Biography

Director of the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) from 1975-1998, succeeded by Robin Duval

Was seeing, along with the BBFC, some 5000 films a year that also included film for cinema and then video (VHS) and Sky (Movies) Television.

One movie he particularly hated whilst head British censor (and which he nearly banned) was Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986). As well as the film's onscreen violence and rape scene, he particularly detested and objected to the film's open ending in which the principal villain is depicted as never being held to account for his actions.

Joined ABC Television in 1957 as a drama director, switching to ATV two years later. He joined the film censors board in June 1975. He became Secretary of the British Board of Film Classification, a post he held until 1998.

Graduated with a BA in English from Cornell University.

The instinctive good taste of the artist usually prevents him from indulging in unnecessarily explicit detail. But we are faced too rarely with the work of first-class artists.

[1992] There were a lot of very controversial films and my predecessor was unhappy with the glare of publicity. He's had A Clockwork Orange (1971), Straw Dogs (1971), Last Tango in Paris (1972), The Devils (1971). They were coming out left right and centre, and he was constantly in the firing line. I was asked to take it over and restore public confidence.

[1992] To censor the depiction of perfectly legal consenting sexual activity is foolish for an adult public. What we really ought to be about is protecting society and individuals from those exceptional films which are potentially damaging.

[1992] The less censorship the better.

[1992: On The New York Ripper (1982) et al.] There are certainly a dozen films I would never wish on a civilized society.