★ 7.1
Directing
David Lean
David Lean is best known for The Oscars, The Dick Cavett Show, Omnibus and Film '72. David Lean was born on March 25, 1908. David Lean died on April 16, 1991 at the age of 83.
- Born
- March 25, 1908
- Place of birth
- Croydon, Surrey, England, UK
- Died
- April 16, 1991 (83 years old)
Biography
Sir David Lean CBE (25 March 1908 – 16 April 1991) was an English film director, producer, screenwriter and editor. Widely considered one of the most important figures in British cinema, he is best remembered for adapting the works of Charles Dickens and Noël Coward, and for his large scale period epics such as The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Doctor Zhivago (1965), Ryan's Daughter (1970), and A Passage to India (1984).
Acclaimed and praised by directors such as Steven Spielberg and Stanley Kubrick, Lean was voted 9th greatest film director of all time in the British Film Institute Sight & Sound "Directors Top Directors" poll 2002. Nominated seven times for the Academy Award for Best Director, winning twice for The Bridge on the River Kwai and Lawrence of Arabia, he has seven films in the British Film Institute's Top 100 British Films (with three of them being in the top five).
Acclaimed and praised by directors such as Steven Spielberg and Stanley Kubrick, Lean was voted 9th greatest film director of all time in the British Film Institute Sight & Sound "Directors Top Directors" poll 2002. Nominated seven times for the Academy Award for Best Director, winning twice for The Bridge on the River Kwai and Lawrence of Arabia, he has seven films in the British Film Institute's Top 100 British Films (with three of them being in the top five).
Known for
Filmography
- 2013Talking PicturesSelf (archive footage)
- 1978The South Bank ShowSelf
- 1973The American Film Institute Salute to ...Self
- 1971Film '72Self
- 1968The Dick Cavett ShowSelf - Guest
- 1967OmnibusSelf
- 1954Reflets de CannesSelf
- 1953The OscarsSelf
Frequently asked questions
What movies and shows has David Lean been in?
David Lean is best known for The Oscars, The Dick Cavett Show, Omnibus and Film '72.
When was David Lean born?
David Lean was born on March 25, 1908. (Croydon, Surrey, England, UK)
How old is David Lean?
David Lean died on April 16, 1991 at the age of 83.
Updated: October 25, 2026 ·