Jonathan Lynn
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Bibliography
Notes
Lynn received a honorary MA from Sheffield University.
Biography
Perhaps best known for creating and writing the award-winning British TV series "Yes, Minister" (BBC2 1980-84) and "Yes, Prime Minister" (BBC2 1986-88), Jonathan Lynn honed his comedic skills as a member of the Cambridge Circus satirical revue in the mid-1960s. After acting on the New York and London stage as well as British TV, he branched out into directing in the early '70s, staging plays in the West End, for the RSC, the NT and on Broadway. Lynn wrote the screenplay for "The Internecine Project" (1974) and made a short film, "Mick's People" (1982), before directing his first feature, the cult favorite "Clue" (1985). Lynn's subsequent work included the cross-dressing comedy "Nuns on the Run" (1990) starring Eric Idle and Robbie Coltrane; the fish-out-of-water hit "My Cousin Vinny" (1991), which garnered an Academy Award for supporting actress Marisa Tomei; Eddie Murphy's political satire "The Distinguished Gentleman" (1992), and the action comedy "The Whole Nine Yards" (1999), starring Robert De Niro and Matthew Perry, which was #1 at the box office for 3 weeks. Lynn's West End theater debut, aged 23, was as an actor in the role of Motel the Tailor in the original London cast of "Fiddler on the Roof. " His subsequent London directing credits include: "The Glass Menagerie"; "Songbook" (Best Musical, Olivier Award and Evening Standard Award), "Anna Christie" (RSC, Stratford and the Donmar), Joe Orton's "Loot"; "Pass The Butler" by Eric Idle, Shaw's "Arms And The Man" and "The Gingerbread Man" (Old Vic). At the National Theatre, he directed "A Little Hotel on the Side" by Georges Feydeau and Three Men on A Horse (Olivier Award, Best Comedy). As Artistic Director of the Cambridge Theatre Company, he directed 20 productions, producing 20 others, 9 of which transferred to the West End. His numerous awards include the BAFTA Writers Award, Writers Guild (twice), Broadcasting Press Guild (twice), NAACP Image Award, Environmental Media Award, Ace Award -Best Comedy Series on US cable, and a Special award from the Campaign For Freedom of Information.
Filmography
Director (Feature Film)
Cast (Feature Film)
Writer (Feature Film)
Producer (Feature Film)
Special Thanks (Feature Film)
Director (Special)
Cast (Special)
Writer (Special)
Special Thanks (Special)
Life Events
1964
Began career as an actor with revue troupe Cambridge Circus, performing in New York
1964
Appeared on "The Ed Sullivan Show"
1965
Was writer and cast member of syndicated TV series, "Cambridge Circus"
1970
Stage directing debut "The Plotters of the Cabbage Patch Corner"
1974
Wrote first TV script for the situation comedy, "My Brother's Keeper" (also co-starred)
1974
Wrote first feature screenplay for "The Internecine Project"
1977
Served as artistic director of the Cambridge Theatre Company
1980
RSC directing debut, "Anna Christie"
1981
Broadway directing debut, "The Moony Shapiro Songbook"
1982
Short film directing debut, "Mick's People"
1985
Feature directing debut (also writer) "Clue"
1988
Appeared in "Three Men and a Little Lady"
1990
Directed the pilot/premiere episode of TV series, "Ferris Bueller"
1992
Helmed the Eddie Murphy vehicle "The Distinguished Gentleman"
1994
Directed "Greedy", a comedy starring Kirk Douglas
1996
Helmed the big screen version of the 1950s TV show "Sgt. Bilko", starring Steve Martin
1997
Produced and directed the comedy "Trial and Error"
2000
Helmed "The Whole Nine Yards", starring Bruce Willis and Matthew Perry
Family
Companions
Bibliography
Notes
Lynn received a honorary MA from Sheffield University.
