The Anniversary – 1968

A Hammer Film production presented by Associated British Pathe Limited and released through Wamer-Pathe Distributors Limited (UK) and Twentieth Century-Fox (USA)
MPAA Approved Certificate
The characters and incidents portrayed and the names used herein are fictitious and any similarity to the name, character, or history of any person is entirely accidental and unintentional
RCA Sound Recording
Made at the Elstree Studios of Associated British Productions Limited, Herts, England
Technicoior 95 mins
Storyline
Every year, obsessively domineering matriarch Mrs Taggart gathers round her the members of her family to celebrate her anniversary. But, it is not a time for celebration, more an occasion for all the bottled-up frustrations and hatred to bubble to the surface – and heaven help any one of them who has ideas for the future which do not fit in with Mother’s plans!
Watch the trailer on YouTube
Crew
Function | Credited | Age at Release | Birth | Death | Age | Hammer Credits |
Assistant Director | Bert Batt | 37 | 25 Apr 1930 | 2011 | 80 | 13 |
Camera Operator | Gerry Anstiss | 40 | 1928 | 20 Feb 1999 | 71 | 1 |
Continuity | June Randall | 40 | 26 Jun 1927 | 18 Jan 2015 | 87 | 6 |
Directed by | Roy Ward Baker | 51 | 19 Dec 1916 | 5 Oct 2010 | 93 | 8 |
Director of Photography | Harry Waxman, BSc | 55 | 3 Apr 1912 | 24 Dec 1984 | 72 | 3 |
Editor | Peter Weatherley, GBFE | 38 | 1930 | 1 Sep 2015 | 85 | 15 |
From the stage play by | Bill MacIlwraith | 39 | 13 Apr 1928 | 9 May 2016 | 88 | 1 |
Hairdresser | A.G. Scott | 2 | ||||
Make-up | George Partleton | 58 | 21 Jan 1909 | 17 Oct 1992 | 83 | 6 |
Musical Supervisor | Philip Martell | 60 | 6 Oct 1907 | 11 Aug 1993 | 85 | 103 |
Produced by | Jimmy Sangster | 40 | 2 Dec 1927 | 19 Aug 2011 | 83 | 65 |
Production Designed by | Reece Pemberton | 55 | 14 Mar 1912 | 1977 | 64 | 1 |
Production Manager | Victor Peck | 1 | ||||
Recording Supervisor | A.W. Lumkin | 54 | 2 Feb 1913 | 25 Oct 1985 | 72 | 30 |
Screenplay by | Jimmy Sangster | 40 | 2 Dec 1927 | 19 Aug 2011 | 83 | 65 |
Sound Editor | Charles Crafford, GBFE | 51 | 27 Jul 1916 | 12 Nov 1977 | 61 | 4 |
Sound Recordist | Les Hammond | 59 | 1 Jun 1908 | 8 | ||
Supervising Editor | James Needs | 48 | 17 Oct 1919 | 2003 | 83 | 111 |
Title music played by | The New Vaudeville Band | 1 | ||||
Wardrobe | Mary Gibson | 13 |
Cast
Character | Actor | Age at Release | Birth | Death | Age | Hammer Appearances |
Construction Worker | Albert Shepherd | 32 | 1936 | 10 Jul 2019 | 83 | 1 |
Construction Worker | Ralph Watson | 31 | 20 Jan 1936 | Living | 85 | 1 |
Florist | Sally-Jane Spencer | 19 | 10 Jul 1948 | Living | 72 | 1 |
Headwaiter | Arnold Diamond | 52 | 18 Apr 1915 | 18 Mar 1992 | 76 | 4 |
Henry Taggart | James Cossins | 34 | 4 Dec 1933 | 12 Feb 1997 | 63 | 5 |
Karen Taggart | Sheila Hancock | 34 | 22 Feb 1933 | Living | 88 | 1 |
Mr Bird | Timothy Bateson | 41 | 3 Apr 1926 | 15 Sep 2009 | 83 | 3 |
Mrs Taggart | Bette Davis | 59 | 5 Apr 1908 | 6 Oct 1989 | 81 | 2 |
Shirley Blair | Elaine Taylor | 24 | 17 Oct 1943 | Living | 77 | 1 |
Terry Taggart | Jack Hedley | 37 | 28 Oct 1930 | Living | 90 | 4 |
Tom Taggart | Christian Roberts | 23 | 17 Mar 1944 | Living | 76 | 1 |
Footnotes
Roy Ward Baker was brought in to replace the original director Alvin Rakoff, with whom Bette Davis apparently found it impossible to work.
Character actor James Cossins also appeared for Hammer in “The Lost Continent” (1968), “The Horror of Frankenstein” (1970), “Blood from the Mummy’s Tomb” (1971) and “Fear in the Night” (1972).
Details were complied viewing the actual film.
Source of viewing copy – The Hammer Graveyard Collection