David Lean

Sir David Lean was a renowned film director, editor and writer who's influential career spanned over forty years. His most notable achievements include being awarded the AFI Life Achievement award in 1990 as well as becoming the first chairman of what would become the British Academy of Film and Television Awards. His filmography includes around sixty titles, of which he directed nineteen and edited twenty eight. For his efforts he was nominated a total of seven times for Best Director in the Academy Awards for which he won twice for Bridge on the River Kwai and Lawrence of Arabia. As well as these prestigious awards, four of his films are recognised in the British Film Institute's top 100 films.

Due to his work in the 50's and 60's, many credible persons working in the latter part of the 20th century (and even today) credit Lean as inspiring and influencing them in their own work. Famous directors, Spielberg and Lucas, have both commented on how his 'epic' films influenced them both in their early careers. So much so that in 1989 Spielberg and Scorsese undertook the restoration of Lawrence of Arabia, a feat that resurrected Lean's work to the public eye.

Lean started out as a teaboy at Gaumont Studios but quickly rose through the ranks becoming first a clapperboy then third assistant director. His first role as editor came in 1930 when he worked on newsreel's for the same studio with his editing career taking off in a serious way in 1939 when he worked on his first feature film, Freedom of the Seas. After a thirty plus year career in editing, in 1968 he was given an honorary membership to the Guild of British Film Editors.

Lean's directorial debut was in 1942 when he collaborated with Noel Coward on In Which We Serve, a partnership that inspired him to adapt a number of Coward's stage productions into well received films. It was during the 1950's/60's however that saw Lean reach new heights in terms of international recognition due to his 'blockbuster' films of this era, solidifying him as being regarded a truly gifted director.