Raised on the Isle of Wight

Made stage directing debut with own play "Mobius the Stripper" in England

Lectured in drama at the University of Hull

Enjoyed modest success with play "Whale Music"

Wrote teleplays for the British series "Studio"

Earned notice for his West End debut, "Made in Bangkok" about the exploitation of women in Thailand

Scripted the British teleplay "What If It's Raining?"

Wrote for the English TV series, "Inspector Morse"

Wrote for the series "The Storyteller" (NBC), produced by Jim Henson

Penned the BBC radio play "Cigarettes and Chocolate"

Wrote for "The Jim Henson Hour" (NBC)

Scripted the British TV-movie "Living with Dinosaurs"

Feature directorial debut, "Truly, Madly, Deeply"; also scripted

Contributed to the screenplay for "The Doctor"; did not receive final screen credit

First American film, "Mr. Wonderful" starring Matt Dillon

International breakthrough feature (wrote and directed), "The English Patient"; film received 12 Academy Award nominations and won nine, including Best Picture and Best Director

Adapted (also directed) for the screen, "The Talented Mr. Ripley"; first collaboration with Jude Law; received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Directing and an Academy Award nomination for Best Screenplay

Formed Mirage Enterprises with Sydney Pollack

Helmed (also wrote screenplay) the feature adaptation of Charles Frazier's Civil War-era novel "Cold Mountain" starring Jude Law; earned Golden Globe nominations for Best Director and Best Screenplay

Directed the highly successful staging of Puccini's "Madama Butterfly" at the English National Opera in London; choreographed by his wife, Carolyn Choa

Wrote (also directed) the original screenplay, "Breaking and Entering"; third collaboration with Jude Law

Executive produced the Oscar-nominated, "Michael Clayton"

Adapted and directed the pilot episode of "The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" starring Jill Scott and based on the novels by Alexander McCall Smith; aired on BBC within a week of his death in 2008; began airing in the US in 2009