Career
He directed 68 films between 1912 and 1941. He directed three films in the early DeForest Phonofilm sound-on-film process, The Manitoba in the Street (1926), The Antidote (1927), and Acci-Dental Treatment (1928). Bentley was born in London and originally trained as an engineer, but went on to become a vaudeville performer well known for impersonating the characters from the novels of Charles Dickens 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 directing in 1941 he became technical advisor to the British Film Council.