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Film critic. Grierson's emerging and outspoken film philosophies caught the attention of New York film critics at the time. He was asked to write criticism for the New York Sun. At the Sun, Grierson wrote articles on film aesthetics and audience reception, and developed broad contacts in the film world.
John Grierson was the founder of the British documentary-film movement and its leader for almost 40 years. He was one of the first to see the potential of motion pictures to shape people’s attitudes toward life and to urge the use of films for educational purposes.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Learn how John Grierson, a Scottish intellectual and filmmaker, pioneered the documentary genre with his social vision and creative treatments of actuality. Discover his influential films, such as Drifters and Night Mail, and his legacy for documentary filmmakers.
- Peter Biesterfeld
John Grierson was born on 26 April 1898 in Kilmadock, Stirlingshire, Scotland, UK. He was a producer and writer, known for Drifters (1929), Child's Play (1954) and Brandy for the Parson (1952). He was married to Margaret Grierson. He died on 19 February 1972 in Bath, Somerset, England, UK.
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- Kilmadock, Stirlingshire, Scotland, UK
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- Bath, Somerset, England, UK
Dec 3, 2007 · John Grierson, film producer (born 26 April 1898 in Deanston, Scotland; died 19 February 1972 in Bath, England). His ancestors were lighthouse keepers and his father was a school teacher.
Feb 19, 2022 · Learn about the life and legacy of John Grierson, who coined the term "documentary" and made ground-breaking films in Britain and Canada. Read how he influenced Alfred Hitchcock and other filmmakers with his social and political vision.
John Grierson. Dr. John Grierson CBE (1898-1972) was born in Perthshire, Scotland, son of a local school headmaster. He studied philosophy at Glasgow University, but was drawn into film-making through post-graduate study in the US on the influence of mass media on public opinion.
