Thomas Ernest Bennett "Tibby" Clarke (7 June 1907 – 11 February 1989) was a movie scriptwriter who wrote several of the Ealing Studios comedies. His scripts always feature careful logical development from a slightly absurd premise to a farcical conclusion. In 1952 he was awarded a Best Original Screenplay Oscar for his script for The Lavender Hill Mob, making him one of just a handful of Britons to receive this award. He continued to work as a scriptwriter after Ealing ceased production in the mid-fifties, his later contributions including Sons and Lovers and the Disney film The Horse Without a Head.Clarke was also a novelist and writer of non-fiction, and was not above presenting his fictions as fact – most notably the 1981 book Murder at Buckingham Palace, which purports to tell the story of a hushed-up murder in the Royal residence in 1935. Despite its including 'documentary' photographs, there is no external evidence that the book is anything but pure fiction.Clarke was the younger brother of military deception pioneer Dudley Clarke.He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1960 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at the BBC Television Theatre.
He was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1952 King's New Year Honours List for his services to the film industry.
2
His book on British Pubs "What's Yours?" was used as a reference book in the making of Saloon Bar (1940) and this brought him to the attention of Ealing Studios where he became a regular writer (15 films from 1943 - 1957).
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
High Rise Donkey
1980
A Hitch in Time
1978
original story / script
The Cedar Tree
1976-1978
TV Series 3 episodes
Shirley's World
1971
TV Series writer - 1 episode
From a Bird's Eye View
1970-1971
TV Series written by - 2 episodes
ABC Stage 67
1967
TV Series story - 1 episode
A Man Could Get Killed
1966
screenplay
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color
1963
TV Series writer - 2 episodes
The Four Just Men
1960
TV Series writer - 1 episode
Sons and Lovers
1960
screenplay
Law and Disorder
1958
screenplay
Gideon of Scotland Yard
1958
screenplay
A Tale of Two Cities
1958
screenplay
All at Sea
1957
screenplay / story
Who Done It?
1956
screenplay / story
The Rainbow Jacket
1954
original screenplay
The Titfield Thunderbolt
1953
original screenplay
Encore
1951
screenplay - segment "The Ant and the Grasshopper"
The Lavender Hill Mob
1951
original screenplay
The Magnet
1950
original screenplay
The Blue Lamp
1950
screenplay
Train of Events
1949
original screenplay
Passport to Pimlico
1949
original screenplay
Against the Wind
1948
screenplay
Hue and Cry
1947
original screenplay
Johnny Frenchman
1945
original screenplay
Dead of Night
1945
additional dialogue
The Halfway House
1944
script contributor
For Those in Peril
1944
screenplay
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Blue Lamp
1950
arranger: "All Correct" - uncredited
Champagne Charlie
1944
lyrics: "Come On, Algernon", "Hunting After Dark" - uncredited
Music Department
Title
Year
Status
Character
Champagne Charlie
1944
new music and lyrics by
Miscellaneous
Title
Year
Status
Character
This Office Life
1984
TV Movie script advisor
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Omnibus
1986
TV Series documentary
Himself - Interviewee
Good Afternoon!
1975
TV Series
Himself
Tuesday's Documentary
1970
TV Series documentary
Himself
This Is Your Life
1960
TV Series documentary
Himself
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
Richard E. Grant on Ealing Comedies
2016
TV Mini-Series documentary
Himself
Forever Ealing
2002
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Won Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1953
Oscar
Academy Awards, USA
Best Writing, Story and Screenplay
The Lavender Hill Mob (1951)
1951
International Award
Venice Film Festival
Best Screenplay
The Lavender Hill Mob (1951)
Nominated Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1961
Oscar
Academy Awards, USA
Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium