Peter Medak, director of The Changeling and The Krays, dies at 88
Peter Medak, the Hungarian-born film and television director, died on Tuesday in Los Angeles at the age of 88.
Early life and career beginnings
Medak was born in Budapest in 1937 before fleeing to England during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. He began working in the British film industry as an assistant director after training with newsreel producers. His feature directorial debut arrived in 1968 with the film Negatives starring Glenda Jackson.
Notable films and television work
His career included directing The Ruling Class, which earned Peter O'Toole an Oscar nomination, and the supernatural thriller The Changeling. Medak also helmed crime dramas such as The Krays and Let Him Have It in the early 1990s. He directed episodes for various television series including Homicide: Life on the Street, The Wire, and Breaking Bad.
Family announcement of death
His family announced his passing on Tuesday while he was in Los Angeles. Medak spent over six decades directing 27 feature films across genres ranging from psychological horror to black comedy. He also worked on a documentary revisiting the legacy of Peter Sellars before his death.
All 3 outlets report consistently
No differences in figures, names or dates across these reports.
- The Hollywood Reporter
- Variety
- The Guardian
Reported by
3 independent outlets. Headlines as published. Links open the original report.
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The Hollywood Reporter
Peter Medak, Director of ‘The Ruling Class’ and ‘The Changeling,’ Dies at 88
hollywoodreporter.com → -
Variety
Peter Medak, Director of ‘The Changeling’ and ‘The Krays,’ Dies at 88
variety.com → -
The Guardian
Peter Medak, veteran director of The Krays and The Changeling, dies aged 88
theguardian.com →