Frank Launder (28 January 1906 – 23 February 1997) was a British writer, film director and producer, who made more than 40 films, many of them in collaboration with Sidney Gilliat. Early life and career He was born in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, England and worked briefly as a clerk before becoming an actor and then a playwright. He began working as a screenwriter on British films in the 1930s, contributing the original story for the classic Will Hay comedy Oh, Mr Porter! (1937). Sidney Gilliat Launder first collaborated with Gilliat in 1936 on the film Seven Sinners. After writing a number of screenplays with Gilliat, including The Lady Vanishes (1938) for Alfred Hitchcock, and Night Train to Munich for Carol Reed; the two men wrote and directed the wartime drama Millions Like Us (1943). After founding their own production company Individual Pictures, they produced a number of memorable dramas and thrillers including I See a Dark Stranger (1945) and Green for Danger (1946), but were best known for their comedies including The Happiest Days of Your Life (1950) and most famously, the St Trinian's series, based on Ronald Searle's cartoons set in an anarchic girls school. After The Happiest Years of Our Life Launder focused entirely on comedy. According to the British Film Institute 'over a hundred films feature either or in the credits, nearly forty feature both' but this large number was not 'at the expense of quality'. Personal life He was married secondly to actress Bernadette O'Farrell from 1950 until his death in Monaco. The couple had two children. Launder also had two children from his first marriage. Selected films Under the Greenwood Tree (1929) writer Children of Chance (1930) writer The W Plan (1930) writer Hobson's Choice (1931) writer Keepers of Youth (1931) writer The Woman Between (1931) writer Children of Fortune (1931) writer After Office Hours (1932) writer Josser in the Army (1932) writer For the Love of Mike (1932) writer Hawley's of High Street (1933) writer Facing the Music (1933) writer A Southern Maid (1933) writer Those Were the Days (1933) writer Get Off My Foot (1935) writer Rolling Home (1935) writer The Black Mask (1935) writer Emil and the Detectives (1935) writer Educated Evans (1936) writer Twelve Good Men (1936) Where's Sally? (1936) writer Don't Get Me Wrong (1937) writer Oh, Mr Porter! (1937) story The Lady Vanishes (1938) writer Night Train to Munich (1940)