John Paddy Carstairs


John Paddy Carstairs was a British film director and television director, usually of light-hearted subject matter. He was also a comic novelist and painter.

Biography

The son of actor Nelson Keys, Carstairs changed his name in order to avoid the appearance of nepotism. He directed 37 films in total. He had a long association with the character of Simon Templar. Aside from directing the 1939 Saint film, The Saint in London, he also directed two episodes of The Saint in the 1960s, making him the only individual to be connected to both the Hollywood film and British series of The Saint.
Carstairs directed many British comedies including Norman Wisdom's first six films.
Filmink magazine argued Carstairs had "a style as recogniseable as any British auteur – we’re surprised more academics don’t discuss him."

Death

Carstairs died of a heart attack on 12 December 1970, aged 60.

Select bibliography

Selected filmography

A Honeymoon Adventure The Water Gipsies Nine till Six The Impassive Footman Love on the Spot It's a Boy Paris Plane Boomerang Gay Love It's a Cop Lost in the Legion Falling in Love While Parents Sleep Two's Company The Captain's Table Holiday's End Double Exposures Night Ride Missing, Believed Married Incident in Shanghai Lassie from Lancashire A Yank at Oxford The Saint in London The Lambeth Walk All Hands Meet Maxwell Archer Now You're Talking The Second Mr. Bush Dangerous Comment Telefootlers He Found a Star Spare a Copper Dancing with Crime Sleeping Car to Trieste Fools Rush In The Chiltern Hundreds Tony Draws a Horse Talk of a Million Made in Heaven Treasure Hunt Little Big Shot Top of the Form Trouble in Store Up to His Neck The Crowded Day One Good Turn Man of the Moment Jumping for Joy Up in the World Just My Luck The Big Money The Square Peg Tommy the Toreador And the Same to You Sands of the Desert A Weekend with Lulu