John Angus Basil Crockett (31 January 1918 – 11 October 1986) was a stage and television director.
He directed the Doctor Who story The Aztecs in 1964, one of the most highly regarded of the black and white stories. In the 2002 DVD release the actor John Ringham was effusive in his praise for Crockett. He also directed episode 4 of Marco Polo, which is entitled The Wall of Lies.
Education and training
Crockett was the second son of Colonel Basil Crockett DSO. He was educated at Bryanston School. In 1938, he was a student of art at Goldsmiths' College, New Cross, London, England. He also attended the Slade School to study theatre design, along with classes at the
London Theatre Studio. Crockett resigned as artistic director in 1951 and the company formally closed in the following year. until December 1976, he was a teacher of Art and Drama at Downside School, Somerset, England, where one of his sons was educated.
Personal life
The Crocketts were parents to eight children. The years of birth of those are from 1954 to 1966 and they include a daughter, Mary, and a son, Antony. They were resident in Gloucestershire, then Somerset, before retiring to West Cornwall.
Devoutly Catholic, Crockett and his wife Anne were oblates of Prinknash Abbey where both are buried.
Notes
References
Book
- Plays Without Theatres: Recollections of the Compass Players Travelling Theatre, 1944-52, edited by Pamela Dellar - Highgate Publications (Beverley) Ltd (8 Oct 1989) .