Tom Chantrell
Encyclopedia
Tom Chantrell was a British illustrator
and film poster artist.
artist, Chantrell was the youngest of nine children. He left Manchester Art College
and went into advertising, eventually starting in 1933 at Allardyce Palmer who had accounts with Warner Brothers and 20th Century Fox
. In 1938 he designed his first film poster The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse
.
He continued with posters until World War II service with the Royal Engineers
bomb disposal
units. After demobilisation he returned to Allardyce Palmer eventually doing over 7,000 film posters.
Chantrell did not see the films he drew for; he would receive a plot line and a handful of stills and use friends and family for poses. Examples of this were taking photographs of himself trying to look like a vampire
for Dracula Has Risen from the Grave
and his wife Shirley held a plastic sword in the back garden to pose for Princess Leia on the original Star Wars
poster. Chantrell's posters were often produced prior to the film being made in order to raise money from investors.
Chantrell designed many posters for Hammer Films and the Carry On films. The latter brought him some trouble when the poster for Carry On Spying
had to be changed to avoid looking too much like the Renato Fratini poster for From Russia with Love
whilst the Carry On Cleo
poster was pulled and redesigned after a lawsuit from 20th Century Fox that the send up looked too much like the original Howard Terpning
Cleopatra
artwork.
In the 1960s Chantrell was often drawing artwork for 5 different films or double bill
s at one time.
With the move away from illustrated artwork for motion pictures, Chantrell designed covers for videos.
Among films he designed the artwork for were The King and I
, Von Ryan's Express
, One Million Years B.C.
, The Anniversary
and Star Wars
.
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
and film poster artist.
Biography
The son of a trapezeTrapeze
A trapeze is a short horizontal bar hung by ropes or metal straps from a support. It is an aerial apparatus commonly found in circus performances...
artist, Chantrell was the youngest of nine children. He left Manchester Art College
Manchester College of Arts and Technology
Manchester College of Arts and Technology was a network of further and higher education campuses in the city of Manchester, England specialising in courses in the Arts and Technology, however courses in many other fields were also offered...
and went into advertising, eventually starting in 1933 at Allardyce Palmer who had accounts with Warner Brothers and 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
. In 1938 he designed his first film poster The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse
The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse
The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse is a 1938 American crime film starring Edward G. Robinson, Claire Trevor and Humphrey Bogart. It was directed by Anatole Litvak for Warner Bros. and written by John Wexley and John Huston, based on the first play written by short-story writer Barré Lyndon, which ran for...
.
He continued with posters until World War II service with the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
bomb disposal
Bomb disposal
Bomb disposal is the process by which hazardous explosive devices are rendered safe. Bomb disposal is an all encompassing term to describe the separate, but interrelated functions in the following fields:*Military:...
units. After demobilisation he returned to Allardyce Palmer eventually doing over 7,000 film posters.
Chantrell did not see the films he drew for; he would receive a plot line and a handful of stills and use friends and family for poses. Examples of this were taking photographs of himself trying to look like a vampire
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
for Dracula Has Risen from the Grave
Dracula Has Risen from the Grave
Dracula Has Risen from the Grave is a 1968 British horror film directed by Freddie Francis for Hammer Films. It stars Christopher Lee as Count Dracula, with support from Rupert Davies, Veronica Carlson, Barry Andrews, Barbara Ewing, Ewan Hooper and Michael Ripper.- Plot :The film opens in a...
and his wife Shirley held a plastic sword in the back garden to pose for Princess Leia on the original Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
poster. Chantrell's posters were often produced prior to the film being made in order to raise money from investors.
Chantrell designed many posters for Hammer Films and the Carry On films. The latter brought him some trouble when the poster for Carry On Spying
Carry On Spying
Carry On Spying is a 1964 film, the ninth movie in the Carry On film series. It marks Barbara Windsor's first appearance in the series. Series regulars Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey and Jim Dale are present. Bernard Cribbins makes the second of his three Carry On appearances...
had to be changed to avoid looking too much like the Renato Fratini poster for From Russia with Love
From Russia with Love (film)
From Russia with Love is the second in the James Bond spy film series, and the second to star Sean Connery as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Released in 1963, the film was produced by Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, and directed by Terence Young. It is based on the 1957 novel of the...
whilst the Carry On Cleo
Carry On Cleo
Carry On Cleo is the tenth film in the Carry On film series and was released in 1964. The website ICONS.a portrait of England cites the Carry On films as iconic of British cinema, and describes Carry On Cleo as "perhaps the best". Regulars Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Kenneth Connor, Charles...
poster was pulled and redesigned after a lawsuit from 20th Century Fox that the send up looked too much like the original Howard Terpning
Howard Terpning
Howard Terpning is an American painter and illustrator best known for his paintings of Native Americans.-Life and career:...
Cleopatra
Cleopatra (1963 film)
Cleopatra is a 1963 British-American-Swiss epic drama film directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. The screenplay was adapted by Sidney Buchman, Ben Hecht, Ranald MacDougall, and Mankiewicz from a book by Carlo Maria Franzero. The film starred Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Rex Harrison, Roddy...
artwork.
In the 1960s Chantrell was often drawing artwork for 5 different films or double bill
Double feature
The double feature, also known as a double bill, was a motion picture industry phenomenon in which theatre managers would exhibit two films for the price of one, supplanting an earlier format in which one feature film and various short subject reels would be shown.The double feature, also known as...
s at one time.
With the move away from illustrated artwork for motion pictures, Chantrell designed covers for videos.
Among films he designed the artwork for were The King and I
The King and I (1956 film)
The King and I is a 1956 musical film made by 20th Century Fox, directed by Walter Lang and produced by Charles Brackett and Darryl F. Zanuck. The screenplay by Ernest Lehman is based on the Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II musical The King and I, based in turn on the book Anna and the King...
, Von Ryan's Express
Von Ryan's Express
Von Ryan's Express is a 1965 World War II adventure film starring Frank Sinatra and Trevor Howard, based on a novel by David Westheimer, and directed by Mark Robson.-Plot:...
, One Million Years B.C.
One Million Years B.C.
One Million Years B.C. is a 1966 British adventure/fantasy film starring Raquel Welch, set - loosely - in the time of cavemen. The film was made by Hammer Film Productions, and was a remake of the 1940 Hollywood film One Million B.C., and it recreates many of the scenes of that film...
, The Anniversary
The Anniversary (film)
The Anniversary is a 1968 British black comedy film directed by Roy Ward Baker. The screenplay by Jimmy Sangster is based on the 1966 play of the same title by Bill MacIlwraith.-Plot:...
and Star Wars
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, originally released as Star Wars, is a 1977 American epic space opera film, written and directed by George Lucas. It is the first of six films released in the Star Wars saga: two subsequent films complete the original trilogy, while a prequel trilogy completes the...
.
External links
- Chantrell posters http://www.britposters.com/chantrell.htm