James Cellan Jones | |
|---|---|
| Born | 13 July 1931 |
| Died | 30 August 2019 (aged 88) |
| Alma mater | St John's College, Cambridge |
| Occupation(s) | Television director and producer |
| Years active | 1960–2001 |
| Known for | The Forsyte Saga (1967) Fortunes of War (1987) |
| Title | Head of Plays, BBC Television |
| Term | 1976–1979 |
| Predecessor | Christopher Morahan |
| Successor | Keith Williams |
| Children | Simon Cellan Jones Rory Cellan-Jones Deiniol Cellan Jones Lavinia Cellan Jones[1] |
Alan James Gwynne Cellan Jones (13 July 1931 – 30 August 2019) was a British television and film director. From 1963, he directed over 50 television series and films, specialising in dramas.
He was particularly associated with the "Classic Serial" during the golden age of BBC drama,[2] and some of his most significant work was in televising late 19th-century and 20th-century British literary works. Two of his most ambitious and successful directorial adaptations were the miniseries The Forsyte Saga (1967), which became a national and international hit,[1] and Fortunes of War (1987); and he was also known for his award-winning productions of Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill (1974) and Harnessing Peacocks (1993).
Cellan Jones was Head of Plays at BBC Television, chairman of BAFTA, and chairman of the Directors Guild of Great Britain.