Made first home movie at age 11 with 9.5mm camera

During WWII, served as architectural draftsman with Royal Engineers; made amateur film, "Horror"; entertained troops with magic act (fellow performers included Kenneth Williams and Stanley Baxter)

Became associate director of Britain's National Theater

Formed Mount Pleasant Productions with Alan Cooke

Made 16mm short, "Black Legend"

Worked with Ngaio Marsh's theater company in Australia and New Zealand and with British repertory companies

Film acting debut in "Singlehanded"

Began working for BBC-TV news show, "Tonight"

Directed first theatrical documentary, "Terminus"

Directed first feature, "A Kind of Loving"

Directed the Oscar-winning Julie Christie in "Darling"

Directed first American film, "Midnight Cowboy"

Contributed "The Longest," a short film, to the official Munich Olympic film, "Visions of Eight"

Directed Offenbach centenary production opera, "Les Contes d'Hoffmann" at London's Royal Opera House

Directed Verdi's opera, "Un Ballo in Maschera," (featuring Placido Domingo) at the Salzburg Festival in July

Helmed non-musical Showtime movie "The Tale of Sweeney Todd", starring Ben Kingsley in the title role

Directed the feature "The Next Best Thing", starring Rupert Everett and Madonna