Angus MacPhail, a native of London, spent a significant portion of his career as a screenwriter in collaboration with renowned producer Michael Balcon. Throughout his tenure, he had the privilege of working with some of Britain's most esteemed film studios, including Gainsborough, Gaumont-British, and the iconic Ealing Studios. While his body of work is incredibly diverse, MacPhail is perhaps most famously associated with the classic British feature film Dead of Night, which premiered in 1945. In addition to his contributions to this cinematic masterpiece, he also had the opportunity to work with the legendary Alfred Hitchcock, lending his writing talents to the 1956 film The Wrong Man. MacPhail's reputation within the British film industry was that of a skilled and versatile collaborator, often referred to as a "script doctor." In fact, it's worth noting that out of the 23 scripts he penned for Ealing Studios, he received sole credit on only a single occasion.
Personal Details
BornApr 8, 1903 London, England, UK
Biography
Career
{"id":14316,"title":"The Wrong Man","year":"1956","job":"Screenplay","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/the-wrong-man","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/images\/fanart\/movies\/poster\/1bpso9ivg9m0.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/images\/fanart\/movies\/poster\/1bpso9ivg9m0.jpg"},"released":1}
1956

The Wrong Man as Screenplay
{"id":38575,"title":"Whisky Galore!","year":"1949","job":"Screenplay","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/whisky-galore","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_38575.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_38575.jpg"},"released":1}
1949

Whisky Galore! as Screenplay
{"id":69122,"title":"Train of Events","year":"1949","job":"Screenplay","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/train-of-events","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_69122.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_69122.jpg"},"released":1}

Train of Events as Screenplay
{"id":69081,"title":"It Always Rains on Sunday","year":"1947","job":"Writer","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/it-always-rains-on-sunday","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_69081.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_69081.jpg"},"released":1}
1947

It Always Rains on Sunday as Writer
{"id":69728,"title":"Frieda","year":"1947","job":"Screenplay","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/frieda","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_69728.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_69728.jpg"},"released":1}

Frieda as Screenplay
{"id":70022,"title":"The Captive Heart","year":"1946","job":"Screenplay","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/the-captive-heart","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_70022.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_70022.jpg"},"released":1}
1946

The Captive Heart as Screenplay
{"id":14433,"title":"Dead of Night","year":"1945","job":"Screenplay","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/dead-of-night","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/images\/fanart\/movies\/poster\/305sbe5lr4d0.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/images\/fanart\/movies\/poster\/305sbe5lr4d0.jpg"},"released":1}
1945

Dead of Night as Screenplay
{"id":67905,"title":"Spellbound","year":"1945","job":"Screenplay","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/spellbound-1945","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/images\/fanart\/movies\/poster\/2np4j62v6c70.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/images\/fanart\/movies\/poster\/2np4j62v6c70.jpg"},"released":1}

Spellbound as Screenplay
{"id":70542,"title":"Fiddlers Three","year":"1944","job":"Screenplay","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/fiddlers-three-1944","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_70542.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_70542.jpg"},"released":1}
1944

Fiddlers Three as Screenplay
{"id":70597,"title":"The Halfway House","year":"1944","job":"Screenplay","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/the-halfway-house-1944","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_70597.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_70597.jpg"},"released":1}

The Halfway House as Screenplay
{"id":95088,"title":"Champagne Charlie","year":"1944","job":"Screenplay","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/champagne-charlie-1944","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_95088.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_95088.jpg"},"released":1}

Champagne Charlie as Screenplay
{"id":122321,"title":"Aventure malgache","year":"1944","job":"Writer","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/aventure-malgache","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_122321.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_122321.jpg"},"released":1}

Aventure malgache as Writer
{"id":174864,"title":"Bon Voyage","year":"1944","job":"Screenplay","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/bon-voyage-1944","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_174864.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_174864.jpg"},"released":1}

Bon Voyage as Screenplay
{"id":71005,"title":"My Learned Friend","year":"1943","job":"Screenplay","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/my-learned-friend","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_71005.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_71005.jpg"},"released":1}
1943

My Learned Friend as Screenplay
{"id":13476,"title":"48 Hours","year":"1942","job":"Story, Screenplay","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/48-hours","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_13476.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_13476.jpg"},"released":1}
1942

48 Hours as Story, Screenplay
{"id":71189,"title":"Somewhere in France","year":"1942","job":"Screenplay","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/somewhere-in-france","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_71189.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_71189.jpg"},"released":1}

Somewhere in France as Screenplay
{"id":71335,"title":"The Big Blockade","year":"1942","job":"Screenplay","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/the-big-blockade","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_71335.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_71335.jpg"},"released":1}

The Big Blockade as Screenplay
{"id":83025,"title":"Black Sheep of Whitehall","year":"1942","job":"Screenplay","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/black-sheep-of-whitehall","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_83025.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_83025.jpg"},"released":1}

Black Sheep of Whitehall as Screenplay
{"id":83039,"title":"The Goose Steps Out","year":"1942","job":"Screenplay","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/the-goose-steps-out","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_83039.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_83039.jpg"},"released":1}

The Goose Steps Out as Screenplay
{"id":83043,"title":"The Next of Kin","year":"1942","job":"Writer","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/the-next-of-kin","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_83043.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_83043.jpg"},"released":1}

The Next of Kin as Writer
{"id":71531,"title":"The Ghost of St. Michael's","year":"1941","job":"Writer","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/the-ghost-of-st-michaels-1941","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_71531.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_71531.jpg"},"released":1}
1941

The Ghost of St. Michael's as Writer
{"id":71636,"title":"Three Cockeyed Sailors","year":"1940","job":"Screenplay","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/three-cockeyed-sailors","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_71636.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_71636.jpg"},"released":1}
1940

Three Cockeyed Sailors as Screenplay
{"id":71904,"title":"Return to Yesterday","year":"1940","job":"Writer","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/return-to-yesterday","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_71904.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_71904.jpg"},"released":1}

Return to Yesterday as Writer
{"id":72035,"title":"Saloon Bar","year":"1940","job":"Writer","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/saloon-bar","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_72035.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_72035.jpg"},"released":1}

Saloon Bar as Writer
{"id":83118,"title":"To Hell with Hitler","year":"1940","job":"Screenplay","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/to-hell-with-hitler","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_83118.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_83118.jpg"},"released":1}

To Hell with Hitler as Screenplay
{"id":96748,"title":"Haunted Honeymoon","year":"1940","job":"Screenplay","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/haunted-honeymoon-1940","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_96748.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_96748.jpg"},"released":1}

Haunted Honeymoon as Screenplay
{"id":72119,"title":"The Secret Four","year":"1939","job":"Writer","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/the-secret-four","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_72119.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_72119.jpg"},"released":1}
1939

The Secret Four as Writer
{"id":72180,"title":"Trouble Brewing","year":"1939","job":"Screenplay","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/trouble-brewing","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_72180.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_72180.jpg"},"released":1}

Trouble Brewing as Screenplay
{"id":72528,"title":"A Yank at Oxford","year":"1938","job":"Writer","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/a-yank-at-oxford","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_72528.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_72528.jpg"},"released":1}
1938

A Yank at Oxford as Writer
{"id":74515,"title":"The Good Companions","year":"1933","job":"Writer","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/the-good-companions","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_74515.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_74515.jpg"},"released":1}
1933

The Good Companions as Writer
{"id":83507,"title":"The Wrecker","year":"1929","job":"Screenplay","permalink":"https:\/\/streambutter.com\/us\/movie\/the-wrecker","type":"movie","srcset":{"1x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/90x135\/thumbs\/movie_83507.jpg","2x":"https:\/\/img.streambutter.com\/img\/180x270\/thumbs\/movie_83507.jpg"},"released":1}
1929

The Wrecker as Screenplay