Alvin Rakoff was born on Abraham Rakoff; February 6,1927 and is a Canadian director of film, television and theatre productions.
14 Facts About Alvin Rakoff
2.
Alvin Rakoff has worked with actors including Laurence Olivier, Peter Sellers, Sean Connery, Judi Dench, Rex Harrison, Rod Steiger, Henry Fonda and Ava Gardner.
3.
Alvin Rakoff gave Sean Connery his first leading role when he was an unknown extra, and gave Alan Rickman his first job when he was a drama student.
4.
Alvin Rakoff was seconded by the CBC to visit "the country where TV first started - England".
5.
Alvin Rakoff became a resident in the United Kingdom through working extensively worldwide.
6.
Alvin Rakoff later recreated this production in French for transmission throughout France.
7.
In 1955, on the night commercial TV first appeared in the UK he was asked by the BBC to offer the main opposition, The Hole In The Wall with Mervyn Johns and Sidney Tafler, of which The Times wrote: "Mr Alvin Rakoff who seems to be a master of this medium".
8.
In 1958, Alvin Rakoff adapted, directed, and produced Herman Wouk's The Caine Mutiny Court Martial for the BBC.
9.
In 1964, when the new channel BBC 2 was launched Alvin Rakoff was selected to direct plays filling the first three Sunday-night drama slots.
10.
Alvin Rakoff won his first Emmy Award in 1967 for Call Me Daddy, which had featured Donald Pleasence, and 15 years later won it again for A Voyage Round My Father which he produced and directed.
11.
Alvin Rakoff's writing includes Too Marvelous For Words, the story of lyricist Johnny Mercer presented at The Mill Theatre, Sonning, and King's Head Theatre, London.
12.
Currently, Alvin Rakoff is developing and writing An Act of Love for Orchard Films Ltd.
13.
In 2010, Alvin Rakoff directed A Sentimental Journey, the story of Doris Day, at Wilton's Music Hall, London, and subsequently El Portal Theater, Hollywood.
14.
Alvin Rakoff is a former president of the Directors Guild of Great Britain.