Hal E. Chester (born Harold Ribotsky; March 6, 1921 – March 25, 2012)
Early life and career
Born in Brooklyn, New York City, he was the youngest of seven children born to affluent Polish-Jewish immigrants; his father was a property developer. After the Wall Street crash of 1929, he took up work as a magician's assistant to help the family finances.
Originally credited as "Hally Chester" in theater productions (taking the surname of his step-mother), He co-wrote and produced The Bold and the Brave (1956) starring Nicole Maurey and Mickey Rooney, which led to Academy Award nominations for Rooney and the screenplay writer.
British career
After sailing to Britain on The Liberte in 1955 with his wife Virginia (née Wetherly) and two young sons, he was able to take advantage of tax laws intended to encourage international co-productions.