Peter Yates

Peter James Yates (24 July 1929 – 9 January 2011) was an English film director and producer, known for making films in a wide variety of genres. He received nominations for four Academy Awards (twice for Best Director and Best Picture), three BAFTA Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. Originally training as an actor at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Yates entered the film industry as an assistant director for top directors like Tony Richardson. After directing television programmes like The Saint and Danger Man, Yates made a breakthrough directing the heist film Robbery (1967). This led him to direct including the Steve McQueen police thriller film Bullitt (1968), which was a major critical and commercial success. Subsequently, Yates made films in a variety of genres. He directed Dustin Hoffman and Mia Farrow in the romantic drama John and Mary (1969), the World War II picture Murphy's War (1971), the heist film The Hot Rock (1972), the gangster film The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973), the coming-of-age dramedy Breaking Away (1979), the cult science fantasy film Krull (1983), and the film version of the acclaimed stage play The Dresser. In the 2000s, he returned to directing television, including Don Quixote (2000).