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John Grierson

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Scottish documentary pioneer (1898-1972)

United KingdomDirectorsLived 1898 to 1972 · aged 73
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Languages19
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John Grierson was a Scottish filmmaker, film theorist, and critic, often considered the father of British and Canadian documentary film. In 1926, Grierson coined the term "documentary" in a review of Robert J. Flaherty's Moana.

Also inDeutsch

Photos 2

John Grierson (left), Chairman of the Wartime Information Board, meeting with Ralph Foster, Head of Graphics, National Film Board of Canada, to examine a series of posters produced by the National Film Board of CanadaJohn Grierson (left), Chairman of the Wartime Information Board, meeting with Ralph Foster, Head of Graphics, National Film Board of Canada, to examine a series of posters produced by the National Film Board of Canada

Filmography 40

A Colour Box1935 · ★ 6.0
Night Mail1936
Trade Tattoo1937
The Song of Ceylon1934
Coal Face1935
Granton Trawler1934
Drifters1929
Post-Haste1934
Miss Robin Hood1952
The Brave Don't Cry1952
Seawards the Great Ships1960
North Sea1938
Industrial Britain1931
You're Only Young Twice!1952
Creative Process: Norman McLaren1990
Grierson1973
The Oracle1953
Devil on Horseback1954
Our Dumb Friend1930
6.30 Collection1934
The Face of Scotland1938
Man of Africa1953
A Job in a Million1937
I Remember, I Remember1968
Herlock Sholmes in Be-a-Live-Crook1930
Kerri Cheertum in Jungle-Tungle1930
Tom Mixup1930
The Londoners1939
BBC: The Voice of Britain1935
Hitchcock on Grierson
Documenting John Grierson2014
A Return to Memory2024
On the Fishing Banks of Skye1935
The New Generation2025
Daily Round1937
Droitwich: The World's Most Modern Long Wave Transmitter1935
Children at School1937
Four Men in Prison1950
The Coming of the Dial1933
Spring on the Farm1933

58 credits on file

Awards 1

Commander of the Order of the British Empire

Connected to John 6

W. H. AudenAlso in Night Mail (1936)Ronnie CorbettAlso in You're Only Young Twice! (1952)Robert J. FlahertyAlso in Industrial Britain (1931)Googie WithersAlso in Devil on Horseback (1954)Alberto CavalcantiAlso in North Sea (1938)Jean AndersonAlso in The Brave Don't Cry (1952)

About this person

John Grierson was a Scottish filmmaker, film theorist, and critic, often considered the father of British and Canadian documentary film. In 1926, Grierson coined the term "documentary" in a review of Robert J. Flaherty's Moana. In 1939, Grierson established the all-time Canadian film institutional production and distribution company The National Film Board of Canada controlled by the Government of Canada.

Country
United Kingdom
Category
Directors
Type
Movie Director
Status
deceased
Dates
Lived 1898 to 1972 · aged 73
Written about in
19 languages

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