Robert Hartford-Davis (born William Henry Davis, 23 July 1923 – 12 June 1977) was an English film director, producer, and screenwriter, known mainly for his horror and crime B-movies. Little White Lies described him as "one of a number of British exploitation maestros who rose to prominence in the 1960s."
Early life Hartford-Davis was born William Henry Davis in Ramsgate, Kent. He began his career as an electrician and clapper boy in a South London film studio, where he went on to develop his skills as a camera operator. Around this time, he changed his name to avoid confusion with the late poet William Henry (W. H.) Davies.
Career During the 1950s, he directed a number of short films. Later in the decade, he became an agent and worked for Roy Rogers, amongst others (in England).
He made his feature directorial debut with the crime film Crosstrap (1962), adapted from a John Lymington novel, which proved somewhat controversial for its violence but was a commercial success. For decades, the film was considered lost and was on the BFI 75 Most Wanted until the 2010s, when it re-discovered and released on home media. Another of his films, Nobody Ordered Love (1971), is also considered lost and remains on the Most Wanted list as of 2026.
Hartford-Davis found success directing B-movies, many of them "ripped from the headlines" and self-authored. According to an article in Little White Lies, "Alongside the likes of Pete Walker and Michael Winner, Hartford-Davis could turn his hand to any touch-paper subject and churn out a slice of genre." He himself claimed in an interview "any story, however wild, can be commercially successful."
Initially he mostly made crime films, but later turned to directing horror pictures, like Corruption (1968), Incense for the Damned (1971), and The Fiend (1972). He also dabbled in comedies and sexploitation. He claimed to have only lost money once in his entire career, and following a downturn in the industry in the early '70s, self-financed some of his films.
In 1972, he traveled to the United States to direct a blaxploitation film, Black Gunn, based on a script he'd written originally set in London. It proved successful enough that he and producer John Heyman made another blaxploitation film, The Take, this time starring Billy Dee Williams.
Hartford-Davis eventually moved to the United States full-time, directing episodes of the television series Dog and Cat and Family.
Personal life
Hartford-Davis married Betty Hale in 1943 and there were three children from this marriage; Jean, Marian and Penelope were born in the next ten years. His wife also co-wrote I'm Not Bothered and an innovative play on the trial of Christ, We the Guilty. Robert and Betty were divorced in 1957. Robert went on to marry three or four more times. There was also another son, Scott Hartford-Davis, born in the late fifties.
Death Robert died on 12 June 1977 from a stroke. At the time, he was three days into filming the TV movie Murder in Peyton Place (1977). The film was completed by a different director.
Filmography Feature films YearTitleFunctioned asNotesDirectorWriterProducer 1962 Crosstrap1963The Yellow Teddy Bears1964Saturday Night OutThe Black Torment1965Gonks Go BeatCo-writer with Peter Newbrook1966The Sandwich ManCo-writer with Michael Bentine1968Corruption1969The Smashing Bird I Used to KnowCo-writer with John Peacock1971Incense for the Damned1972Nobody Ordered LoveLost filmThe FiendBlack Gunn1974The Take
Producer only Year TitleDirector Notes 1963 That Kind of GirlGerry O'Hara1966Press for TimeRobert Asher
Writer only Year TitleDirector Notes 1969 ExplosionJules Bricken Short films YearTitleDirectorWriterProducer1955Man on the CliffDollars for Sale1960A Christmas Carol1961Stranger in the City Television Year Title Notes 1956 I'm Not Bothered2 episodes1960Police SurgeonEpisode: "You Won't Feel a Thing"1977Dog and CatFamily2 episodesMurder in Peyton PlaceTV movie;Died during production and replaced by Bruce Kessler References
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