Birthday: 11 December 1911, Maida Vale, London, England, UK
Birth Name: Valmond Maurice Grossmann
Val Guest began his career as an actor on the British stage and in early sound films. He ran the one-man London office of "The Hollywood Reporter" until an encounter with director Marcel Varnel led to a screen writing job at Gainsborough Studios. Guest's directing career began in the early 1940s with a Ministry of Information short a...
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Val Guest began his career as an actor on the British stage and in early sound films. He ran the one-man London office of "The Hollywood Reporter" until an encounter with director Marcel Varnel led to a screen writing job at Gainsborough Studios. Guest's directing career began in the early 1940s with a Ministry of Information short about the perils of sneezing (!), an inauspicious start to a lengthy roster of films that includes the science-fiction classics The Quatermass Xperiment (1955), Quatermass 2 (1957), The Abominable Snowman (1957) and The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961). He was married to the actress Yolande Donlan from 1954 until his death in 2006, aged 94. Show less «
I have never in my life set out to make a picture for the lowest common denominator audience. Any pi...Show more »
I have never in my life set out to make a picture for the lowest common denominator audience. Any picture I've made I've made because it was the sort of picture I would like to see. I just hope that other people share my taste. At no point would I ever pander to the audience. Show less «
I never had enough money to make any of my films. I just had to use my wits. I came on the set and I...Show more »
I never had enough money to make any of my films. I just had to use my wits. I came on the set and I was expected to have "instant genius." Over the years of battling against all odds I learned what I could get away with. I've spent my career trying to make inexpensive pictures look more expensive by using "tricks." Show less «