Born in London, England. A diplomat's son and an Oxford scholar in modern history, he began writing successful plays in the mid-1930s. He served as an air gunner in WW II. Not only have films been adapted from his plays, but he also wrote many original screenplays, alone or in collaboration. Notable credits include THE BELLES OF ST. CLEMENTS (1936), GYPSY (1937), FRENCH WITHOUT TEARS (1940), QUIET WEDDING (1941), THE DAY WILL DAWN and UNCENSORED (both 1942), ENGLISH WITHOUT TEARS (1944), THE WAY TO THE STARS and JOURNEY TOGETHER (both 1946), BIRGHTON ROCK and BOND STREET (both 1947), (BREAKING) THE SOUND BARRIER, (1952), THE FINAL TEST (1953), THE V.I.P.s (1963), THE YELLOW ROLLS-ROYCE (1964), GOODBYE, MR. CHIPS (1969) and A BEQUEST TO THE NATION (1973). He adapted his plays to the screen for THE WINSLOW BOY (1948), THE BROWNING VERSION (1951), THE PRINCE AND THE SHOWGIRL (1957), and SEPARATE TABLES (1958). He was knighted in 1971.  Nominated for Writing (Story and Screenplay) 1952: BREAKING THE SOUND BARRIER  Nominated for Writing (Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium) 1958: SEPARATE TABLES (w. John Gay) 2 nominations