Derek Williams

Derek Williams

Derek Williams (20 August 1929 – 2 August 2021) was a British documentary film director and writer who was active from the 1950s until 1990. His films received four British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTAs) and five Oscar nominations (four as director and writer and one as writer only) all in the short documentary classification. Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, he was educated at Newcastle Royal Grammar School and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. His first film, Hadrian's Wall, was made while he was at university and was self-financed. On the basis of this film he was able to enter the film industry as a trainee assistant for World Wide Films. His first commercial film, released in 1955, was Oil Harbour, Aden, made for the sponsor George Wimpey & Co who had the contract to build a port to service a nearby oil refinery being built by BP. Williams acted as cameraman as well as writer and director during the two year location filming. His first big break came in 1955 when World Wide Films was appointed by BP to film the British Trans-Antarctic Expedition, under Dr Vivian Fuchs, which BP was sponsoring. Williams became a member of the sixteen-person party the sailed to the Weddell Sea aboard Theron with the intention of establishing an advance base for the main party due to arrive the following year. During the outward journey the ship became frozen is sea ice and also had to depart more rapidly than originally intended, having deposited the shore party who were to stay through the Antarctic winter. The resulting film, Foothold on Antarctica, was released in 1956. It received a private viewing at Buckingham Palace and went on to receive an Oscar nomination. The film was also shown on a number of occasions as part of public events which included a talk from Sir Vivian Fuchs and which raised private donations towards the costs of the expedition.

  • Title: Derek Williams
  • Popularity: 0.349
  • Known For: Directing
  • Birthday: 1929-08-20
  • Place of Birth: Newcastle upon Tyne, England, UK
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Derek Williams Movies

  • 1975
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    Sea Area Forties

    Sea Area Forties

    1 1975 HD

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  • 1971
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    Alaska: The Great Land

    Alaska: The Great Land

    1 1971 HD

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  • 1979
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    Planet Water

    Planet Water

    1 1979 HD

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  • 1961
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    Hunted in Holland

    Hunted in Holland

    6 1961 HD

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  • 1961
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    Hunted in Holland

    Hunted in Holland

    6 1961 HD

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  • 1963
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    Carnival

    Carnival

    1 1963 HD

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  • 1963
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    Escape to Gozo

    Escape to Gozo

    1 1963 HD

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  • 1963
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    Kidnapped

    Kidnapped

    1 1963 HD

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  • 1963
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    Treasure in Malta

    Treasure in Malta

    1 1963 HD

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  • 1963
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    By Jiminy

    By Jiminy

    1 1963 HD

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  • 1957
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    There Was a Door

    There Was a Door

    1 1957 HD

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  • 1970
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    The Shadow of Progress

    The Shadow of Progress

    1 1970 HD

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  • 1977
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    The Shetland Experience

    The Shetland Experience

    7.2 1977 HD

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  • 1965
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    Health of a City

    Health of a City

    1 1965 HD

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  • 1964
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    At the Villa Rosa

    At the Villa Rosa

    1 1964 HD

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  • 1965
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    Turkey: The Bridge

    Turkey: The Bridge

    1 1965 HD

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  • 1970
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    The Shadow of Progress

    The Shadow of Progress

    1 1970 HD

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  • 1977
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    The Shetland Experience

    The Shetland Experience

    7.2 1977 HD

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