- Lindsay Shonteff
Lindsay Shonteff (5 November 1935-11 March 2006) was a Canadian born
film director ,film producer andscreenwriter who achieved fame for low budget films produced in England.Biography
Lindsay Craig Shonteff was born inToronto ,Ontario and made his directing, producing, editing and screenwriting debut in 1961 with a Canadian madeWestern (genre) film "The Hired Gun"/"The Last Gunfighter". After the film's release, Shonteff went to England following his friendSidney J. Furie . Shonteff's English debut was "Devil Doll (film) " in 1964 that Furie was originally scheduled to direct. Furie was offered a more prestigious film so recommended his fellow Canadian Shonteff.Richard Gordon (film producer) said Furie advised Shonteff throughout the making of the film. [Weaver, Tom "Return of the B Science Fiction and Horror Movies: The Mutant Melding of Two Classic Interviews" 1999 McFarland & Co] Shonteff had to re-edit the horror tale of a ventriloquest's dummy to avoid anX rating . This film led to interest fromColumbia Pictures for a contract but Shonteff argued over the matter and the contract didn't come through. [Bryce, Allan "Nickels and Dimes and No Time. The Ups and Downs of Lindsay Shonteff" featured in Jaworzyn, S "Shock Xpress" The Essential Guide to Exploitation Cinema" Titan 1994] Shonteff then filmed the "African horror adventure" "Curse of Simba"/"Curse of the Voodoo" for Richard Gordon again starringBryant Haliday with outdoor sequences filmed inRegents Park inLondon [Weaver, Tom "Return of the B Science Fiction and Horror Movies: The Mutant Melding of Two Classic Interviews" 1999 McFraland & Co]In 1965 Shonteff co-wrote and directed a
James Bond type film for producer S.J.H. "James" Ward "Licensed to Kill (1965 film) " withTom Adams (actor) as agentCharles Vine . The film was picked up for American and international release byJoseph E. Levine ; re-edited and retitled "The Second Best Secret Agent in the Whole Wide World" with a new title song written bySammy Cahn andJames Van Heusen and performed bySammy Davis Jr . The American publicity campaign for theJames Bond exploitation film echoed the 'Number 2, but tries harder' advertising of theAvis Rent a Car System prevalent at the time. Reportedly Shonteff was offered a contract by20th Century Fox but disagreed on conditions. [www.britmovie.uk] Adams reprised Charles Vine in two more films without hisMauser C96 or Shonteff though Shonteff collaborated again with producer James Ward in "Run With the Wind" withFrancesca Annis in 1966. Shonteff directedHarry Alan Towers 's "The Million Eyes of Sumaru" withShirley Eaton andGeorge Nader based on a story bySax Rohmer the following year.With the publicity battle between the rival
James Bond s ofAlbert R. Broccoli 's "The Spy Who Loved Me (film) " andKevin McClory 's projected "James Bond of the Secret Service" in 1976, Shonteff returned to thesecret agent fold with hissuperspy now calling himself Charles "Bind" in "Number One Of The Secret Service" (withNicky Henson ) that was originally titled "008 of the Secret Service" [ Wood, Linda "British Films 1971-1981" BFI 1983] , "Licenced to Love and Kill" (withGareth Hunt ) (1979) and Michael Howe in "Number One Gun" (1990). Shonteff also directedLen Deighton 's "Spy Story" in 1976 and filmed "How Sleep the Brave" aVietnam war film in England in 1981. [www.lindsayshonteff.com]Shonteff died on the last day of production of his final film "Angels, Devils, and Men".When Lindsay Shonteff died, he was married to his wife of over 44 years Christina Shonteff.
References
External links
* http://www.lindsayshonteff.com/
* Lindsay Shonteff at IMDB http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0794843/
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