Robert Hartford-Davis

• Name — Robert Hartford-Davis • Birth Name — William Henry Davis • Born — July 23 1923 • Birthplace — Ramsgate, Kent, England • Died — 12 June 1977 • Place of death — Beverly Hills, California, U.S. • Occupation — Film director, producer, writer

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.

During the 1950s, he directed a number of short films. Later in the decade, he became 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.

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.

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.

• Year — Title — Director — Notes • 1963 — That Kind of Girl — Gerry O'Hara • 1966 — Press for Time — Robert Asher

• Year — Title — Notes • 1956 — I'm Not Bothered — 2 episodes • 1960 — Police Surgeon — Episode: "You Won't Feel a Thing" • 1977 — Dog and Cat • Family — 2 episodes • Murder in Peyton Place — TV movie; Died during production and replaced by Bruce Kessler

• Year — Title — Functioned as — Notes • Director — Writer — Producer • 1962 — Crosstrap • 1963 — The Yellow Teddy Bears • 1964 — Saturday Night Out • The Black Torment • 1965 — Gonks Go Beat — Co-writer with Peter Newbrook • 1966 — The Sandwich Man — Co-writer with Michael Bentine • 1968 — Corruption • 1969 — The Smashing Bird I Used to Know — Co-writer with John Peacock • 1971 — Incense for the Damned • 1972 — Nobody Ordered Love — Lost film • The Fiend • Black Gunn — Story • 1974 — The Take

• Year — Title — Director — Writer — Producer • 1955 — Man on the Cliff • Dollars for Sale • 1960 — A Christmas Carol • 1961 — Stranger in the City