George Pollock

Field Marshal Sir George Pollock, 1st Baronet GCB GCSI (4 June 1786 – 6 October 1872) was a British Indian Army officer. He first saw action at the Battle of Deeg and at the Siege of Bhurtpore during the Second Anglo-Maratha War before taking part in the Anglo-Nepalese War. He also commanded the British artillery at the Battle of Prome and at Bagan during the First Anglo-Burmese War. Following a disastrous retreat from Kabul in January 1842 during the First Anglo-Afghan War, the retreating forces became stranded at the small British garrison at Jalalabad and Pollock was appointed Commander of the Force sent to relieve the garrison: he advanced through the Khyber Pass and relieved the garrison in April 1842. He then set about an unauthorised but ultimately successful mission to rescue the British hostages who had been left behind in Kabul prior to the retreat. In 1844 the Pollock Medal was created to commemorate Pollock's achievements: this medal was to be awarded to the "best cadet of the season" at the Addiscombe Military Seminary.

George Pollock (director)

George Pollock (March 27, 1907 – December 22, 1979) was a British film director, best known for bringing Agatha Christie's famous detective Miss Marple to the big screen for the first time, starring Margaret Rutherford.

Life and work

Born in Leicester, England in 1907, Pollock began his career as an assistant director in the mid 30s. He collaborated with David Lean on such films as Brief Encounter, Great Expectations and Oliver Twist. His first film as director was Stranger in Town in 1957. However, he is most famous for bringing Miss Marple to the big screen for the first time in 1961 with Murder She Said. He directed three more Miss Marple adaptations, each well received: Murder at the Gallop, Murder Most Foul and Murder Ahoy (which was based on an original screenplay). He also directed a 1965 adaptation of Christie's Ten Little Indians.

As well as film, Pollock directed episodes of the TV programmes Interpol Calling, Zero One, Gideon's Way and Danger Man.

He died in 1979.