The Magic Box 72 years old
A rich and deeply moving story of a man whose achievement opened up a new world, and of the two women whose love and sacrifices made it possible!
Now old, ill, poor, and largely forgotten, William Freise-Greene was once very different. As young and handsome William Green he changed his name to include his first wife's so that it sounded more impressive for the photographic portrait work he was so good at. But he was also an inventor and his search for a way to project moving pictures became an obsession that ultimately changed the life of all those he loved.
Credits
The Magic Box Cast
| Name | Character |
|---|---|
| Laurence Olivier He was 45, 82 years old when he died | as Police Constable 94-B |
| David Tomlinson He was 35, 83 years old when he died | as Lab Asst |
| Glynis Johns She was 28, now 101 years old | as May Jones |
| Kay Walsh She was 40, 93 years old when she died | as Hotel Receptionist |
| Thora Hird She was 41, 91 years old when she died | as Doctor's Housekeeper |
| Cecil Parker He was 55, 73 years old when he died | as 1st Platform Man |
| Richard Attenborough He was 29, 90 years old when he died | as Jack Carter |
| Michael Redgrave He was 44, 77 years old when he died | as Mr. Lege |
| Sid James He was 39, 62 years old when he died | as Army Sergeant |
| Michael Hordern He was 40, 83 years old when he died | as Official Receiver |
| Dennis Price He was 37, 58 years old when he died | as Harold |
| Edward Chapman He was 50, 75 years old when he died | as Father in Family Group |
| Bernard Miles He was 44, 83 years old when he died | as Cousin Alfred |
| Joan Hickson She was 46, 92 years old when she died | as Mrs Stukely |
| Eric Portman He was 51, 68 years old when he died | as Arthur Collings |
| Marianne Stone She was 30, 87 years old when she died | as Bride in Wedding Group |
| Janette Scott She was 13, now 86 years old | as Ethel Friese-Greene |
| Everley Gregg She was 51, 58 years old when she died | as Bridegroom's Mother |
| Michael Denison He was 36, 82 years old when he died | as Reporter |
| Barry Jones He was 59, 88 years old when he died | as Doctor |
| Marius Goring He was 40, 86 years old when he died | as House Agent |
| Emlyn Williams He was 46, 81 years old when he died | as Bank Manager |
| Margaret Johnston She was 36, 87 years old when she died | as Edith Harrison Friese-Greene |
| Roland Culver He was 52, 83 years old when he died | as 1st Company Promoter |
| Frederick Valk He was 57, 61 years old when he died | as Maurice Guttenburg |
| Stanley Holloway He was 61, 91 years old when he died | as Broker's Man |
| Michael Trubshawe He was 46, 79 years old when he died | as Sitter in Bath Studio |
| Miles Malleson He was 64, 80 years old when he died | as Orchestra Conductor |
| Maria Schell She was 26, 79 years old when she died | as Helena Friese-Greene |
| William Hartnell He was 44, 67 years old when he died | as Recruiting Sergeant |
| Robertson Hare He was 59, 87 years old when he died | as Sitter in Bath Studio |
| Googie Withers She was 35, 94 years old when she died | as Sitter in Bath Studio |
| Joyce Grenfell She was 42, 69 years old when she died | as Mrs Claire |
| Leo Genn He was 47, 72 years old when he died | as Maida Vale Doctor |
| Bessie Love She was 54, 87 years old when she died | as Bride's Mother in Wedding Group |
| John Howard Davies He was 13, 72 years old when he died | as Maurice Friese-Greene |
| Sybil Thorndike She was 69, 93 years old when she died | as Sitter in Bath Studio |
| Peter Ustinov He was 31, 82 years old when he died | as Industry Man |
| Peter Jones He was 32, 79 years old when he died | as Industry Man |
| Basil Sydney He was 58, 73 years old when he died | as William Fox-Talbot |
| Amy Veness She was 76, 84 years old when she died | as Grandmother in Wedding Group |
| Margaret Rutherford She was 60, 80 years old when she died | as Lady Pond |
| Garry Marsh He was 50, 78 years old when he died | as Company Promoter |
| Jack Hulbert He was 58, 85 years old when he died | as Holborn Policeman |
| Joan Young She was 49, 81 years old when she died | as Glove Shop Colleague |
| John Stuart He was 54, 81 years old when he died | as 2nd Platform Man at Connaught |
| John Longden He was 51, 70 years old when he died | as Speaker in Connaught Rooms |
| Robert Flemyng He was 40, 83 years old when he died | as Doctor |
| Charles Victor He was 56, 69 years old when he died | as Industry Man |
| Kathleen Harrison She was 60, 103 years old when she died | as Mother in Family Group |
| Patrick Holt She was 40, 81 years old when she died | as Sitter in Bath Studio |
| Maurice Colbourne He was 11, 49 years old when he died | as Bride's Father in wedding group |
| Ernest Thesiger He was 73, 81 years old when he died | as Earl |
| Robert Beatty He was 42, 82 years old when he died | as Lord Beaverbrook |
| Ronald Shiner He was 47, 63 years old when he died | as Fairground Barker |
| Muir Mathieson He was 41, 63 years old when he died | as Sir Arthur Sullivan |
| John McCallum He was 2, 59 years old when he died | as Sitter in Bath Studio |
| Marjorie Fielding She was 60, 64 years old when she died | as Elderly Viscountess |
| Mary Ellis She was 53, 105 years old when she died | as Nell Collings |
| Mervyn Johns He was 53, 93 years old when he died | as Goitz |
| Joan Dowling She was 22, 26 years old when she died | as Maggie |
| Peter Reynolds He was 26, 85 years old when he died | as Bridegroom in Wedding Group |
| Herbert Lomas He was 65, 74 years old when he died | as Warehouse Manager |
| Renée Asherson She was 37, 99 years old when she died | as Miss Tagg |
| Cecil Trouncer He was 52, 55 years old when he died | as John Rudge |
| Richard Murdoch He was 43, 83 years old when he died | as Sitter in Bath Studio |
| Frank Pettingell He was 61, 75 years old when he died | as Bridegroom's Father in Wedding Group |
| Norman Pierce He was 52, 67 years old when he died | as Speaker in Connaught Rooms |
| Sheila Sim She was 30, 93 years old when she died | as Nursemaid |
| Harcourt Williams He was 72, 77 years old when he died | as Tom |
| Robert Donat He was 47, 53 years old when he died | as William Friese-Greene |
| James Kenney He was 172, 202 years old when he died | as Kenneth Friese-Greene |
| Ann Lancaster She was 30, 50 years old when she died | as Bridesmaid in Wedding Group |
| Henry Edwards He was 125, 125 years old when he died | as Fox Talbot's Butler |
| John Charlesworth He was 170, 82 years old when he died | as Graham Friese-Greene |
The Magic Box Crew
| Name | Department |
|---|---|
| Arthur Ibbetson as Assistant Camera. He was 30 (75) years old when He died | Camera |
| Harold V. King as Sound Director. | Sound |
| William Alwyn as Original Music Composer. He was 46 (79) years old when He died | Sound |
| Harold Fletcher as Makeup Artist. He was 38 (91) years old when He died | Costume & Make-Up |
| Jack Cardiff as Director of Photography. He was 38 (94) years old when He died | Camera |
| Ronald Neame as Producer. He was 41 (99) years old when He died | Production |
| Nora Bentley as Hairdresser. | Costume & Make-Up |
| Richard Best as Editor. He was 36 (88) years old when He died | Editing |
| Muir Mathieson as Conductor. He was 41 (63) years old when He died | Sound |
| Eric Ambler as Screenplay. He was 43 (89) years old when He died | Writing |
| Max Varnel as Assistant Director. He was 27 (70) years old when He died | Directing |
| John Boulting as Director. He was 38 (71) years old when He died | Directing |
| Cliff Owen as Assistant Director. He was 31 (73) years old when He died | Directing |
| Bob McNaught as Production Manager. | Production |
| John Bryan as Production Design. He was 39 (57) years old when He died | Art |
The Magic Box (72 years)
A rich and deeply moving story of a man whose achievement opened up a new world, and of the two women whose love and sacrifices made it possible!
- Release day: Tuesday, January 01, 1952
- Runtime: 118 minutes
- Revenue: 110372.00