Richard Lester

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Joanna Krupa

Model and Dancing with the Stars contestant Joanna Krupa

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AKA: Dick Lester

Nationality: American

Birthdate: 01/19/1932

Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Young American TV director in the 1950s who took a break to travel around Europe, settled in England, and established a career directing some landmarks of 1960s cinema.

Lester's career began with a Peter Sellers collaboration, the short "The Running, Jumping, and Standing Still Film" (1959). He reached major prominence with the Beatles movies, "A Hard Day's Night" (1964) and "Help!" (1965), chronicling the fictional adventures of the pop group in appropriately zany, exuberant style. "The Knack . . . and How To Get It" (1965), from the popular play by Ann Jellicoe, with Michael Crawford and Rita

Superman II

Director

1981

The Ritz

Director

1976

Robin and Marian

Director

1976

Petulia

Director

1968

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

Director

1966

A Hard Day's Night

Director

1964

Executive Producer

Co-Producer

Producer

Director

Director

Director

The Return of the Musketeers

Director

Royal Flash

Director

The Four Musketeers

Director

Help!

Director

The Knack... and How to Get It

Director

How I Won the War

Director

Juggernaut

Director

Butch and Sundance: The Early Days

Director

The Mouse on the Moon

Director

Director

Director

Director

Director

Himself

Producer

Producer

Year

Milestone

Began reading aged three; taught self piano aged 12, became a jazz aficionado

Performed (with The Vocal Group), floor managed and assistant directed at local Philadelphia TV station (WCAU); graduated to director within one year

1954

Moved to Europe as roving newspaper reporter; supported himself as jazz pianist in Europe and North Africa

1955

Moved to Great Britain; wrote TV musical "Curtains for Harry" (broadcast by Associated Rediffusion); had own short-lived TV show, "The Dick Lester Show"; directed "Downbeat," a series of jazz programs for Associated Rediffusion

1956

After marriage, left England, worked in TV in Canada and then Australia; after about a year returned to England and began collaborating (directing, co-writing) with Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan on TV series "Idiot's Weekly, Price Twopence," "A Show Called Fred" and "Son of Fred"