Gabrielle Beaumont


Gabrielle Beaumont was a British-American film and television director. She is regarded as one of the most prolific female television directors of the 80s and 90s, breaking into the industry at a time when there were "fewer than 100 professional female directors in the US." She was the first woman to work on numerous series, including being the first female director of a Star Trek episode.

Early life

Beaumont was born Gabrielle Toyne on in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire to producer and stuntman Gabriel Toyne and actress Diana Beaumont. Her brother was actor and producer Christopher Toyne. She attended Our Lady of Sion School in London. Following her graduation, she took her mother's maiden name, Beaumont, as her surname.

Career

Beaumont began her career as an actress, before moving to theatre production and stage management. In 1964, she was hired as an editor for the BBC. She transitioned in the company to directing and production management, before leaving the company to pursue film production. In 1971, she made her directorial debut with the horror films The Johnstown Monster and Crucible of Horror. From 1973 to 1980, she worked for Thames Television where she directed daytime television programs.
In 1980, Beaumont produced and directed the horror film The Godsend. After its American release, Beaumont was able to secure a meeting with American television producer Aaron Spelling. Following the meeting, she moved to America and began a decades-long working relationship with Spelling, who hired her to direct shows such as Vega$, Hart to Hart, Glitter, and Beverly Hills, 90210. While working with Spelling on [Dynasty (1981 TV series)|Dynasty], she recommended that he cast her friend Joan Collins as Alexis Colby.
When Beaumont first moved to California, she was one of less than 100 professional female directors working in the film and television industry. Despite this, Beaumont stated that the US provided more opportunities for woman than the UK, choosing to stay in America for the remainder of her directorial career. In 1986, she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for her direction on the set of Hill Street Blues. In 1989, she became the first woman to direct an episode of Star Trek, working on the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Booby Trap".
She received criticism from media outlets in 1998, after she directed the TV movie Diana: A Tribute to the People's Princess. The film focused on Princess Diana's relationship with Dodi Fayed prior to their death and was described by reviewers as "tacky." Beaumont retired from directing in 2000.

Later life

Following her retirement, Beaumont moved to Mallorca, where she had owned a vacation home since 1969. She took up screenwriting and adapted The King's General into a miniseries script. She later opened up a restaurant in the village of Fornalutx.
Beaumont died of cancer at her home in Fornalutx on, at the age of 80.

Personal life

Beaumont was married to actor and screenwriter Olaf Pooley from 1982 until their divorce in 1993. The couple had a daughter, Amanda Pooley, who died in 1989. In 1994, Beaumont married cinematographer Michael J Davis. The two remained together until Davis' death in 2008.
Beaumont was the cousin of Daphne du Maurier.

Filmography

YearTitleNotes
1971The Johnstown MonsterProducer
1971Crucible of HorrorProducer
19731976Good Afternoon!
1974Marked Personal8 episodes
1975Couples2 episodes
1977Rooms3 episodes
1978ShadowsEpisode: "The Silver Apple"
1978The Tomorrow People2 episodes
19781980Rainbow
1980The Godsend
1980Vega$Episode: "Sudden Death"
19801981Secrets of Midland Heights2 episodes
1981The WaltonsEpisode: "The Tempest"
1981M*A*S*HEpisode: "The Red/White Blues"
1981The Greatest American Hero2 episodes
1981Death of a Centerfold: The Dorothy Stratten Story
1981Knots Landing2 episodes
19811982Dynasty4 episodes
1982The Dukes of HazzardEpisode: "Bad Day in Hazzard"
1982Archie Bunker's PlaceEpisode: "The Second Time Around"
1982Private Benjamin6 episodes
19821983Hart to Hart5 episodes
1983Zorro and Son2 episodes
1983Secrets of a Mother and DaughterTV movie
19831986Hill Street Blues7 episodes
1984AfterMASHEpisode: "By the Book"
1984Gone Are the DayesTV movie
1984Hammer [House of Mystery and Suspense]Episode: "The Corvini Inheritance"
1984Cagney & LaceyEpisode: "Lady Luck"
19841985Glitter2 episodes
19851986Remington Steele3 episodes
19851986Hotel4 episodes
1986The Colbys2 episodes
1987Miami Vice2 episodes
1987DuetEpisode: "Elegy"
1987He's My Girl
1987Beauty and the BeastEpisode: "A Children's Story"
1988A Year in the Life2 episodes
1988ABC Afterschool SpecialEpisode: "Tattle: When to Tell on a Friend"
19881992L.A. Law4 episodes
1989Beverly Hills Buntz2 episodes
1989Dirty DancingEpisode: "Don't Make Me Over"
1989Studio 5-BEpisode: "The Aftermath"
1989Nightmare ClassicsEpisode: "Carmilla"
1989The Paradise Club2 episodes
19891992Doogie Howser, M.D.3 episodes
19891994Star Trek: The Next Generation7 episodes
1990TECX2 episodes
1990Screen OneEpisode: "One Last Chance"
1991Palace GuardEpisode: "Eye of Newt"
1992The Fifth CornerEpisode "Women at her Toilette"; Unaired
1993RidersTV movie
1993Law & OrderEpisode: "Apocrypha"
1993seaQuest DSVEpisode: "SeaWest"
1993Fatal InheritanceTV movie
1994Moment of Truth: Cradle of ConspiracyTV movie
1994The Other WomanTV movie
19941998Beverly Hills, 902102 episodes
1995Vanishing Son2 episodes
1996Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman2 episodes
1996Beastmaster III: The Eye of BraxusTV movie
1996The PretenderEpisode: "The Paper Clock"
1997Star Trek: [Deep Space Nine]Episode: "In Purgatory's Shadow"
1997Pacific PalisadesEpisode: "Best Laid Plans"
19977th Heaven3 episodes
1997Touched by an Angel3 episodes
1998Diana: A Tribute to the People's PrincessTV movie
1998Melrose PlaceEpisode: "Suddenly Sperm
2000Star Trek: VoyagerEpisode: "Blink of an Eye"
2000Baywatch2 episodes