Jonathan Lynn

Jonathan Lynn (born 3 April 1943) is an English stage and film director, producer, writer, and actor. He is known for directing the comedy films such as ''Clue'', ''Nuns on the Run'', ''My Cousin Vinny'', and ''The Whole Nine Yards''. He also co-created and co-wrote the television series ''Yes Minister''.

Early life

Lynn was born in Bath, Somerset, the son of physician Robin Lynn and sculptor Ruth Helen (née Eban), whose first cousin on her mother's side was the neurologist Oliver Sacks. Another cousin, Caroline Sacks, married Nicholas Samuel, 5th Viscount Bearsted. Lynn was educated at Kingswood School, Bath, between 1954 and 1961, after which he studied law at Pembroke College, Cambridge. (His maternal uncle, Israeli statesman Abba Eban, had also studied at Cambridge in the 1930s.) There he participated in the Cambridge University Footlights Club revue '' Cambridge Circus'' (appearing with the revue in 1964 on Broadway and on ''The Ed Sullivan Show'').

Career

Acting

Lynn's first West End appearance was in a stage production of ''Green Julia'', for which he was nominated for the 1965 Plays and Players Award as Most Promising New Actor. In 1967, he played Motel the tailor in the original West End production of ''Fiddler on the Roof'' (production recorded by CBS Records). From the late 1960s, Lynn was appearing in and writing television sitcoms, including the television comedy series ''Twice a Fortnight'' with Graeme Garden, Bill Oddie, Terry Jones, Michael Palin and Tony Buffery.

Lynn played the Irish medical student Danny Hooley in the second series of the television comedy ''Doctor in the House'' in 1970. He wrote some episodes for '' Doctor at Large'', ''Doctor in Charge'', ''Doctor at Sea'' and ''Doctor on the Go''. As a TV actor, his most memorable roles included Beryl's boyfriend Robert in early series of ''The Liver Birds'', the role of Harold in Jack Rosenthal's 1976 television film '' Bar Mitzvah Boy'', and the role of Ted Margolis in Rosenthal's ''The Knowledge'' (1979). He had a bit-part as a window cleaner in the BBC television series '' The Good Life''. His film appearances have included roles in ''Prudence and the Pill'' (1968), ''The House That Dripped Blood'' (1971), '' Romance with a Double Bass'' (1974), and ''Three Men and a Little Lady'' (1990).

Lynn is a guest instructor at HB Studio.

Screenwriting

Lynn's first (co-written) screenplay was for ''The Internecine Project'', which was released in 1974. For television he wrote episodes for the ''Doctor'' TV series and ''On the Buses'' and wrote for Harry Worth and George Layton before eventually, in partnership with Antony Jay, writing ''Yes Minister'' and ''Yes, Prime Minister''. His later writing credits include the first two films he directed, ''Clue'' (1985) and ''Nuns on the Run'' (1990). He is also known for his co-writing, co-producing, and co-directing of the revived ''Yes, Prime Minister'' series produced by the BBC
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