Yates began staging plays in the British provinces at the age of 19 and worked as an assistant to J. Lee Thompson and Tony Richardson in the early 1960s. He then alternated between film and TV work and made his feature debut with "Summer Holiday" (1963).
Yates' early work exhibited a talent for fast-paced action, reflected in such films as "Bullitt" (1968), which included one of the most harrowing car chases ever filmed, and "The Friends of Eddie Coyle" (1973). In a change of pace, he directed the coming-of-age comedy-drama "Breaking Away" (1979). During the 1980s Yates crafted a number of fine, character-driven studies such as "The Dresser" (1983) with Tom Courtenay and Albert Finney, "Eleni" (1985) and "Suspect" (1987). In the 90s, he worked sporadically, helming "Roommates" with Peter Falk, and reuniting with Finney for the Irish drama "The Run of the Country" (both 1995).
- Born:
July 24, 1929 in Ewshott, Surrey, England, United Kingdom
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Job Titles:
Director, Producer, Assistant director, Dubbing assistant
Family
Education
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Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London, England
Milestones
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1948 Stage directing debut (date approximate)
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1953 First film job as dubbing assistant
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1963 Began directing for TV
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1963 Film directing debut, Summer Holiday
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1967 First film as writer (also director), Robbery
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1968 US film directing debut, Bullitt
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1976 First film as producer (also director), Mother, Jugs & Speed
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1979 Had success with the sleeper hit Breaking Away ; received Oscar nominations as Best Picture and Best Director
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1983 Earned second round of Best Picture and Best Director Academy Award nominations for The Dresser
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1985 Helmed the biopic Eleni , starring Kate Nelligan
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1987 Directed Suspect , which featured Cher as a defense attorney
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1995 Produced and directed The Run of the Country , starring Albert Finney
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1999 Helmed the TNT miniseries Don Quixote starring John Lithgow