Born in Wallasey, Cheshire, England; educated at Oxford. Edited several noted British productions from 1935 to 1944 -- including Zoltan Korda's SANDERS OF THE RIVER (1935) -- before moving over to Ealing Studios in 1940 and making his feature directing debut with FOR THOSE IN PERIL (1944). HUE AND CRY (1947), followed by THE LAVENDER HILL MOB (1951) and THE TITFIELD THUNDERBOLT (1953), established Crichton as a key architect of the Ealing comedy style, with a knack for eliciting fine performances from his actors. After the closing of Ealing in 1959, he made fewer features, working in British TV on series such as "Danger Man" and "The Avengers." In 1988 he scored a comeback hit with A FISH CALLED WANDA, an energetic farce reminiscent of the classic Ealing style. Beginning in the 1960s, Crichton taught for many years at the London Film School.  Nominated for Achievement in Directing 1988: A FISH CALLED WANDA  Nominated for Achievement in Writing - Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen 1988: A FISH CALLED WANDA (w. John Cleese) 2 nominations