- Born
- Died
- Birth nameValmond Maurice Grossmann
- Val Guest began his career as an actor on the British stage and in early sound films. He ran the one-man London office of "The Hollywood Reporter" until an encounter with director Marcel Varnel led to a screen writing job at Gainsborough Studios. Guest's directing career began in the early 1940s with a Ministry of Information short about the perils of sneezing (!), an inauspicious start to a lengthy roster of films that includes the science-fiction classics The Quatermass Xperiment (1955), Quatermass 2 (1957), The Abominable Snowman (1957) and The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961). He was married to the actress Yolande Donlan from 1954 until his death in 2006, aged 94.- IMDb mini biography by: Tom Weaver <TomWeavr@aol.com>
- Val Guest (1911-2006) had one of the most varied careers in film history, both in output and profession. Since 1932, he had tried his hand at writing, directing, producing, acting and composing, all in film and all with varying degrees of success. His first taste of success came co-writing some of Will Hay's best comedies with Marriott Edgar. Val's directorial debut came in 1943 with Miss London Ltd. (1943), a rather patchy musical comedy vehicle for Arthur Askey. He has since been responsible for some of the best, and indeed some of the worst British films of our time. Two of his best are the science fiction classics, The Quatermass Xperiment (1955) and The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961). Two of the worst (and there's been a few!) are When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth (1970), Hammer's abysmal follow up to One Million Years B.C. (1966), complete with dodgy effects and absolutely no script whatsoever and The Boys in Blue (1983), a really dire re-make of the brilliant Will Hay film Ask a Policeman (1939), originally co-scripted by Guest himself back in 1939.- IMDb mini biography by: james hogg jameshogg34@hotmail.com
- SpousesYolande Donlan(September 11, 1954 - May 10, 2006) (his death)Pat Watson(March 25, 1936 - 1954) (divorced, 1 child)
- Hammer wanted him to direct Quatermass and the Pit but he had to turn it down due to other commitments so it was passed to Roy Ward Baker.
- Directed Jon Pertwee seven times.
- Son-in-law of James Donlan.
- Directed Sam Kydd ten times.
- Directed Basil Dignam eight times.
- I have never in my life set out to make a picture for the lowest common denominator audience. Any picture I've made I've made because it was the sort of picture I would like to see. I just hope that other people share my taste. At no point would I ever pander to the audience.
- I never had enough money to make any of my films. I just had to use my wits. I came on the set and I was expected to have "instant genius." Over the years of battling against all odds I learned what I could get away with. I've spent my career trying to make inexpensive pictures look more expensive by using "tricks."
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