British director John Irvin, director of "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," has died
British director John Irvin, who directed the BAFTA-winning BBC miniseries *Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy*, based on the novel by John le Carré, has died at the age of 86. According to The Guardian, he died on August 11 at home, surrounded by his family. His producer, Claire Evans, confirmed the director’s death.
Irvin worked in film, television, and documentary filmmaking for over 50 years. His best-known work was the 1979 miniseries *Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy*, in which Alec Guinness played the role of intelligence officer George Smiley. The project won two BAFTA Awards out of six nominations and was nominated for an Emmy Award in the Best Miniseries category.
The director was born in 1940 in Wallas, Cheshire. He studied at the London Film School and worked at British Movietone News. In 1963, Irwin released his first film—the documentary *Gala Day*—as well as the short documentary *Inheritance*, narrated by Richard Burton. It was for *Inheritance* that the director received his first BAFTA Award.
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In the 1960s, Irwin directed several short films for the BBC and ITV, including *The Peasants’ Revolt* (1969). This film marked Anthony Hopkins’ first television role. In the 1970s, the director moved into television drama, working on *The Nearly Man*, *Hard Times*, and *Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy*.
The success of the miniseries paved the way for Irvin to Hollywood. He directed *The Dogs of War* starring Christopher Walken and Tom Berenger, *Ghost Story* with Fred Astaire, *Raw Deal* with Arnold Schwarzenegger, *Hamburger Hill* with Don Cheadle and Dylan McDermott, and *Next of Kin* with Patrick Swayze and Liam Neeson.
Irwin’s final film was the 2016 biopic *Mandela’s Gun*, about Nelson Mandela and his experiences in the African National Congress’s guerrilla struggle. At the time of his death, the director was working on a new version of this film. He is survived by three children—Emily, Luke, and Amy—and two grandchildren.
