Peter Yates

Peter James Yates 24 July 1929 9 January 2011 was an English film director and producer He was born in Aldershot Hampshire The son of an army officer he attended Charterhouse School as a boy graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and worked for some years as an actor director and stage manager In the 1950s he started in the movie industry as a dubbing assistant and later an assistant director for Tony Richardson Summer Holiday 1963 his first film as director was a lightweight vehicle for Cliff Richard Yates had directed the original Royal Court production of N F Simpsons play One Way Pendulum and was chosen to make the film version released in 1964 Robbery 1967 a crime thriller is a fictionalised version of the Great Train Robbery of 1963 This led to Bullitt 1968 of which Bruce Weber has written Mr Yatess reputation probably rests most securely on Bullitt 1968 his first American film and indeed on one particular scene an extended car chase that instantly became a classic Yates was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Direction for Bullitt 1968 Yates produced and directed Breaking Away 1979 which was nominated for five Academy Awards Oscars including Best Director and Best Film for Yates Yates also produced and directed The Dresser 1983 which was an adaptation of the Ronald Harwood stage play The film received seven BAFTA and five Oscar nominations including the BAFTA Award for Best Film and for Best Direction and the Academy Award for Best Film and for Best Director for Yates The Dresser was also entered into the 34th Berlin International Film Festival Yates died in London on 9 January 2011 He was 81 years old Description above from the Wikipedia article Peter Yates licensed under CCBYSA full list of contributors on Wikipedia