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Terence Fisher was born in Maida Vale, England, in 1904. Raised by his grandmother in a strict Christian Scientist environment, Fisher left school while still in his teens to join the Merchant Marine. By his own account he soon discovered that a life at sea was not for him, so he left the service and tried his hand at a succession of jobs ashore. It was during this time that he discovered the cinema, entering the film industry as "the oldest clapper boy in the business." One day, almost as a lark, he applied to J. Arthur Rank Studios to become a film editor. To his astonishment, he was accepted. In 1947, at the age of 43, he made his directorial debut with a supernatural comedy called Colonel Bogey (1948)--a foreshadowing of things to come.

For the next few years he switched between "A"-film assignments (Noël Coward's _The Astonished Heart (1948)_, So Long at the Fair (1950) with Jean Simmons and Dirk Bogarde and Lost Daughter (1949) with Herbert Lom) and a succession of "B" films, which enabled him to support his wife and daughter. Typical of these programmers are Three Stops to Murder (1953) and Spaceways (1953), efficient but uninspired films that show little in the way of personality.

His break came in 1956 when, at the age of 52, he was asked to helm Hammer Studios' remake of Frankenstein (1931). The result, The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), broke box-office records and enraged critics worldwide who were unaccustomed to its plethora of hearty bloodletting. The Eastmancolor shocker set a new standard for horror films and helped to make Fisher, Hammer and stars Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee into bankable commodities. With its emphasis on realistic character interplay over melodramatic conventions, the film established Fisher's personal approach to horror, which stood in direct defiance to the old Universal films--in fact, Fisher flatly refused to watch James Whale's 1931 version for fear that it might influence his vision.

More remakes followed. Fisher actively sought to remake Dracula (1931), and the results proved to be both aesthetically and commercially superior to "Curse of Frankenstein". Horror of Dracula (1958) proved to be universally popular and is commonly held as Fisher's--and Hammer's--finest work. It may or may not be, but it does remain the freshest and most vibrant big-screen reworking of the story; even Francis Ford Coppola in his remake failed to recapture its vigor and sense of urgency.

Fisher's subsequent films tended to place less emphasis on shock effects and more on complex emotional interplay. For example, the titular characters of The Curse of the Werewolf (1961) and The Phantom of the Opera (1962) are more sympathetic than the so-called "normal" characters, while Fisher's fascinating Freudian take on the Dr. Jekyll story--The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll (1960)--offers a homely old Dr. Jekyll who transforms into a virile man about town named Edward Hyde. Similarly, The Gorgon (1964) disappointed schlock fans by offering a haunting story of doomed love in place of the conventional Hammer-style shocker. Following the commercial failure of "Phantom"--Hammer's most expensive film to that point--Fisher was booted out for a brief period. During this time lesser talents like Freddie Francis were entrusted with the franchises that Fisher had helped to establish. Invariably the results were inferior. Despite his hatred for sci-fi, which stood in contrast to his confessed love for horror, Fisher made good work of The Devil Rides Out (1968) precursor The Earth Dies Screaming (1964) (with Dennis Price), while Night of the Big Heat (1967) (again with Lee and Cushing) benefited from his ability to suggest pent-up passion and paranoia.

Back at Hammer after this brief hiatus, Fisher resurrected Christopher Lee's count in the under-rated, poetic Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966) before detailing the further adventures of Baron Frankenstein in Frankenstein Created Woman (1967), Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969) and his last film, Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1974). All three films offer subtle variations on the character of the Baron, played by the impeccable Cushing, thus emphasizing Fisher's unique ability to lend complex, credible characterization to seemingly formula-bound material. "Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed", an unusually bitter film which mirrors the nihilism of the late 1960s, remains Fisher's finest, most multi-layered work, despite its lack of popularity. At the center of Fisher's work is a fascinating moral dilemma: the seductive appeal of evil vs. the overzealous, frequently close-minded representatives of good. The consistency of theme in Fisher's work, coupled with a distinctive style achieved through precise framing and a dynamic editing style, refutes the idea that he was merely a hack for hire, while lending his films a recognizable signature.

Best films: "So Long at the Fair", Lost Daughter (1949), "Dracula", The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958), The Mummy (1959), The Stranglers of Bombay (1959), "Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll", The Brides of Dracula (1960), "Curse of the Werewolf", The Phantom of the Opera (1962), "The Gorgon", "The Earth Dies Screaming", "Dracula--Prince of Darkness" and "Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed".

Terence Fisher died in 1980 at the age of 76.

Doris Davenport was born in Moline, IL, but grew up in Hollywood. Samuel Goldwyn gave her the part of Eddie Cantor's sweetheart in his musical Kid Millions (1934) after seeing her work as a Goldwyn Girl. As Doris Jordan, she tested for the part of Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind (1939) and was one of the finalists. That test interested Goldwyn enough to cast her opposite Gary Cooper in The Westerner (1940) where she did good work. But Goldwyn wasn't as impressed and her career ended soon after. She died on June 18, 1980 at age 63.

Rodney Mitchell was born on 19 June 1948 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is known for The Dukes of Hazzard (1979). He died on 18 June 1980 in Lake Sherwood, California, USA.

Torben Anton Svendsen was born on 17 September 1904 in Copenhagen, Denmark. He was a director and writer, known for Susanne (1950), On Faith and Law (1955) and Mød mig paa Cassiopeia (1951). He was married to Karin Nellemose. He died on 18 June 1980 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Jochen Blume was born on 21 January 1910 in Görlitz, Germany. He was an actor and director, known for The Tiger of Eschnapur (1959), Mistress of the World (1960) and The Indian Tomb (1959). He died on 18 June 1980.

Michel Vaucaire was born on 3 August 1904 in Brissago, Ticino, Switzerland. Michel was married to Cora Vaucaire and Isabel de Selva. Michel died on 18 June 1980 in Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis, France.

Alberto Giacalone was a producer and production manager, known for Vergiss mein nicht (1935), The Song of the Sun (1934) and Der Mann, der nicht nein sagen kann (1938). He died on 18 June 1980 in Rome, Italy.

Dick Johnson was born on 26 April 1912 in Iowa, USA. He is known for It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963), The Sand Pebbles (1966) and Breakout (1975). He died on 18 June 1980 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Sándor Reményi was born on 8 June 1915 in Budapest, Austria-Hungary [now Hungary]. He died on 18 June 1980 in Budapest, Hungary.

Zoltán Farkas was born on 11 July 1913 in Budapest, Austria-Hungary [now Hungary]. He was an editor and director, known for Negyedíziglen (1942), Gyanú (1944) and Sportszerelem (1936). He died on 18 June 1980 in Budapest, Hungary.

Eva Wikman was born on 18 August 1921 in Västerås, Västmanlands län, Sweden. She was an actress, known for Vägen till Klockrike (1953), Gertrud (1963) and Måsen (1959). She died on 18 June 1980 in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Bruno Engler was born on 31 December 1912 in Czernowitz, Austria-Hungary [now Cernivci, Ukraine]. Bruno was a writer, known for Das Ministerium ist beleidigt (1954) and Het ministerie is beledigd (1960). Bruno died on 18 June 1980 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Cliff Bergere was born on 6 December 1896 in Toledo, Ohio, USA. He was an actor, known for The Eagle's Talons (1923), 1927 Indianapolis 500 (1927) and 1928 Indianapolis 500 (1928). He died on 18 June 1980 in Dade City, Florida, USA.