Clive Donner
A versatile director who helped define the British New Wave's kitchen-sink realism before deftly navigating swinging-sixties comedies.
1926–2010 (age 84)·British film director·Birthday: January 21·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Clive Donner's film career began not behind the camera, but in the editing room, where he honed his sense of rhythm and narrative on classics like 'The Crimson Pirate' and 'The Caretaker.' This foundation served him perfectly when he stepped up to direct, immediately aligning with the gritty, socially conscious British New Wave. His adaptation of Harold Pinter's 'The Caretaker' was a critical triumph, capturing the play's tense ambiguity. Yet Donner proved remarkably adaptable, pivoting to the vibrant, pop-art energy of the sixties with the Peter Sellers and Peter O'Toole comedy 'What's New Pussycat?' and the youthful romp 'Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush.' His later career shifted significantly to television, where he directed admired adaptations of Dickens and Shakespeare for American networks, showcasing a lifelong commitment to character-driven storytelling across genres and formats.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Clive was born in 1926, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Clive Was Born
The biggest hits of 1926
#1 Movie
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
Clive's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1926Born
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1931Started school
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1939Became a teenager
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1942Could drive
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1944Could vote
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1947Turned 21
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1956Turned 30
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1966Turned 40
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1976Turned 50
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 60
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 70
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 80
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2010Died at 84
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
Key Achievements
- Directed the acclaimed film adaptation of Harold Pinter's play 'The Caretaker' (1963), a key work of British realist cinema.
- Helmed the seminal 1960s sex comedy 'What's New Pussycat?' (1965), starring Peter Sellers and written by Woody Allen.
- Directed the popular coming-of-age film 'Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush' (1967), capturing the spirit of 'Swinging London'.
- Won an Emmy Award for his television direction of 'The Scarlet Pimpernel' (1982).
Did You Know?
He was the original editor on Laurence Olivier's film version of 'Richard III' (1955).
Donner directed several episodes of the classic television series 'The Saint' starring Roger Moore.
He was married to actress Virginia Maskell from 1960 until her death in 1968.
His later TV work included the well-regarded 1984 adaptation of 'A Christmas Carol' starring George C. Scott.
“The editor is the first audience for the film.”
