Edgar Anstey OBE (16 February 1907 – 26 September 1987[1]), was a leading British documentary filmmaker.
Anstey was born in Watford, Hertfordshire, England in 1907, and was educated at Watford Grammar School for Boys and Birkbeck College.
He spent a few years as a civil servant before starting in 1930 at The Empire Marketing Board's film unit, under the direction of John Grierson.[2]
He was the uncredited co-director of the "seminal 1935 'social problem' film" Housing Problems.[3][2] In 1949, he joined the British Transport Films unit, which he headed until 1974.[4] He also served on the Board of Governors of the British Film Institute.[5]
As a producer he was twice-nominated for an Academy Award, for Best Documentary Short Subject in 1964 for Thirty Million Letters and Best Short Subject, Live Action for Snow in 1966 [6][7]
Anstey died in London, England in 1987.