RIP Donald Sharp

Donald Sharp the Tasmanian-born director, screenwriter, who began his career as an actor died on December 18, 2011 in Cornwall, England. Sharp was born on April 19, 1922 in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia and came to Britain after World War II where he went to work with Group Three. He began directing low budget thrillers and musicals in the mid ‘50s including “The Golden Disc” (1958), “The Adventures of Hal 5” (1958), and “It’s all Happening” (1963), before graduating to genre films. Don’s first for Hammer being “Kiss of the Vampire” (1963). Sharp was also responsible for the stunning second unit work on “Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines” (1965) and “Puppet on a Chain” (1970), as well as such films as “Witchcraft” (1964), “The Face of Fu Manchu” (1965), “The Brides of Fu Manchu” (1966), “Taste of Excitement” (1969), “Psychomania” (1972), “The Thirty-Nine Steps” (1978) and “Bear Island” (1979). TV work includes the popular mini-series A Woman of Substance and TV sequels. Sharp co-wrote the screenplay for one Euro-western “Legend of a Gunfighter” (1964). Coincidentally Walter Giller who died on December 15th also appeared in "Legend of a Gunfighter".