Person
William Rose
Writing · 1914–1987 · Jefferson City, Missouri, USA
Biography
William Rose was born in Jefferson City, Missouri, USA, and travelled to Canada at the outbreak of World War II, while the US was still neutral, in order to join up and fight the Nazis. This took him to Britain, where he decided to stay after the war. He spent his demobilisation money on a course in screenwriting, and then became a writer of British and American comedies such as Ladykillers, Genevieve, It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, and The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!, as well as more serious films such as Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. He retired to Jersey, where he died in 1987 at the age of 72.
Known for

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
Screenplay

The Ladykillers
Original Film Writer

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
Writer

The Ladykillers
Screenplay

The Flim-Flam Man
Screenplay

The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!
Screenplay

The Secret of Santa Vittoria
Screenplay

Dhamaal
Original Story

The 'Maggie'
Screenplay

Gift Horse
Adaptation
Filmography
- 2007DhamaalOriginal Story
- 2004The LadykillersOriginal Film Writer
- 1986Made In Ealing: The Story of Ealing StudiosInterviewee
- 1974Frankenstein's Castle of FreaksScreenplay
- 1970The Secret of Santa VittoriaScreenplay
- 1967Guess Who's Coming to DinnerWriter
- 1967The Flim-Flam ManScreenplay
- 1966The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!Screenplay
- 1966Island SplendorWriter
- 1963It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad WorldScreenplay
- 1958DavyScreenplay
- 1957The Smallest Show on EarthScreenplay
- 1957The Man in the SkyScreenplay
- 1955The LadykillersScreenplay
- 1955Touch and GoScreenplay
- 1954The 'Maggie'Screenplay
- 1953GenevieveStory
- 1952Gift HorseAdaptation
- 1952Bachelor in ParisStory
- 1951I'll Get You for ThisScreenplay
- 1950My Daughter JoyScreenplay
- 1949Once a Jolly SwagmanScreenplay
- 1948Esther WatersScreenplay
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