Peter Yates

Having seen _Robbery (1967)_ (qv) and _Bullitt (1968)_ (qv), it comes as no surprise that 'Peter Yates' (qv) started out as a professional racing car driver and team manager - albeit briefly - before turning his attention to film. The son of a military man, he was educated at Charterhouse School and trained at RADA, gaining his first experience as an actor with local repertory companies. In the early 1950's, he worked as a dubbing assistant, cutter, stage manager and theatre director (Royal Court), eventually graduating to assistant director on _The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958)_ (qv). He cut his teeth, directing many episodes of _The Saint (1962)_ (qv) and _Secret Agent (1964)_ (qv) for television, before helming his first feature film, the musical _Summer Holiday (1963)_ (qv)."Summer Holiday" did nothing for his career. However, the exhilarating car chase through the streets of London - staged for his next film, "Robbery" - so impressed 'Steve McQueen' (qv) that he requested Yates to direct him in "Bullitt". The rest is history: for many years, THAT car chase became the yard stick by which all others were measured. The success of this venture prompted Yates to remain in America, adapting himself to a variety of other genres, though continuing to be preoccupied with action subjects. His best films include the stylish and ingenious caper comedy _The Hot Rock (1972)_ (qv); the underwater adventure _The Deep (1977)_ (qv), based on the novel and screenplay by 'Peter Benchley' (qv); and the quirky coming-of-age comedy _Breaking Away (1979)_ (qv). For the latter, Yates received simultaneous Oscar nominations as Best Director and Best Producer.He was nominated again for a more cerebral 'actor's piece', _The Dresser (1983)_ (qv), starring 'Albert Finney' (qv) and 'Tom Courtenay' (qv) , based on a play about an ageing stage actor and his long-standing assistant. Never a prolific director, Yates subsequently made only a few more films. Most memorable, perhaps, were the courtroom thriller _Suspect (1987)_ (qv), the political drama _The House on Carroll Street (1987)_ (qv) and the enjoyably old-fashioned comedy _It All Came True (1998)_ (qv), starring 'Michael Caine' (qv) and 'Maggie Smith' (qv) as a couple of theatrical ghosts.::I.S.Mowis