The Dam Busters

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The Dam Busters (17-Oct-1955)

Director: Michael Anderson

Writer: R. C. Sherriff

Based on a book: Enemy Coast Ahead by Wing Cmdr. Guy Gibson and Paul Brickhill

Music Score by: Leighton Lucas

Keywords: Drama, WWII

True story of British RAF Squadron 617 during WWII, assigned the task of destroying three dams in the Ruhr, flooding key industrial regions. Employed to destroy these otherwise indestructible dams are ingenious "bouncing bombs" which skip over water, and the Johnson Sight for aiming. Well-crafted story of persistence; directly influenced the Death Star attack planning scenes in Star Wars (1977). Received an Oscar nomination for Best Special Effects.

Name Occupation Birth Death Known for

George Baker Actor 1-Apr-1931 7-Oct-2011 Ruth Rendell Mysteries

Ernest Clark Actor 12-Feb-1912 11-Nov-1994 Sir Geoffrey Loftus

Derek Farr Actor 7-Feb-1912 22-Mar-1986 The Projected Man

Raymond Huntley Actor 23-Apr-1904 19-Oct-1990 Passport to Pimlico

Ursula Jeans Actor 5-May-1906 21-Apr-1973 The Dam Busters

Laurence Naismith Actor 14-Dec-1908 5-Jun-1992 The Amazing Mr. Blunden

Michael Redgrave Actor 20-Mar-1908 21-Mar-1985 Mourning Becomes Electra

Robert Shaw Actor 9-Aug-1927 28-Aug-1978 Quint in Jaws

Nigel Stock Actor 21-Sep-1919 22-Jun-1986 Dr. Watson in BBC's Sherlock Holmes

Basil Sydney Actor 23-Apr-1894 10-Jan-1968 English stage actor

Richard Thorp Actor 2-Jan-1932 22-May-2013 Alan Turner on Emmerdale

Richard Todd Actor 11-Jun-1919 3-Dec-2009 The Dam Busters

CAST

Richard Todd ... Wing Commander Guy Gibson
Michael Redgrave ... Dr. B. N. Wallis
with
Ursula Jeans ... Mrs. Wallis
Basil Sydney ... Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Harris
Patrick Barr ... Capt. Joseph "Mutt" Summers
Ernest Clark ... Air Vice-Marshal The Hon. Ralph Cochrane
and
Derek Farr ... Group Capt. J. N. H. Whitworth
Charles Carson ... Doctor
Stanley Van Beers ... Sir David Pye
Colin Tapley ... Dr. W. H. Glanville
Frederick Leister ... Committee Member
Eric Messiter ... Committee Member
Laidman Browne ... Committee Member
Raymond Huntley ... Official, National Physical Laboratory
Hugh Manning ... Official, Ministry of Aircraft Production
Edwin Styles ... Observer at Trials
Hugh Moxey ... Observer at Trials
Anthony Shaw ... RAF Officer at Trials
Laurence Naismith ... Farmer
Harold Siddons ... Group Signals Officer
Frank Phillips ... BBC Announcer
Members of 617 Squadron
Brewster Mason ... Flt. Lt. R. D. Trevor-Roper
Anthony Doonan ... Flt. Lt. R. E. G. Hutchison
Nigel Stock ... Flying Off. F. M. Spafford
Brian Nissen ... Flt. Lt. A. T. Taerum
Robert Shaw ... Flt. Sgt. J. Pulford
Peter Assinder ... Plt. Off. G. A. Deering
Richard Leech ... Squadron Leader H. M. Young
Richard Thorp ... Squadron Leader H. E. Maudslay
John Fraser ... Flt. Lt. J. V. Hopgood
David Morrell ... Flt. Lt. W. Astell
Bill Kerr ... Flt. Lt. H. B. Martin
George Baker ... Flt. Lt. D. J. H. Maltby
Ronald Wilson ... Flt. Lt. D. J. Shannon
Denys Graham ... Flying Off. L. G. Knight
Basil Appleby ... Flt. Lt. R. C. Hay
Tim Turner ... Flt. Lt. J. F. Leggo
Ewen Solon ... Flt. Sgt. G. E. Powell
Harold Goodwin ... Wing Cmdr. Gibson's Batman

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