Geoffrey Reeve(1932-2010)

Geoffrey, whose father was father was a print compositor, was educated at Berkhampstead School, excelling in sports, academic studies and appearing in school plays. After doing his national service in the Royal tank regiment in Hong Kong, he entered Exeter College in 1953, reading law and appearing in college plays and revues. He aimed for an acting career but his parents disapproved. He married Gina Gurney and emigrated to Canada, working for ICI making promotional films. In 1960, he formed Geoff Reeve Productions, producing and directing commercially sponsored documentary films all over the world. He joined Carl Foreman.s Open Road Films as associate producer, and, while looking for film rights to Daphne du Maurier books, he met the author Alastair MacLean who later wrote the screenplay for Geoffrey's directorial debut Puppet on a Chain. He introduced Alastair to the Spanish Camargue in the hope he'd write a thriller set in the region which could be turned into a film. This resulted in Caravan to Vaccares which Geoffrey produced and directed. In 1984, he produced the television mini series The Far Pavilions, then, in 1987, he started a long collaboration with Michael Caine, producing Half Moon Street, The Whistle Blower, Shadow Run and (as executive producer) Quick Sand. His first marriage was to actress Katharine Wightman, resulting in sons, Jim and Tom, who worked in various capacities on his films. His second marriage was to Jennifer Clare, a fashion photographic model, resulting in a daughter, Emma Victoria, born in 1998.