A former schoolmaster at Culham College, Oxfordshire, Pearson abandoned his teaching career to explore the educational potential of film. In 1913, he began creating instructive short films for London Pathé, and subsequently founded his own production company. For Gaumont, he produced a series of popular thrillers, introducing the character of 'Ultus the Avenger', a master of disguise who fought against injustice and consistently outsmarted the police.
Around the same time, Pearson created the first filmed adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's 'A Study in Scarlet' (1914). Due to an inability to find suitable actors, Pearson cast an unknown accountant, James Bragington, who had never acted before, in the central role of Sherlock Holmes.
In 1918, Pearson joined forces with Thomas Welsh to establish Welsh/Pearson Productions. He directed the popular comedies 'Squibs' (1921) series, starring the cockney actress Betty Balfour. Additionally, he created a series of idiosyncratic 'comedy-dramas' that examined the human condition. Among these, 'Réveille' (1924),a patriotic film, held a special place in his heart.
With the advent of talking pictures, Pearson continued to work as producer-director on 'quota quickies' until 1937, eventually settling at Twickenham. During World War II, he was put in charge of Britain's Colonial Film Unit. In 1951, he received an OBE and held the positions of former President of the Association of British Film Directors, Honorary Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society, and Honorary Fellow of the British Film Academy.
