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Job Film director, film producer, screenwriter, film editor
Years active 1942-1991
Top Roles Motorcyclist by Suez Canal, Man at Café, Reporter
Top Genres Drama, Romance, Film Adaptation, War, Comedy, Adventure
Top Topics Book-Based, Period Piece, Based on Play, Romance (Drama), Courtroom
Top Collaborators Alec Guinness, John Mills, John Boxer, Claude Rains, Robert Newton, Kathleen Harrison, Amy Veness, Ivor Barnard
Also Born on March 25
Also Born in 1908
Also an Aries

David Lean Overview:

Legendary director, David Lean, was born on Mar 25, 1908 in Croydon, England. Lean died at the age of 83 on Apr 16, 1991 in London, England and was laid to rest in Putney Vale Cemetery and Crematorium in London, England.

HONORS and AWARDS:

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David Lean was nominated for nine Academy Awards, winning two for Best Director for The Bridge on the River Kwai and Lawrence of Arabia in 1957 and 1962 respectively.

Academy Awards

YearAwardFilm nameRoleResult
1946Best DirectorBrief Encounter (1945)N/ANominated
1947Best DirectorGreat Expectations (1946)N/ANominated
1955Best DirectorSummertime (1955)N/ANominated
1957Best DirectorThe Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)N/AWon
1962Best DirectorLawrence of Arabia (1962)N/AWon
1965Best DirectorDoctor Zhivago (1965)N/ANominated
1984Best DirectorA Passage to India (1984)N/ANominated
1984Best WritingA Passage to India (1984)N/ANominated
1984Best Film EditingA Passage to India (1984)N/ANominated
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David Lean BlogHub Articles:

John Mills has “Great Expectations” in the David Lean adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic

John Mills has “Great Expectations” in the David Lean adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic Great Expectations (1946) is a British drama directed by David Lean and based on the 1861 novel by Charles Dickens and starring John Mills and Valerie Hobson. The strong supporting cast i... Read full article


Robert Newton and Celia Johnson head the cast in David Lean’s “This Happy Breed”

Robert Newton and Celia Johnson head the cast in David Lean’s “This Happy Breed” This Happy Breed (1944) is a British drama directed by David Lean and starring Robert Newton, Celia Johnson, Stanley Holloway, and John Mills. The screenplay is by Lean, Anthony Havelock-Allan, an... Read full article


Noël Coward on Screen: Blithe Spirit (David Lean, 1945)

British playwriter Noël Coward was considered one of the most prolific figures of the theatre world. Not only did he wrote plays, but also directed, acted (both on stage and in films), composed, and sang. Known for his unique fancy style and his originality, Noël Coward surely became an undeniable... Read full article


THE DAVID LEAN BLOGATHON: Great Expectations (1946)

Maddy Loves Her Classic Films and her blogathons! The David Lean blogathon is in full swing on July 20th and 21st. Click HERE to read the tributes to the master filmmaker. Charles Dickens' 13th novel, Great Expectations was serialized in 1860-1861 and found a welcome home on many bookshelves. Lik... Read full article


Blue Eyes in the Desert: Lawrence of Arabia (David Lean, 1962)

Ah, Lawrence of Arabia… An illustrious man and the subject of one of movie history’s best films. It is British movie director David Lean who created this masterpiece. With movies like Lawrence of Arabia (of course), Great Expectations,  The Bridge on the River Kwai, Doctor Zhivago and ... Read full article


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David Lean Quotes:

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David Lean Facts
Frequently worked with Alec Guinness. When he recommended that Steven Spielberg direct Empire of the Sun (1987), Spielberg ended up hiring Eve Mavrakis as a translator. Fittingly, Mavrakis would go on to marry Ewan McGregor, who succeeded Guinness in the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Peter O'Toole based his performance in The Stunt Man (1980) on Lean.

He was signed to direct several major stars including Marlon Brando, Dennis Quaid and Paul Scofield in a film version of Joseph Conrad's "Nostromo" when he was diagnosed with throat cancer, and died three months later. The film was never made.

Directed 11 different actors in Oscar-nominated performances: Celia Johnson, Katharine Hepburn, Alec Guinness, Sessue Hayakawa, Peter O'Toole, Omar Sharif, Tom Courtenay, John Mills, Sarah Miles, Peggy Ashcroft and Judy Davis. Guiness, Mills and Ashcroft won for their performances in one of Lean's movies.

His third wife was previously married to his first cousin, Nigel Tangye .

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