George Ridgwell

George Ridgwell (sometimes spelled Ridgewell; 1867–1935) was a British stage performer, screenwriter, and film director whose career spanned the Victorian era through the early sound period. Born in Woolwich in 1867, he received his education at the Royal Military Asylum, later known as the Duke of York's Royal Military School.

Before establishing himself in film, Ridgwell built a varied early career in music and theater. He served as a sergeant in the band of the Coldstream Guards, and his stage work included membership in the D'Oyly Carte Touring Opera Company for a season, during which he performed lead baritone roles. He originated the role of Abdallah in Arthur Sullivan's Rose of Persia and also composed light music numbers and lyrics. His stage career extended to Broadway, where he appeared in 1911 in the musical When Sweet Sixteen.

Ridgwell subsequently moved into the silent film industry, where he became a prolific director of approximately 70 films. Among his most notable projects was a series of adaptations of Sherlock Holmes stories featuring Eille Norwood in the title role, including His Last Bow in 1923. His directorial output spanned from The Mystery of Room 13 in 1915 through a range of features in the early 1920s, among them Greatheart, The Four Just Men, and The Amazing Partnership, all released in 1921. His final directorial credit was Lily of Killarney in 1929. Later in his career he also appeared as an actor, with screen credits including The Crime at Blossoms and Channel Crossing, both in 1933. He was the father of actress Audrey Ridgewell. Ridgwell died of a heart attack in Hampstead on 2 April 1935.