- Born
- Died
- Birth nameJames Henry Kimmel Sangster
- Nicknames
- John Sansom
- James Sangster
- One of the driving, creative forces behind the legendary Hammer
Studios, Jimmy Sangster was born on December 2, 1927, in Kinmel Bay, North
Wales. He began in the film industry as a production assistant at age
16 during WWII. After this gig, he worked as a gofer and assistant
projectionist for Norman's Film Services at London's Wardour Street.
Subsequently, he became a film magazine loader and clapper boy at a
small studio located on Abbey Road.
At this point, he was drafted by the R.A.F. and was posted to India.
After his tour of duty came to an end, he was able to get himself a job
as a 3rd assistant director for a low-budget film, that happened to be
shooting near his parents' cottage. That film's producer was offered a
job with Exclusive Studios, which was to become Hammer Studios. He
brought Sangster along with him as an assistant producer.
Hammer Studios producer
Anthony Hinds offered Sangster the
assistant director job, which he performed for a while before Hinds and
'Michael
Carreras' urged him to give
screen-writing a go. His script for the science-fiction film
X the Unknown (1956) proved to be
the turning point in his career. His next project was
The Curse of Frankenstein (1957),
which he wanted to make his own instead of patterning it after the
1930's Universal picture; he was more interested in the role of the
creator than that of the creature.
Horror of Dracula (1958) (aka The Horror of
Dracula)followed, which proved to be an even bigger hit for the studio.
He then turned out subsequent scripts such as
The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958)
and The Mummy (1959) and would even
write scripts for competing studios such as
Blood of the Vampire (1958)
and
The Crawling Eye (1958)
(aka The Trollenberg Terror).
By now, Sangster had tired of writing Gothic horrors and entered into a
phase of his career where he concentrated on psychological thrillers
which would be filmed in black & white. These included
Scream of Fear (1961) and
Paranoiac (1963).
Another short-lived phase of his career came when he was approached to
re-write a script titled
The Horror of Frankenstein (1970).
Feeling that it was too much of a carbon copy of his own
The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
and wanting to put a fresh spin on it, he injected his re-write with
much sex and humor. His proviso for the re-write was that he get to
direct for once, which Hammer allowed him to do. After "Horror of
Frankenstein", he directed
Lust for a Vampire (1971),
filling in for frequent Hammer director
Terence Fisher, after the latter had
broken his leg. His final directorial effort was "Fear in the Night";
unfortunately, these three films would prove to be disappointments
commercially and critically.
Around this time, Sangster moved to Hollywood where his screen-writing
credits would include
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? (1972),
The Legacy (1978) and
Phobia (1980), as well as episodes of such
television series as Banacek (1972),
Cannon (1971) and
Kolchak: The Night Stalker (1974)
and some detective novels.
Sangster retired some time back, maintaining homes in both California
and England. In 1997, his autobiography "Do You Want It Good or
Tuesday?" was published. Sadly, the legendary writer passed away on
August 19, 2011.
His many years in the business are indicative of the talent of a
prolific and much-respected screenwriter, whose films continue to be
enjoyed to this day.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Scott LeBrun
- SpousesMary Peach(June 30, 1995 - August 19, 2011) (his death)Sandra Lee Nadeau(April 15, 1972 - ?) (divorced)Monica Hustler(August 26, 1950 - 1968) (divorced, 1 child)
- He worked as a production assistant at Hammer Films. His duties
included assistant director, second unit director and production
manager. For an upcoming project, the head of Hammer suggested that
Sangster try his hand at writing; if he liked Sangster's script, Hammer
would buy it. This began his career as a writer, the
profession he is best known for. His early scripts were not only for
Hammer, but some of Hammer's competitors as well. - He sometimes wrote under the name John Sansom (Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966)) and James Sangster (Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? (1972)).
- Ralph Bates appeared in the three films that Sangster directed: The Horror of Frankenstein (1970), Lust for a Vampire (1971) and Fear in the Night (1972).
- [in 1996] All of a sudden I'm a cult figure. But it's all due to about five movies: a couple of Frankensteins, a couple of Draculas and a mummy.
- I wrote horror movies because it was my job. So, when someone asks me what were the influences that prompted me to be a "horror film" writer, I tell them it was Wages!
- [adding more sexual content to films in 60s/70s]: If sexy is going to add to the box office takings then it's okay by me.
- The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) - $450
- X the Unknown (1957) - £200
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