Michael Winner

Michael Winner was a prolific and often controversial English film director, producer, and later, a prominent newspaper columnist. He is best known for directing the violent vigilante film series Death Wish, starring Charles Bronson, which became a cultural phenomenon in the 1970s. His career spanned over five decades, encompassing a wide variety of genres from comedies and thrillers to horror, and he was equally famous for his flamboyant public persona and acerbic wit as a restaurant critic for The Sunday Times.

Early life and education

Born into a wealthy family in Hampstead, his father, George Joseph Winner, was a property developer and entrepreneur. He was educated at the independent St Christopher School in Letchworth and later attended Downing College, Cambridge, where he studied law and economics. While at the University of Cambridge, he became actively involved in the Cambridge University Amateur Dramatic Club and wrote film reviews for the university newspaper, laying the groundwork for his future careers in both cinema and journalism.

Film career

Winner began his career in the British film industry in the late 1950s, working in publicity and as an assistant director on films like The Bridge on the River Kwai. He made his directorial debut with the crime drama Shoot to Kill in 1960. Throughout the 1960s, he directed a string of successful films, including the comedy The System starring Oliver Reed, the West End adaptation The Jokers, and the psychological thriller I'll Never Forget What's'isname. His work often featured satirical takes on Swinging London and the class system. His international breakthrough came with the 1974 film Death Wish, a gritty urban thriller that sparked widespread debate and spawned several sequels. Other notable films from this prolific period include the horror film The Sentinel, the action comedy The Big Sleep starring Robert Mitchum, and the musical Appointment with Death. In later years, he directed the crime drama Dirty Weekend and his final film, the thriller Parting Shots.

Personal life and public persona

Winner cultivated a larger-than-life public image, known for his lavish lifestyle, sharp tongue, and frequent appearances in the British press. He had a long-term relationship with actress and model Jenny Seagrove. In 2011, he married his partner of many years, Geraldine Lynton-Edwards, at his home in London. For over a decade, he wrote a highly popular and notoriously critical restaurant column, "Winner's Dinners," for The Sunday Times, where his catchphrase "Calm down, dear" became widely recognized. He was also a significant philanthropist, founding the Police Memorial Trust after the murder of WPC Yvonne Fletcher, which erected numerous memorials across the United Kingdom.

Death and legacy

Michael Winner died at his home in Kensington from liver disease in January 2013, at the age of 77. His legacy is multifaceted; he is remembered as a commercially astute filmmaker who created one of cinema's most iconic vigilante characters, influencing the action genre for decades. Conversely, his films, particularly the Death Wish series, have been persistently criticized for their perceived glorification of violence. His philanthropic work with the Police Memorial Trust and his distinctive, opinionated voice in journalism ensure he remains a memorable, if divisive, figure in British cultural life.

Filmography

A selected filmography includes: *Shoot to Kill (1960) *The System (1964) *The Jokers (1967) *I'll Never Forget What's'isname (1967) *The Nightcomers (1971) *Death Wish (1974) *The Sentinel (1977) *The Big Sleep (1978) *Death Wish II (1982) *Appointment with Death (1988) *Dirty Weekend (1993) *Parting Shots (1999)

Category:English film directors Category:English columnists Category:1935 births Category:2013 deaths