Peter Yates (Estate)

Peter Yates was born in Surrey, England, and educated at Charterhouse School. After graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he spent several years in the Theatre as an actor and a stage manager. He entered the Film Industry as a dubbing editor before becoming an assistant director, working for Tony Richardson on “The Entertainer” and “A Taste of Honey”, Jose Quintero on “The Roman Spring of Mrs Stone”, and J Lee Thompson on “The Guns of Navarone”. With Richardson’s encouragement, Yates directed two Edward Albee plays, “The American Dream” and “The Death of Bessie Smith” at the Royal Court Theatre.

Yates made his directing debut on the feature film “Summer Holiday” Cliff Richard’s escapist musical. “One Way Pendulum” was Yates’ second feature, followed by the thriller, “Robbery”. The innovative car chase in “Robbery” brought Yates to the attention of Steve McQueen who asked him to direct “Bullitt”. “Bullitt” was Yates’ first American film and a massive critical and box office success, firmly establishing him as a successful international filmmaker.

He went on to make films in almost every genre – from the quirky, romantic “John and Mary”, starring Dustin Hoffman and Mia Farrow, to the tough, gritty “Murphy’s War” with Peter O’Toole, Sian Phillips and Philippe Noiret, and the offbeat diamond heist suspenser “The Hot Rock”, starring Robert Redford and George Segal.

Throughout the seventies, Yates continued his tradition of working with Hollywood’s top talent with such films as “The Friends of Eddie Coyle, starring Robert Mitchum and Peter Boyle, “For Pete’s Sake” starring Barbara Streisand and “Mother, Jugs and Speed” with Raquel Welch and Bill Cosby. In 1977 Yates had a huge international hit with “The Deep” starring Nick Nolte, Robert Shaw and Jacqueline Bissett, based on the best-selling novel by Peter Benchley.

Yates’ next film was the award-winning coming-of-age story, “Breaking Away”. He chose the then-unknown young actors, Dennis Quaid, Daniel Stern and Dennis Christopher to star in the film. “Breaking Away” received six Academy Award nominations including Best Director and Best Picture.

In 1984, “The Dresser” starring Albert Finney and Tom Courtenay also received multiple Oscar nominations including Best Director, Best Picture and, unusually, double Best Actor nominations – one for each star.

Yates’ other work includes “Eyewitness”, starring William Hurt and Sigourney Weaver, the fantasy “Krull”, “Eleni”, starring John Malkovich and Kate Nelligan, “The House on Carroll Street”, “Suspect” with Liam Neeson, Cher and Dennis Quaid, “An Innocent Man” with Tom Selleck, “Year of the Comet”, “Roommates” with Peter Falk and Julianne Moore and “The Run of the Country” which reunited him with Albert Finney.

Other films are “Don Quixote” with John Lithgow.

He returned to his theatrical roots in 1977 to direct “Passing Game” at the American Place Theater, New York, and in 1985 to direct “Interpreters”, starring Maggie Smith and Edward Fox, at the Queens Theatre, London.

In 2001, Peter Yates received the London Evening Standard Film Awards’ Special Award for his extraordinary contribution to the Film Industry. He has won a Golden Globe for Best Picture (“Breaking Away”) and is a four-time nominee. He has three BAFTA nominations and a Writers Guild of Great Britain Award for the screenplay of “Robbery”.