Billy Liar (1963)


Billy Liar
Release Date01 August 1963
GenreComedy, Drama, Romance, Fantasy
CountryUK
Filming Locations37 Hinchcliffe Avenue, Baildon, West Yorkshire, England, UK
LanguageEnglish
Sound MixMono
ColorBlack and White
Film TypeFeature
Film ClassComing-of-Age
ThemesFantasy Life
TonesWhimsical, Drab, Quirky
TagsAmbition, Blue Collar, Family, Fantasy World, Liar, Middle Class, Mother, Reality, Undertaker, Upward Mobility
  • Billy Liar
  • Billy Liar
  • Billy Liar
  • Billy Liar
  • Billy Liar

Billy Liar is a 1963 film based on the novel by Keith Waterhouse. It was directed by John Schlesinger and stars Tom Courtenay (who had understudied Albert Finney in the West End theatre adaptation of the novel) as Billy and Julie Christie as Liz, one of his three girlfriends. Mona Washbourne plays Mrs. Fisher, and Wilfred Pickles played Mr. Fisher. Rodney Bewes, Finlay Currie and Leonard Rossiter also feature. The Cinemascope photography is by Denys Coop, and Richard Rodney Bennett supplied the score.


Cast and Crew


Cast

Tom Courtenay
William Terrence 'Billy' Fisher

Wilfred Pickles
Geoffrey Fisher

Mona Washbourne
Alice Fisher

Ethel Griffies
Florence, Billy's grandmother

Finlay Currie
Duxbury

Gwendolyn Watts
Rita

Helen Fraser
Barbara

Leonard Rossiter
Emanuel Shadrack

Rodney Bewes
Arthur Crabtree

George Innes
Stamp

Leslie Randall
Danny Boon

Patrick Barr
Insp. MacDonald

Ernest Clark
Prison governor

Godfrey Winn
Disc jockey

Alexander Browne
Bit Part

Jack Cunningham
Ticket Examiner

Sheila Fearn
Telephonist

George Ghent
Danny's PRO

Reginald Green
Mr. Matthieson

Natalie Kent
Bit Part

Margaret Lacey
Mrs. Matthieson

Harry Landis
Man on train

Leslie Lawton
Youth

Ted Morris
Funeral Driver

Bryan Mosley
Bit Part

Elizabeth Murray
Bit Part

Robin Parkinson
Jeweller's assistant

James Payne
Man in station cafe

Graham Rigby
Supermarket Manager

Jessie Robins
Large Woman in Hospital

David Scase
Man in the record shop

John Schlesinger
Officer in Dream

Neville Smith
Youth

Elaine Stevens
Danny's secretary

John Tordoff
Youth in wimpey bar

Anna Wing
Mrs. Crabtree

William Wymar
Army Man

Director

John Schlesinger
-

Writer

Willis Hall
,

Keith Waterhouse
, ,

Producer

Joseph Janni
producer

Jack Rix
associate producer

Original Music

Richard Rodney Bennett
-

Cinematographer

Denys N. Coop

Editor

Roger Cherrill
-

Art Director

Ray Simm
-

Makeup Department

Joyce James
hair stylist

Bob Lawrance
makeup artist

Production Manager

Charles Blair
production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

Frank Ernst
assistant director

Art Department

Ken Bridgeman
set dresser

Sound Department

Malcolm Cooke
sound editor

John Cox
sound recordist

Peter Handford
sound recordist

Camera and Electrical Department

Jack Atcheler
camera operator

Neil Binney
focus puller

Harry Gillard
still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department

Ron Beck
wardrobe mistress

Laura Nightingale
wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department

Jack Gardner
first assistant editor

Other Crew

Don Higgins
advisor: fantasy sequences

Pamela Mann
continuity, script supervisor

Ann Skinner
continuity

Production Company

Vic Films Productions Ltd.
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Distributor

Anglo-Amalgamated Film Distributors

Warner-Pathé Distributors

Continental Distributing

Lumiere Pictures

Republic Pictures Home Video

Rialto Pictures

Criterion Collection, The