Michael Winner
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Notes
"You must understand that I am basically a shy and lonely person. Remember my childhood--I was shuffled between two worlds--a school where I didn't fit and a suburban Jewish home where I didn't fit. I was a loner and very shy then. There's still a lot of that 13-year-old in me now; for instance I always carry dark glasses with me because I read somewhere that upset shows in the eyes, so if I'm upset I go out in dark glasses." --Michael Winner to Des Wilson in THE OBSERVER, July 4, 1974
Biography
While still in his teens, director Michael Winner had begun working as a film critic, publishing pieces in various London papers like The Evening Standard and The Spectator. After studies at Cambridge, where he edited Varsity, he entered the film industry in earnest. Working his way up through the ranks, Winner directed his first television projects in the 1950s. By the middle of the decade, he had begun to edit, write, produce and direct a series of short films, most notably "Haunted England" (1959). Winner founded his own production company, Scimitar Films, and went on to direct his first feature the teen musical "Play It Cool" in 1962. Other films of that ilk followed until he switched gears with the crime drama "West 11" (1963). He hit his peak in the mid-1960s with a series of taut, cynical films starring Oliver Reed, including "The System/The Girl-Getters" (1964) and "The Jokers" (1966). Winner then moved to Hollywood and directed several ambitious, but mostly unexceptional films. He was perhaps best known for his six films with Charles Bronson, most particularly "Death Wish" (1974) and its first two sequels.
Filmography
Director (Feature Film)
Cast (Feature Film)
Writer (Feature Film)
Producer (Feature Film)
Editing (Feature Film)
Production Companies (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Life Events
1952
Entered industry as film critic and entertainment columnist for THE EVENING STANDARD, THE SPECTATOR and THE SUNDAY TIMES
1955
Directed, wrote, edited and produced a series of short films
1958
Wrote feature "Man with a Gun"
1959
Formed Scimitar Films
1960
Theatrical feature directing debut, "Climb Up the Wall" (a revue including extracts from earlier films; also co-writer)
1962
Feature directing debut, "Play It Cool"
1964
Received critical praise for "The System/The Girl Getters"
1967
Provided story and directed "The Jokers"
1967
Producing debut "I'll Never Forget What's 'Is Name"; also directed
1972
First screen collaborations with Charles Bronson, "Chato's Land" and "The Mechanic"
1974
Directed Bronson in "Death Wish"
1977
Wrote, produced and directed the horror film "The Sentinel"
1978
Produced, wrote and directed the remake of "The Big Sleep", starring Robert Mitchum
1981
Reteamed with Bronson for "Death Wish II"
1985
Directed "Death Wish 3", again with Bronson in the lead
1989
Adapted the Alan Ayckbourne play "A Chorus of Disapproval" as a feature; also produced and directed; film re-released in the USA in 1997
1990
Acted onstage in "For the Greater Good", staged by Danny Boyle
1993
Had featured role in Steven Berkoff's film "Decadence"
Videos
Movie Clip
Trailer
Family
Companions
Bibliography
Notes
"You must understand that I am basically a shy and lonely person. Remember my childhood--I was shuffled between two worlds--a school where I didn't fit and a suburban Jewish home where I didn't fit. I was a loner and very shy then. There's still a lot of that 13-year-old in me now; for instance I always carry dark glasses with me because I read somewhere that upset shows in the eyes, so if I'm upset I go out in dark glasses." --Michael Winner to Des Wilson in THE OBSERVER, July 4, 1974
