John Gilling

John Gilling (29 May 1912 – 22 November 1984) was an English film director and screenwriter, born in London. He was chiefly known for his horror films, especially for Hammer Films, for whom he directed Shadow of the Cat (1961), The Plague of the Zombies (1966), The Reptile (1966) (the latter two filmed back to back and set in Cornwall, although not filmed there) and The Mummy's Shroud, among others. He is also renowned for many low- to mid-budget detective films and teleplays with unexpected touches of comedy blended in.

Gilling entered films in 1933 as an editor and was an assistant director starting with Father O'Flynn in 1935 until his Royal Navy service in the Second World War. Gilling began screenwriting with Black Memory in 1947, and made his directing debut with Escape from Broadmoor (1948). Gilling also produced and directed Old Mother Riley Meets the Vampire/Vampire Over London/My Son the Vampire in 1952. Gilling continued through the 1950s making several entertaining 'quota quickies' such as The Voice of Merrill for Monty Berman's Tempean Films and entered television directing in several British made series that received international distribution such as Douglas Fairbanks Jr Presents and Gideon's Way, as well as Monty Berman's The Saint, The Champions, and Department S.

Starting in 1956 Gilling directed and wrote several films for Albert R. Broccoli and Irving Allen's Warwick Films beginning with Odongo. An unsuccessful John Gilling Enterprises production company made Fury at Smugglers' Bay in 1961. Gilling joined Hammer Films in 1961 directing Shadow of the Cat where he achieved his greatest fame with several horror films as well as making the non-horror Hammer films The Pirates of Blood River (1962) and The Scarlet Blade. Gilling also directed the second Charles Vine superspy film Where the Bullets Fly in 1966.

Gilling retired to Spain where he whiled away the time painting.

• "Death is an incident producing clay. Use it, mould it, learn from it."

• John Gilling Quotes

Director

• Escape from Broadmoor (1948)
• A Matter of Murder (1949)
• No Trace (1950)
• The Quiet Woman (1951)
• The Frightened Man (1952)
• Mother Riley Meets the Vampire (1952)
• The Voice of Merrill (1952)
• Deadly Nightshade (1953)
• Recoil (1953)
• Escape by Night (1953)
• Three Steps to the Gallows (1953)
• Double Exposure (1954)
• The Embezzler (1954)
• Destination Milan (1954)
• The Gilded Cage (1955)
• Tiger by the Tail (1955)
• Odongo (1956)
• The Gamma People (1956)
• Interpol (1957)
• High Flight (1957)
• The Man Inside (1958)
• The Bandit of Zhobe (1959)
• Idol on Parade (1959)
• The Flesh and the Fiends (1960)
• The Challenge (1960)
• Fury at Smugglers' Bay (1961)
• The Shadow of the Cat (1961)
• The Pirates of Blood River (1962)
• Panic (1963)
• The Scarlet Blade (1964)
• The Brigand of Kandahar (1965)
• The Night Caller (1965)
• Where the Bullets Fly (1966)
• The Plague of the Zombies (1966)
• The Reptile (1966)
• The Mummy's Shroud (1967)
• La cruz del diablo (1975)

Screenwriter

• Black Memory (1947)
• A Gunman Has Escaped (1948)
• The Greed of William Hart (1948)
• House of Darkness (1948)
• Man in Black (1949)
• The Man from Yesterday (1949)
• A Matter of Murder (1949)
• The Lady Craved Excitement (1950)
• Guilt Is My Shadow (1950)
• Room to Let (1950)
• No Trace (1950)
• Blackout (1950)
• Dark Interval (1950)
• The Rossiter Case (1951)
• The Quiet Woman (1951)
• Chelsea Story (1951)
• Blind Man's Bluff (1952)
• Whispering Smith Hits London (1952)
• The Frightened Man (1952)
• 13 East Street (1952)
• Wings of Danger (1952)
• King of the Underworld (1952)
• The Lost Hours (1952)
• The Voice of Merrill (1952)
• The Steel Key (1953)
• Recoil (1953)
• Escape by Night (1953)
• Three Steps to the Gallows (1953)
• Double Exposure (1954)
• The Embezzler (1954)
• Profile (1954)
• Windfall (1955)
• Tiger by the Tail (1955)
• Bond of Fear (1956)
• Odongo (1956)
• The Gamma People (1956)
• The Man Inside (1958)
• The Bandit of Zhobe (1959)
• Killers of Kilimanjaro (1959)
• The Flesh and the Fiends (1960)
• The Challenge (1960)
• Fury at Smugglers' Bay (1961)
• The Pirates of Blood River (1962)
• Panic (1963)
• The Scarlet Blade (1964)
• The Gorgon (1964)
• The Secret of Blood Island (1964)
• The Brigand of Kandahar (1965)
• The Mummy's Shroud (1967)
• Trog (1970)
• La cruz del diablo (1975)