John Paddy Carstairs, born Nelson Keys, was the son of actor Nelson Keys and the brother of producer Anthony Nelson Keys, in London, England, in 1910. Beginning his career as an assistant cameraman, he worked his way up to screenwriter and made his directorial debut in 1933.
Throughout his career, Carstairs consistently produced solid, well-crafted films that were successful and kept him in the director's chair for the next 29 years. In 1953, he directed the Norman Wisdom comedy, Trouble in Store, which was a huge hit in the UK.
Carstairs became known as the go-to director for new screen comedians, making a string of Wisdom comedies, as well as films for up-and-comers such as Tommy Steele, Frankie Howerd, Bob Monkhouse, and Ronald Shiner.
After making The Devil's Agent, a spy thriller, in 1962, Carstairs left the film industry to pursue his two main passions, writing and painting. He died in London, age 60, in 1970.
