Thomas Bentley, born in London and trained as an engineer, became a vaudeville performer celebrated for impersonating Dickens' characters on stage. His directing career in silent films began in 1910 with his adaptations of a number of Dickens' novels to film. After his retirement from Hollywood in 1941 he became technical advisor to the British Film Council.
Bentley directed 68 films between 1912 and 1941