About Philip French
Philip Neville French (28 August 1933 – 27 October 2015) was an English film critic and radio producer. French began his career in journalism in the late 1950s, before eventually becoming a BBC Radio producer, and later a film critic. He began writing for The Observer in 1963 and retired as film critic in 2013, but continued to write until his death. French was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in December 2012. Upon his death on 27 October 2015, French was referred to by his Observer successor Mark Kermode as "an inspiration to an entire generation of film critics". French was known for his exceptional memory. Their oldest son, Sean French, is one half of the Nicci French writing team, and another son, Patrick French, is a doctor.
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