Edgar Anstey

This article is about Edgar Anstey the documentary film-maker. For Edgar Anstey the psychologist, see Edgar Anstey (psychologist).

Edgar Anstey OBE (16 February 1907 – 26 September 1987),^[1] was a leading British documentary filmmaker.

Anstey was born in Watford, Hertfordshire, England in 1907,^[1] and was educated at Watford Grammar School for Boys and Birkbeck College.

He spent a few years as a civil servant before starting in 1930 at The Empire Marketing Board's film unit, under the direction of John Grierson.^[2]

He was the uncredited co-director of the "seminal 1935 'social problem' film" Housing Problems.^[3][2] In 1949, he joined the British Transport Films unit, which he headed until 1974.^[4] He also served on the Board of Governors of the British Film Institute.^[5]

As a producer he was twice-nominated for an Academy Award, for Best Documentary Short Subject in 1964 for Thirty Million Letters and Best Short Subject, Live Action for Snow in 1966 ^[6][7]

Anstey died in London, England in 1987.

See also

• Alberto Cavalcanti
• Arthur Elton
• British Transport Films
• John Grierson
• Humphrey Jennings
• Wolfgang Suschitzky