by Michael Anderson and starring Mai Zetterling, Herbert Lom and Richard Attenborough. A woman publishes a book under the name of a man believed to be long dead.-Main cast:...
(1951) - The House in the SquareThe House in the SquareThe House in the Square, also titled I'll Never Forget You and Man of Two Worlds, is a 1951 science fiction film about an American atomic scientist who is transported to the 18th century, where he falls in love. It starred Tyrone Power and Ann Blyth. It was adapted from the play Berkeley Square by...
(1951)
- Hindle WakesHindle Wakes (1952 film)Hindle Wakes is a 1952 British drama film, directed by Arthur Crabtree and starring Lisa Daniely and Leslie Dwyer. The film was the fourth and last screen adaptation of the famous Stanley Houghton play of the 1910s, dealing with an independent-minded young woman insisting on her right to enjoy a...
(1952) - Mr. Denning Drives NorthMr. Denning Drives NorthMr. Denning Drives North is a 1952 British mystery film directed by Anthony Kimmins and starring John Mills, Phyllis Calvert and Eileen Moore. The plot concerns an aircraft manufacturer who accidentally kills the boyfriend of his daughter and tries to dispose the body...
(1952) - Angels One FiveAngels One FiveAngels One Five is a 1952 British film directed by George More O'Ferrall, and starring Jack Hawkins, Michael Denison, Dulcie Gray, John Gregson, Cyril Raymond, Veronica Hurst and also featuring Bill Everett. Based on the book 'What Are Your Angels Now?' by Pelham Groom Angels One Five is a 1952...
(1952) - Circumstantial EvidenceCircumstantial Evidence (1952 film)Circumstantial Evidence is a 1952 British crime film directed by Daniel Birt and starring Rona Anderson, Patrick Holt and John Arnatt.-Plot:A woman seeks evidence that will give her grounds for divorce from her husband, so she can marry another man....
(1952) - My Wife's LodgerMy Wife's LodgerMy Wife's Lodger is a 1952 British comedy film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Dominic Roche, Olive Sloane and Leslie Dwyer. A soldier returns home after the Second World War only to find a spiv lodger has established himself in his place. He begins plotting to restore his place as the head...
(1952) - Top SecretTop Secret (1952 film)Top Secret is a 1952 British comedy film directed by Mario Zampi and starring George Cole, Oskar Homolka and Nadia Gray. A sanitation inspector is mistaken for an international spy.-Cast:* George Cole - George Potts* Oskar Homolka - Zekov...
(1952) - Malta StoryMalta StoryMalta Story is a 1953 British war film based on the heroic defence of Malta, the island itself, its people and the RAF aviators who fought to defend it...
(1953) - Escape by NightEscape by Night (1953 film)Escape by Night is a 1953 British crime film directed and written by John Gilling.-Plot:Gino Rossi is an Italian crime boss on the run who hides in a theater with a British journalist who wants to extract his life story.-Cast:...
(1953) - Front Page StoryFront Page StoryFront Page Story is a 1954 British drama film directed by Gordon Parry and starring Jack Hawkins, Elizabeth Allan and Eva Bartok.-Cast:* Jack Hawkins as Grant* Elizabeth Allan as Susan Grant* Eva Bartok as Mrs. Thorpe* Derek Farr as Teale...
(1954) - The Black KnightThe Black Knight (1954 film)The Black Knight is a 1954 film starring Alan Ladd as the title character and Peter Cushing and Patrick Troughton as two conspirators attempting to overthrow King Arthur...
(1954) - To Dorothy a SonTo Dorothy a SonTo Dorothy a Son is a 1954 British comedy film directed by Muriel Box and starring Shelley Winters, John Gregson and Peggy Cummins. It is also known as Cash on Delivery. It is based on a play by Roger MacDougall...
(1954) - Tons of TroubleTons of TroubleTons of Trouble is a 1956 British comedy film directed by Leslie S. Hiscott and starring Richard Hearne, William Hartnell and Austin Trevor.-Cast:* Richard Hearne as Mr...
(1956) - Private's ProgressPrivate's ProgressPrivate's Progress is a 1956 British comedy film based on the novel by Alan Hackney. It was directed and produced by John and Roy Boulting, from a script by John Boulting and Frank Harvey.-Plot:...
(1956) - Reach for the Sky (1956)
- Lust for LifeLust for Life (film)Lust for Life is a MGM biographical film about the life of the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh, based on the 1934 novel by Irving Stone and adapted by Norman Corwin.It was directed by Vincente Minnelli and produced by John Houseman...
(1956) - Around the World in 80 Days (1956)
- Carry on AdmiralCarry on AdmiralCarry on Admiral is a 1957 British comedy film directed by Val Guest and featuring David Tomlinson, Ronald Shiner and Joan Sims. It was not part of the Carry On series, which it predates, though it is similar in tone and style to the earliest films in the series...
(1957) - Sea WifeSea WifeSea Wife is a British film based on the 1955 James Maurice Scott novel Sea-Wyf and Biscuit. Shot in Jamaica, the film is set around events in 1942 among a group of survivors from a torpedoed British refugee ship.-Plot:...
(1957) - The Surgeon's KnifeThe Surgeon's KnifeThe Surgeon's Knife is a 1957 British crime film directed by Gordon Parry and starring Donald Houston, Adrienne Corri and Lyndon Brook.-Cast:* Donald Houston - Dr. Alex Waring* Adrienne Corri - Laura Shelton* Lyndon Brook - Dr. Ian Breck...
(1957) - The Naked TruthThe Naked Truth (1957 film)The Naked Truth is a 1957 British film comedy starring Peter Sellers, Terry-Thomas and Dennis Price. Peggy Mount, Shirley Eaton and Joan Sims also appear...
(1957) - Please Turn OverPlease Turn OverPlease Turn Over is a 1959 British comedy film written by Norman Hudis and directed by Gerald Thomas. It featured Ted Ray, Julia Lockwood, Jean Kent, Joan Sims, Leslie Phillips, Charles Hawtrey, Lionel Jeffries and Victor Maddern. An English village is thrown into chaos when the daughter of one of...
(1959) - Carlton-Browne of the F.O.Carlton-Browne of the F.O.Carlton-Browne of the F.O. is a 1959 British comedy film made by the Boulting Brothers.-Plot:...
(1959) - The Man Who Could Cheat DeathThe Man Who Could Cheat DeathThe Man Who Could Cheat Death is a 1959 British Hammer Film directed by Terence Fisher and starring Anton Diffring and Christopher Lee. It was based on the play The Man in Half Moon Street by Barré Lyndon which had been previously filmed in 1945....
(1959) - And the Same to YouAnd the Same to YouAnd the Same to You is a 1960 film directed by George Pollock. It stars Brian Rix and William Hartnell.-Cast:*Brian Rix as Dickie 'Dreadnought' Marchant*William Hartnell as Walter 'Wally' Burton*Leo Franklyn as Rev...
(1960) - OffbeatOffbeat (film)Offbeat is a 1961 British crime film directed by Cliff Owen and starring William Sylvester, Mai Zetterling, and John Meillon. In the film, an MI5 officer goes undercover to catch a criminal gang.-Cast:* William Sylvester - Layton / Steve Ross...
(1961) - Three on a SpreeThree on a SpreeThree on a Spree is a 1961 British comedy film directed by Sidney J. Furie.-Cast:* Jack Watling as Michael Brewster* Carole Lesley as Susan* Renee Houston as Mrs. Gray* John Slater as Sid Johnson* Colin Gordon as Mitchell* John Salew as Mr...
(1961) - Satan Never SleepsSatan Never SleepsSatan Never Sleeps , a film directed by Leo McCarey , is his final film. It is about a priest, Father O'Banion , who arrives at a mission-post in China accompanied by a young native girl, Siu Lan , who has joined him along the way...
(1962) - Postman's KnockPostman's Knock (film)Postman's Knock is a 1962 British comedy film directed by Robert Lynn and starring Spike Milligan, Barbara Shelley, John Wood and Warren Mitchell. A country postman is transferred to London, where he manages to foil a major robbery.-Cast:...
(1962) - Heavens Above!Heavens Above!Heavens Above! is a 1963 British satirical comedy film starring Peter Sellers, directed by John and Roy Boulting, who also co-wrote along with Frank Harvey, from an idea by Malcolm Muggeridge...
(1963) - The HauntingThe Haunting (1963 film)The Haunting is a 1963 British psychological horror film by American director Robert Wise and adapted by Nelson Gidding from the novel The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. It stars Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Richard Johnson, and Russ Tamblyn. The film centers around the conflict between...
(1963) - The Tomb of LigeiaThe Tomb of LigeiaThe Tomb of Ligeia is an American International Pictures horror film starring Vincent Price and Elizabeth Shepherd in a story about a man haunted by the spirit of his dead wife and her effect on his second marriage. The screenplay by Robert Towne was based upon the tale "Ligeia" by American...
(1964) - Who Killed the Cat?Who Killed the Cat?Who Killed the Cat? is a 1966 British crime film directed by Montgomery Tully and starring Mary Merrall, Ellen Pollock and Amy Dalby. It was based on the play Tabitha by Arnold Ridley.-Cast:* Mary Merrall - Janet Bowering...
(1966) - Song of NorwaySong of Norway (film)Song of Norway is a 1970 film adaptation of the successful operetta of the same name, directed by Andrew L. Stone.Like the play from which it derived, the film tells of the early struggles of composer Edvard Grieg and his attempts to develop an authentic Norwegian national music...
(1970) - ZeppelinZeppelin (film)Zeppelin is a 1971 British World War I action/drama film of a fictitious German attempt to raid Great Britain in a giant Zeppelin and steal the Magna Carta from its hiding place in one of Scotland's castles...
(1971) - The Ruling ClassThe Ruling ClassThe Ruling Class is a 1972 British black comedy film. It is an adaptation of Peter Barnes' satirical stage play which tells the story of a paranoid schizophrenic British nobleman who inherits a peerage. The film costars Alastair Sim, William Mervyn, Coral Browne, Harry Andrews, Carolyn Seymour,...
(1972)
Personal life
He married firstly Tanzi Cutava Barozzi; the marriage was dissolved. His second wife was Allyne Dorothy Franks. He had two children, Jane and David.After the Second World War Ronald Adam lived in Surbiton
Surbiton
Surbiton, a suburban area of London in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, is situated next to the River Thames, with a mixture of Art-Deco courts, more recent residential blocks and grand, spacious 19th century townhouses blending into a sea of semi-detached 20th century housing estates...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, and died on 28 March 1979.
Written works
Adam was part-adaptor of Professor BernhardiProfessor Bernhardi
Professor Bernhardi is one of the best known plays written by the Viennese dramatist, short story writer and novelist Arthur Schnitzler...
and The Melody That Got Lost, among other works.
He was the author of the plays
An English Summer (1948), A Wind on the Heath (1949), and Marriage Settlement (1950), which he also produced.
He published a book on his theatrical memories:
In the middle of the war he wrote two novels arising from his experiences in the RAF. Initially they were published using the pseudonym "Blake",
Both of these were later republished under his own name.
He wrote again about his wartime experiences in: