Hamburger Hill & Raw Deal Director John Irvin Dies

Hamburger Hill and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy just lost the man behind the camera. The veteran British filmmaker, John Irvin, passed away at 86 after a career spanning decades of acclaimed war films, Hollywood action movies, and award-winning television.

Veteran director John Irvin, who made made war movies and more, dies

British filmmaker John Irvin, who directed Hamburger Hill and the BAFTA-winning TV series Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, has died at 86, Deadline reports. He passed away peacefully on August 11 at his sister-in-law’s home in England, surrounded by family. Irvin made more than 30 features across a career spanning TV, documentaries, and independent film.

Born on May 7, 1940, Irvin attended Durham School before enrolling at the London Film School. He began his career at British Movietone News and directed his first film, Gala Day, in 1963. His documentary short Inheritance, about the aftermath of the Algerian War, won him his first BAFTA.

Irvin then built a prolific career in TV drama during the 1970s. He directed Hard Times for Granada TV and the acclaimed BBC adaptation of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy in 1979. Alec Guinness starred in the series, which earned multiple BAFTA wins and an Emmy nomination.

His Hollywood career took off in the 1980s with The Dogs of War, starring Christopher Walken. Ghost Story followed in 1981 and became the third highest-grossing horror film that year. He later directed Raw Deal with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Hamburger Hill with Don Cheadle and Dylan McDermott.

Irvin continued working through the 1990s and 2000s, directing films with Harvey Keitel, Michael Caine, and Uma Thurman. He co-founded production company DearHeart and spent six years making Mandela’s Gun. A festival cut screened at the UK Houses of Parliament in 2017 to honor President Nelson Mandela.

Alec Guinness once wrote that he “admired a director with balls behind the camera!” Irvin’s first wife Sophie died of cancer in 1991. He is survived by three children and two grandchildren.

Source: Comingsoon.net