Tony Richardson
English director of kitchen sink realism and Oscar-winning Tom Jones.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Cecil Antonio Richardson, born in Shipley, West Riding of Yorkshire on 5 June 1928, spent five decades as a theatre director and filmmaker. During the 1950s, he was linked to the "angry young men" circle of British directors and playwrights, and later became a central figure in the British New Wave movement. His films *Look Back in Anger* (1959), *The Entertainer* (1960), *A Taste of Honey* (1961), and *The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner* (1962) are regarded as key examples of kitchen sink realism.
Richardson’s father, Clarence Albert Richardson, worked as a chemist; his mother was Elsie Evans (née Campion). He spent his early childhood on the edge of Saltaire, where he kept grass snakes with a friend, Joan Naylor. At Ashville College in Harrogate, he served as Head Boy, and later attended Wadham College, Oxford. Among his Oxford contemporaries were Rupert Murdoch, Margaret Thatcher, Kenneth Tynan, Lindsay Anderson, and Gavin Lambert. He achieved the rare feat of serving as president of both the Oxford University Dramatic Society and the Experimental Theatre Club, while also writing theatre criticism for the university magazine *Isis*. His student productions featured actors such as Shirley Williams (as Cordelia), John Schlesinger, Nigel Davenport, and Robert Robinson.
His directing debut came in 1955 with a television production of Jean Giraudoux’s *The Apollo of Bellac*, starring Denholm Elliott and Natasha Parry. That same year, he co-directed the short nonfiction film *Momma Don’t Allow* with Karel Reisz, as part of Britain’s Free Cinema movement. As a member of the British New Wave, he helped establish the English Stage Company alongside George Goetschius and George Devine. He directed John Osborne’s *Look Back in Anger* at the Royal Court Theatre, and also directed Shakespeare in Stratford-upon-Avon. In 1957, he directed Laurence Olivier as Archie Rice in Osborne’s next play, *The Entertainer*, again at the Royal Court.
In 1959, Richardson co-founded Woodfall Film Productions with John Osborne and Harry Saltzman. The company’s first feature was the film version of *Look Back in Anger* (1959), which Richardson directed. Woodfall also produced *The Entertainer* (1960), *A Taste of Honey* (1961), and *The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner* (1962), based on Alan Sillitoe’s novel. Many of these films, including *A Taste of Honey* and *The Lo
- born
- 5 June 1928, Shipley, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
- died
- 14 November 1991, complications from AIDS
- field
- Theatre director, filmmaker
- nationality
- English
- known_for
- Kitchen sink realism films; winning 1964 Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture for Tom Jones
Lore & Background
Richardson was born in Shipley, West Riding of Yorkshire in 1928 to Clarence Albert Richardson, a chemist, and his wife, Elsie Evans. He attended Ashville College and Wadham College, University of Oxford, where he was president of both the Oxford University Dramatic Society and the Experimental Theatre Club, and theatre critic for Isis. In 1955, he made his directing debut with Jean Giraudoux's The Apollo of Bellac for television and co-directed the short Momma Don't Allow with Karel Reisz as part of the Free Cinema movement. He co-founded Woodfall Film Productions with John Osborne and Harry Saltzman, directing the film versions of Look Back in Anger, The Entertainer, A Taste of Honey, and The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner.
Richardson won the 1964 Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture for Tom Jones. His later films included The Loved One (1965), Mademoiselle (1966), The Charge of the Light Brigade (1968), and The Hotel New Hampshire (1984). He was married to actress Vanessa Redgrave from 1962 to 1967, with whom he had daughters Natasha and Joely Richardson. He later left Redgrave for Jeanne Moreau and had a daughter, Katherine Grimond, with Grizelda Grimond. Richardson was bisexual and died of complications from AIDS on 14 November 1991.
Reader's Guide
Tony Richardson was a central figure in the British New Wave and kitchen sink realism movements, bringing working-class stories and naturalistic performances to cinema in the late 1950s and early 1960s. His films Look Back in Anger, The Entertainer, A Taste of Honey, and The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner are regarded as cornerstones of that movement. His 1963 film Tom Jones earned him Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture, marking a high point in his career. Richardson's work was stylistically varied, ranging from noir-style monochrome (Mademoiselle) to epic animation (The Charge of the Light Brigade) to psycho-drama (A Delicate Balance). He directed a wide array of notable actors, including Laurence Olivier, Jeanne Moreau, Orson Welles, Richard Burton, Katharine Hepburn, and Jodie Foster. His legacy includes his influence on British cinema and his role in the formation of the English Stage Company. His last film, Blue Sky (1994), was released after his death and earned Jessica Lange a Best Actress Oscar.
Did You Know?
- Richardson was president of both the Oxford University Dramatic Society and the Experimental Theatre Club, and theatre critic for the university magazine Isis.
- He co-founded Woodfall Film Productions with John Osborne and Harry Saltzman.
- In 1966, Richardson is alleged to have financed the escape from Wormwood Scrubs prison of the spy and double agent George Blake.
- His daughter Natasha Richardson (1963–2009) was an actress.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Tony Richardson?
Cecil Antonio Richardson (1928–1991) was an English theatre director and filmmaker whose career spanned roughly five decades across the stage and screen. He is best remembered as a leading voice of kitchen sink realism and for his Oscar-winning direction of Tom Jones.
What films is Tony Richardson most known for?
His signature titles include Look Back in Anger (1959), The Entertainer (1960), A Taste of Honey (1961), The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962), and Tom Jones (1963). These features are routinely cited as landmark examples of the kitchen sink realism style.
What major award did Tony Richardson win?
In 1964 he collected both the Best Director and Best Picture Academy Awards for Tom Jones, making him one of the few British directors to top the ceremony in both categories simultaneously.
How did Tony Richardson die?
He passed away on 14 November 1991 from complications related to AIDS, closing out a career that stretched across approximately fifty years in theatre and film.
What movement was Tony Richardson associated with?
During the 1950s he moved in the same creative circles as the 'angry young men' group of playwrights and directors, and he went on to become a central pillar of the broader British New Wave movement that reshaped domestic filmmaking.
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