Arthur Wimperis

Writer: Arthur Wimperis

Born: Dec 03, 1874 in London, England, UK
Died: Oct 14, 1953 in Surrey, England
Occupation: Writer, Actor
Active: '30s-'40s
Major Genres: Drama, Comedy
Career Highlights: The Four Feathers, Mrs. Miniver, The Drum
First Major Screen Credit: Harmony Heaven (1930)

Biography

Educated at London's University College, Arthur Wimperis served in both the Boer War and WWI. In between his military obligations, Wimperis established himself as a newspaper illustrator and music-comedy librettist: One of his better-known stage assignments was the popular operetta The Arcadians. His film career began in the early '30s under the auspices of Alexander Korda. Frequently writing in collaboration with Lajos Biro, Wimperis contributed to the screenplays of such Korda productions as Private Life of Henry VIII (1933), Catherine the Great (1934), The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934), and The Drum (1938), and also wrote the lyrics for the songs heard in the Paul Robeson starrer Sanders of the River (1936). From 1941 until his death, Arthur Wimperis was employed in Hollywood by MGM, sharing an Academy Award for his scriptwork on 1942's Mrs. Miniver (in which he also acted) and an Oscar nomination for Random Harvest (1942). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide