Alan Gibson (director)

Alan Gibson (April 28, 1938 – July 5, 1987) was a Canadian director active in British film and television.

Gibson was born in London, Ontario in 1938. He was particularly notable in his early years for his work in horror. The films he directed include Journey to Midnight (1968), Crescendo (1970), Dracula A.D. 1972, The Satanic Rites of Dracula (1973), Checkered Flag or Crash (1977), Witness for the Prosecution (1982) and A Woman Called Golda (1982) starring Ingrid Bergman. His television work includes Eh Joe (1965), The Capone Investment (1974), Churchill and the Generals (1979) and The Charmer (1987).

Alan Gibson came up with the idea for The Flipside of Dominick Hide (1980), a Play for Today he co-wrote with Jeremy Paul and directed. As a child he had overheard his family discussing a recent UFO report and thought to himself: "Since there had been sightings of flying saucers recorded throughout history, it occurred to me that they were man-made machines, time machines from the future". The two men collaborated again on its sequel Another Flip for Dominick (1982). "The Flipside of Dominick" Hide attained viewing figures of 5.3 million and a reaction index of 75 – compared to an average Play for Today score of 59. The Radio Times letter editor claimed that "No other single new BBC TV play in 1980 attracted so much correspondence" – highlighting the public's affection for the show.

Gibson died in London, UK in 1987.

Awards
Churchill and the Generals was nominated for five BAFTA awards, and A Woman Called Golda won a Golden Globe and several Emmy awards.

Filmography
1987
 * The Charmer (TV Mini-Series) (6 episodes)

1985 1984
 * Martin's Day (film)
 * The Best of All Time Horror Classics (Video documentary)
 * Helen Keller: The Miracle Continues (TV Movie)

1980 - 1982 - Another Flip for Dominick (1982) - The Flipside of Dominick Hide (1980) - The Skeleton Key (1982) - The Absence of Emily (1982) - Operation Safecrack (1982) - The Way to Do It (1981) - There's One Born Every Minute (1981) - The Two Faces of Evil (1980) - The Silent Scream (1980) 1979 1978 - Prey (1978) - Another War (1978) - The Biter Bit (1978) - Re-Arrangements (1978) - Breakout (1978) - The First Lessons in Love (1978) 1977 - What Pleases the Prince (1978) - Hire and Fire (1978) - Witness (1977) - Decoy (1977) - Creed of Slaves (1977)
 * Play for Today (TV Series) (2 episodes)
 * Witness for the Prosecution (TV Movie)
 * Tales of the Unexpected (TV Series) (10 episodes)
 * A Woman Called Golda (TV Movie)
 * Hammer House of Horror (TV Series) (2 episodes)
 * Churchill and the Generals (TV Movie)
 * Atom Spies (TV Movie)
 * Z Cars (TV Series) (1 episode)
 * People Like Us (TV Mini-Series) (5 episodes)
 * 1990 (5 episodes)

- The Chest of Silver (1977) - The Gold Cup (1977) ... (exterior sequences)
 * Checkered Flag or Crash (film)
 * Raffles (TV Series) (2 episodes)

1976 - Dividends (1976) - Surrender Value (1976) - Death Risk (1976) - Clause for Concern (1976) - A Deadly Policy (1976)
 * Dangerous Knowledge (TV Series) (6 episodes)

- Sleepwalker (1976) - Murder in Mind (1973)
 * Thriller (TV Series) (2 episodes)

1975 Quiller (TV Series) (1 episode) - Mark the File Expendable (1975) - The Rough and the Smooth (1975) - Distant Islands (1974) - Dancing in the Dark (1974) - O Canada (1975) - The Coming of the Cross (1975)
 * Village Hall (TV Series) (3 episodes)
 * Churchill's People (TV Series) (2 episodes)

1974 The Capone Investment (TV Series) (6 episodes) - Final Innings (1974) - One Killer Makes Two (1974) - Money in the Bank (1974) - The Citizen from Chicago (1974) - The Grass Is Greener (1974)
 * Intent to Murder (TV Movie)
 * The Playboy of the Western World (TV Movie)

1973-1974 - The Furnished Room (1974) - Ice Storm (1974) - Death of an Old-Fashioned Girl (1973) - The Monkey's Paw (1973) - Money to Burn (1973)
 * Orson Welles Great Mysteries (TV Series) (7 episodes)
 * The Satanic Rites of Dracula (film)

1973 - The Black Poplar: Part 3 (1973) - The Black Poplar: Part 2 (1973) - The Black Poplar: Part 1 (1973) - Who Was Kate Greer: Part 3 (1973) - Who Was Kate Greer: Part 2 (1973)
 * Crown Court (TV Series) (9 episodes)

1972-1973 - The Witch (1973) - Clown on Horseback (1972) - Mantrap (1972) - The Viking Helmet: Part 2 (1972) - The Viking Helmet: Part 1 (1972)
 * The Adventures of Black Beauty (TV Series) (6 episodes)
 * The Man in the Wood (TV Movie)

1970-1972 - Last Year's Confetti (1972) - Consequences (1972) - Time Lock (1972) - The Silver Collection (1971) - The Policeman and the Cook (1970)
 * ITV Sunday Night Theatre (TV Series) (5 episodes)

- Twenty-Four Thousand Ball Point Pens (1972) 1970 - The Wind Blew Her Away (1970)
 * Dracula A.D. 1972 (film)
 * Budgie (TV Series) (1 episode)
 * Confession (TV Series) (1 episode)
 * Goodbye Gemini (film)
 * Crescendo (film)

1969 - The Marquise (1969) - Detective (TV Series) (1 episode) - Elimination Round (1969) - The English Boy
 * BBC Play of the Month (TV Series) (1 episode)
 * Plays of Today (TV Series) (1 episode)

1967-1969 - Remote Control (1969) - Another Moon Called Earth (1967) - Teeth (1967)
 * Thirty-Minute Theatre (TV Series) (3 episodes)

1968-1969 - Poor Butterfly (1969) - Somewhere in a Crowd (1968) - Jane Brown's Body (1968) 1968
 * Journey to the Unknown (TV Series) (3 episodes)
 * Journey to Midnight

1967-1968 - Purposes of Love (1968) - A High-Pitched Buzz (1967)
 * Boy Meets Girl (TV Series) (2 episodes)

1965-1968 - Home Sweet Honeycombe (1968) - The Lost Years of Brian Hooper (1967) - The Cupboard (1967) - On the March to the Sea (1966) - The Melody Suit (1966)
 * Theatre 625 (TV Series) (10 episodes)

1968 - The Wrecking of the Sierra Nevada (1968) - The Day the Sea Caught Fire (1968) - Stop It, You're Breaking My Heart (1968)
 * Mogul (TV Series) (3 episodes)

1968 - There's No Future in Monkey Business (1968)
 * Public Eye (TV Series) (1 episode)

1966-1967 - Kippers and Curtains (1967) - The Private Tutor (1966)
 * The Wednesday Play (TV Series) (2 episodes)

1966 - Impossible Odds (1966) ... (play director) - A Separate Peace (1966) ... (play director)
 * Double Image (TV Mini-Series documentary) (play director - 2 episodes)
 * A Separate Peace (TV Movie)
 * Eh, Joe? (TV Movie)

1965 - Episode #1.6 (1965) - Episode #1.5 (1965)
 * 199 Park Lane (TV Series) (2 episodes)

1964-1965 - The Unbearable Bassington (1965) - The Flaw in the Crystal (1964) - Shadow of Guilt (1964) - Not for Every Eye (1964)
 * Story Parade (TV Series) (4 episodes)

1964-1965 - The Kidders (1965) - Write Me a Murder (1964)
 * Thursday Theatre (TV Series) (2 episodes)

Personal life
Alan Gibson was born in Canada and moved to the UK to train at the Bristol Old Vic. After working as an actor in the theatre, he started directing when BBC2 was launched. He worked on film and TV for the rest of his career.

He lived in London with his wife Kate (d. 1997) and their daughters Sarah-Kate and Jessica and died of cancer in 1987 at the age of 49, just a few months before his last work The Charmer was broadcast.

His brother is the Canadian writer Graeme Gibson.