Norman Spencer (producer)

Norman Spencer (born 13 August 1914)[1] is a British film producer, production manager and screenwriter, especially notable for his collaborations with director David Lean during the 1940s and '50s.

Early life

He was born in Stockwell, London,[1][2] and grew up in Essex.[2]

Career

Spencer first met David Lean when he was a gofer at Denham Studios and Lean was an editor.[3] His first job on a Lean film was as assistant director on Lean's debut as a director, In Which We Serve (1942).

Spencer was production manager on Lean's adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel, Great Expectations (1946),[4] and later co-scrpited and co-produced Lean's film of Harold Brighouse's play Hobson's Choice (1954).[3] Lean's first casting suggestion for the lead role was Welsh-born Roger Livesey, but Spencer convinced him to cast Charles Laughton instead, later explaining: "Laughton was a Yorkshireman and he would be playing a Lancastrian, so you'd get regional accuracy, more or less, with international casting. And I thought it needed that size of character."[5] Spencer's last producing credit for Lean was Summertime (1955), which, according to Spencer, Lean was asked to direct by producer Alexander Korda.[6] Spencer later collaborated with Lean on a re-write of the script for The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) leading up to the film's production, after Lean was unhappy with the one Carl Foreman had written. Foreman was later asked to re-write the script by the film's producer Sam Spiegel.[7]

His later producing credits include the American action film Vanishing Point (1971)[8] and Richard Attenborough's film Cry Freedom (1987).

References
  1. "Norman Spencer". BFI. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  2. "Norman Spencer: Interview notes". The History Project. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  3. "How We Made Hobson's Choice". The Guardian (30 June 2014). Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  4. Hurrell, Alex (27 July 2013). "Film chief and son of Oscar winner attend screening of David Lean classic at Wolterton Hall". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
  5. Brownlow, Kevin (1996). David Lean: A Biography. London: Faber & Faber. pp. 298–299. ISBN 0571191681.
  6. Zarroli, Jim (31 August 2011). "On Location: A 'Summertime' Romance In Venice". WBUR News. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  7. Brownlow, Kevin (1996). David Lean: A Biography. London: Faber & Faber. pp. 351–354. ISBN 0571191681.
  8. Dunhill, Lawrence (26 August 2009). "Hollywood film producer takes French lessons in Iver Heath". Bucks Free Press. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
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