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Tony Richardson
Born
Cecil Antonio Richardson

(1928-06-05)5 June 1928
Died 14 November 1991(1991-11-14) (aged 63)
Los Angeles, California, US
Occupation
  • Director
  • producer
  • screenwriter
Years active 1952–1991
Spouse(s)
(m. 1962; div. 1967)
Children 3, including Natasha and Joely
Relatives
  • Daisy Bevan (granddaughter)
  • Micheál Richardson (grandson)

Cecil Antonio "Tony" Richardson (born June 5, 1928 – died November 14, 1991) was a famous English director and producer. He worked in theatre and film for nearly 40 years. In 1964, he won an Academy Award for Best Director for his movie Tom Jones.

Tony Richardson's Early Life

Tony Richardson was born in Shipley, England, in 1928. His father, Clarence Albert Richardson, was a chemist. Tony went to Ashville College and then to Wadham College at the University of Oxford.

At Oxford, he was very active in theatre. He was the president of two different drama clubs. He also wrote theatre reviews for the university magazine Isis. Many of his friends at Oxford later became famous, like Rupert Murdoch and Margaret Thatcher.

Tony Richardson's Career in Film and Theatre

In 1955, Tony Richardson started his directing career. He directed a play called The Apollo of Bellac for television. Around this time, he also became involved in a film movement called Free Cinema. He co-directed a short film called Momma Don't Allow.

Starting the British New Wave

Tony Richardson's house
Tony Richardson's house from 1928 to 1948, 28 Bingley Road, Saltaire, Shipley

Tony Richardson was a key part of the British New Wave of directors. This was a time when British films started to show more realistic stories. He helped create the English Stage Company.

He directed the play Look Back in Anger by John Osborne at the Royal Court Theatre. He also directed Shakespeare plays in Stratford-upon-Avon. In 1957, he directed Laurence Olivier in Osborne's play The Entertainer.

Founding Woodfall Film Productions

In 1959, Richardson co-founded Woodfall Film Productions with John Osborne. Their first film was Look Back in Anger (1959). They also made other important films like The Entertainer (1960), A Taste of Honey (1961), and The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962).

Many of Richardson's films, like A Taste of Honey, were part of the "kitchen sink realism" style. This style showed the everyday lives of working-class people in Britain. These films are still seen as very important examples of this movement.

Winning Academy Awards

Richardson plaque
A plaque from the BFI honoring Tony Richardson's work in cinema

In 1964, Tony Richardson won two Academy Awards for his film Tom Jones (1963). He won for Best Director and the film won for Best Picture. This movie was based on a book by Henry Fielding.

His next film was The Loved One (1965). He worked with famous actors like John Gielgud and Rod Steiger. He started working in Hollywood for this film.

Working with Famous Actors

Tony Richardson directed many well-known actors throughout his career. Some of them include Jeanne Moreau, Orson Welles, Rob Lowe, Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Mick Jagger, and Judi Dench. He also worked with talented screenwriters and music composers.

Richardson's films had many different styles. Mademoiselle (1966) was a black-and-white film shot in France. The Charge of the Light Brigade (1968) was a big historical movie with animated parts. Ned Kelly (1970) was an Australian Western.

In 1974, he moved to Los Angeles. He continued to work on films there. He wrote and directed the comedy-drama The Hotel New Hampshire (1984). This film starred Jodie Foster and Rob Lowe. Even though it didn't make a lot of money, critics liked it.

Tony Richardson made four more major films before he passed away. His last film, Blue Sky (1994), was released almost three years after his death. Jessica Lange won an Oscar for Best Actress for her role in that film.

Tony Richardson's Personal Life

Tony Richardson was married to the English actress Vanessa Redgrave from 1962 to 1967. They had two daughters together: Natasha (1963–2009) and Joely Richardson (born 1965). After their divorce, he had a relationship with French actress and singer Jeanne Moreau. In 1972, he had another daughter, Katharine Grimond, with Grizelda Grimond.

Death

Tony Richardson passed away on November 14, 1991, at the age of 63.

Filmography (as director)

  • The Apollo of Bellac (TV, 1954)
  • The Actor's End (TV, 1955)
  • Momma Don't Allow (with Karel Reisz; 1955)
  • Look Back in Anger (1959)
  • The Entertainer (1960)
  • A Subject of Scandal and Concern (1960)
  • Sanctuary (1961)
  • A Taste of Honey (1961)
  • The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962)
  • Tom Jones (1963)
  • The Loved One (1965)
  • Mademoiselle (1966)
  • Red and Blue (1967)
  • The Sailor from Gibraltar (1967)
  • The Charge of the Light Brigade (1968)
  • Laughter in the Dark (1969)
  • Hamlet (1969)
  • Ned Kelly (1970)
  • A Delicate Balance (1973)
  • Dead Cert (1974)
  • Mahogany (uncredited; replaced by Berry Gordy, 1975)
  • Joseph Andrews (1977)
  • A Death in Canaan (1978)
  • The Border (1982)
  • The Hotel New Hampshire (1984)
  • Penalty Phase (TV, 1986)
  • Beryl Markham: A Shadow on the Sun (1988)
  • The Phantom of the Opera (TV, 1990)
  • Blue Sky (1994)

Theatre

Year Play House City Run
1954 The Changeling Wyndham's London 1 performance
1955 The Country Wife Theatre Royal Stratford East London 3 weeks
1955 Mr Kettle & Mrs Moon Duchess London
1956 The Mulberry Bush Royal Court London
1956 The Crucible Royal Court London
1956 Look Back in Anger Royal Court London 151 performances
1956 Cards of Identity Royal Court London
1957 Look Back in Anger John Golden, Lyceum New York 1 year
1957 Look Back in Anger Moscow
1957 The Member of the Wedding Royal Court London
1957 The Entertainer Royal Court London 4 weeks
1957 The Apollo of Bellac Royal Court London
1957 The Chairs Royal Court London
1957 The Entertainer Palace London 6 months
1957 The Making of Moo Royal Court London
1957 Requiem for a Nun Royal Court London
1958 The Entertainer Royale New York
1958 The Chairs & The Lesson Phoenix New York 17 performances
1958 Flesh to a Tiger Royal Court London
1958 Pericles Shakespeare Memorial Theatre Stratford-on-Avon
1959 Othello Shakespeare Memorial Theatre Stratford-on-Avon
1959 Orpheus Descending Royal Court London
1959 Look After Lulu! Royal Court London 45 performances
1959 Look After Lulu! New London 5 months
1960 A Taste of Honey Los Angeles
1960 A Taste of Honey Booth, Lyceum New York 376 performances
1961 The Changeling Royal Court London
1961 Luther Royal Court London 28 performances
1961 Luther Phoenix London 239 performances
1962 A Midsummer Night's Dream Royal Court London 29 performances
1962 Semi-Detached Saville London
1963 Natural Affection Booth New York 31 performances
1963 Luther Lunt-Fontanne, St. James New York 6 months
1963 Semi-Detached Music Box New York 12 performances
1963 Arturo Ui Lunt-Fontanne New York 8 performances
1964 The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore Brooks Atkinson New York 5 performances
1964 The Seagull Queen's Theatre London
1964 St Joan of the Stockyards Queen's Theatre London 3 weeks
1969 Hamlet Roundhouse London 10 weeks
1969 Hamlet Lunt-Fontanne New York 52 performances
1972 The Threepenny Opera Prince of Wales London
1972 I, Claudius Queen's Theatre London
1973 Anthony and Cleopatra Bankside Globe Playhouse London
1976 The Lady from the Sea Circle in the Square Theatre New York
1979 As You Like It Center Theatre Long Beach
1983 Toyer Kennedy Center Washington
1984 Dreamhouse L.A. Stage Co. Hollywood

See also

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