Lewis Gilbert

Lewis Gilbert CBE was an eminent English film director, producer, and screenwriter. Born as Louis Laurie Isaacs, he descended from a family of music hall performers, leading to early exposure to the performing arts. He began his career as a child actor in the late 1920s and 30s. As he grew older, his interest shifted to film direction. He got a chance to study film direction while assisting Alfred Hitchcock's 'Jamaica Inn'. During World War II, he actively worked on documentary films for the U.S. Army Air Forces which further polished his directorial skills.

Gilbert directed numerous films over six decades, his film style and genre traversing across various titles like 'Reach for the Sky', 'Sink the Bismarck!', 'Alfie', 'Educating Rita' and 'Shirley Valentine'. He is especially renowned for directing three films in the James Bond series ('You Only Live Twice', 'The Spy Who Loved Me', and 'Moonraker'). His ability to handle both character dramas and large-scale productions like the Bond films garners great accolades. However, his later career saw him returning to more small-scale dramas. Gilbert was honoured with the designation of a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) to acknowledge his substantial contribution to the film industry.