Julian Charles Becket Amyes
Encyclopedia
Julian Charles Becket Amyes (1917–1992), aka Julian Amyes, was a British
film
and television
director and producer
.
Although primarily a director and producer, Amyes also had acting roles in High Treason
(1951) and Mandy (1951).
Amyes made his director
ial début with a BBC Sunday Night Theatre version of Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor
in 1952 and also directed a number of other productions for BBC
before joining Granada Television
in the early 1960s, where he was head of drama from 1963 until 1977.
Film credits (as director
) include A Hill in Korea
(1956), and the Emeric Pressburger
-written Miracle in Soho
(1957).
After 1977, he returned to directing predominantly in television directing (amongst other works) adaptations of the The Old Curiosity Shop
(1979), Great Expectations (1981) and Jane Eyre
(1983) for the BBC. Amyes also worked on a number of independent productions, before acting as director on episodes of the The Bill
(1990) and Rumpole of the Bailey
(1989–91) for Thames Television
.
Amyes died of a stroke in 1992.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
director and producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
.
Although primarily a director and producer, Amyes also had acting roles in High Treason
High Treason (1951 film)
High Treason is a 1951 British espionage thriller filmed in the style of such American "docudramas" as The House on 92nd Street and T-Men. It is a sequel to the Oscar-winning 1950 film Seven Days to Noon. Director Roy Boulting, co-director and co-writer of the first film, also directed and...
(1951) and Mandy (1951).
Amyes made his director
Television director
A television director directs the activities involved in making a television program and is part of a television crew.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or recorded to video tape or video server .In both types of productions, the...
ial début with a BBC Sunday Night Theatre version of Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor
The Merry Wives of Windsor
The Merry Wives of Windsor is a comedy by William Shakespeare, first published in 1602, though believed to have been written prior to 1597. It features the fat knight Sir John Falstaff, and is Shakespeare's only play to deal exclusively with contemporary Elizabethan era English middle class life...
in 1952 and also directed a number of other productions for BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
before joining Granada Television
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
in the early 1960s, where he was head of drama from 1963 until 1977.
Film credits (as director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
) include A Hill in Korea
A Hill in Korea
A Hill in Korea is a 1956 British war film based on Max Catto's 1953 novel of the same name. The original name was Hell in Korea, but was changed for distribution reasons, except in the U.S. It was directed by Julian Amyes and the producer was Anthony Squire...
(1956), and the Emeric Pressburger
Emeric Pressburger
Emeric Pressburger was a Hungarian-British screenwriter, film director, and producer. He is best known for his series of film collaborations with Michael Powell, in a multiple-award-winning partnership known as The Archers and produced a series of classic British films, notably 49th Parallel , The...
-written Miracle in Soho
Miracle in Soho
Miracle in Soho is a 1957 British drama film directed by Julian Amyes and starring John Gregson, Belinda Lee and Cyril Cusack. The film depicts the lives of the inhabitants of a small street in Soho and the romance betweena local road-builder and the daughter of Italian immigrants.-Main cast:* John...
(1957).
After 1977, he returned to directing predominantly in television directing (amongst other works) adaptations of the The Old Curiosity Shop
The Old Curiosity Shop (1979 miniseries)
The Old Curiosity Shop is a 1979 BBC miniseries based on the novel by Charles Dickens. It was directed by Julian Amyes, and adapted by William Trevor.- Cast :*Natalie Ogle - Little Nell*Trevor Peacock - Daniel Quilp*Sebastian Shaw - Grandfather...
(1979), Great Expectations (1981) and Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre is a novel by English writer Charlotte Brontë. It was published in London, England, in 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co. with the title Jane Eyre. An Autobiography under the pen name "Currer Bell." The first American edition was released the following year by Harper & Brothers of New York...
(1983) for the BBC. Amyes also worked on a number of independent productions, before acting as director on episodes of the The Bill
The Bill
The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work...
(1990) and Rumpole of the Bailey
Rumpole of the Bailey
Rumpole of the Bailey is a British television series created and written by the British writer and barrister John Mortimer which starred Leo McKern as Horace Rumpole, an ageing London barrister who defends any and all clients...
(1989–91) for Thames Television
Thames Television
Thames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
.
Amyes died of a stroke in 1992.
Selected filmography
Director- A Hill in KoreaA Hill in KoreaA Hill in Korea is a 1956 British war film based on Max Catto's 1953 novel of the same name. The original name was Hell in Korea, but was changed for distribution reasons, except in the U.S. It was directed by Julian Amyes and the producer was Anthony Squire...
(1956) - Miracle in SohoMiracle in SohoMiracle in Soho is a 1957 British drama film directed by Julian Amyes and starring John Gregson, Belinda Lee and Cyril Cusack. The film depicts the lives of the inhabitants of a small street in Soho and the romance betweena local road-builder and the daughter of Italian immigrants.-Main cast:* John...
(1957)