Raised in London, Shropshire, and Scotland

Made first amateur film as a child; movie was set during Cromwell's reign

Entered the army for compulsory national service upon finishing Eton

Worked at a London advertising agency as head of its casting department

Spent two years in Paris editing documentaries

Returned to London and formed the production company, Cammell-Hudson-Brownjohn (date approximate)

Company produced first documentary, "A... Is For Apple"; co-directed with John Burrows

Solo directorial debut with the documentary, "Birth of a Twin"

First screenplay credit, the award-winning short documentary, "The Tortise and the Hare"; also produced and directed

Teamed with Ridley Scott to make TV commercials

Formed Hudson Film; shared offices with Alan Parker

Wrote and directed "Fangio", a biographical documentary of the world champion race car driver

Feature debut, served as 2nd unit director on Parker's "Midnight Express"

Feature directorial debut, "Chariots of Fire"; film earned seven Oscar nominations including one for Best Director; won four including Best Picture; also initial screen collaboration with David Puttnam

Debut as feature producer with "Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes"; also directed

Experienced boxoffice failure with "Revolution", a father-son drama set against the background of the colonial rebellion in America

Last film for nearly a decade, "Lost Angels"

Reteamed with David Puttnam for "My Life So Far/World of Moss", a coming-of-age drama set in Scotland in the 1920s and 1930s; based on the memoir by Sir Denis Forman; released in the USA in 1999

Directed the biopic "I Dreamed of Africa", which starred Kim Basinger as African wildlife expert Kuki Gallmann