Maurice Elvey

In May 1996 the world premiere of a long-lost film about David Lloyd George, directed by Elvey, took place in Cardiff more than 70 years later than scheduled. The three-hour film was suppressed on the eve of its release under circumstances that have still not been fully explained.

Carol Reed and David Lean began their distinguished careers in film by working for him, and he directed Gracie Fields in her first movie, Sally in Our Alley (1931). Maurice Elvey was the older brother of Fred V.

Amongst the "firsts" that Maurice Elvey can claim as a director are: Gaumont's first talking film (High Treason (1929)) and the first British colour film Sons of the Sea (1939)).

Maurice Elvey was born in Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, England, the oldest son of William Clarence Folkard, an inspecting engineer, and Sarah Anna Seward Folkard (formerly Pearce). He never had a formal education, and was working on the streets of London by the age of nine after having run away from home. For a time he worked as a page boy in the Hyde Park Hotel, and a lucky encounter with a wealthy American set him on the road to a career in first the theatre and then in films. It was while in New York when working as a stage producer that he saw his first film, The Flying Dutchman (1923). This made such an impression on him that when he came back to England he was determined to produce and direct films; thus began a career spanning 44 years, during which time he made over 300 feature films and innumerable shorts.

On 13th January 1923 he married Isabella Reed (aka actress Isobel Elsom), but this marriage also ended in divorce.

He directed Basil Rathbones first two films, The Fruitful Vine (1921) and Innocent (1921).

Merrick, and during the 1920s and 1930s they worked on a number of films together.

The film was acclaimed by cinema historians as a milestone in film making, and it is believed that had it been released in 1918, as originally planned, it may well have changed the course of British cinema. Maurice Elvey was married three times.

He then married Florence Hill Clarke (a sculptor) on 2nd February 1916. This marriage, too, ended in divorce.

His first marriage took place on 31st December 1910 to Adeline Maud Charlton Preston (aka actress 'Philippa Preston'. This marriage ended in divorce.

The 1901 census shows that he was in London living at 18 Bloompark Road, Fulham.

At one point lived in Park Street, Stockton, but In the 1891 census the family were registered as being at 3 Vyner Terrace, Stockton, and two years later were at Tees Cottage in Redcar.