Richard Marquand


Richard Marquand was a Welsh film director, best known for directing 1983's Return of the Jedi. He also directed the critically acclaimed 1981 drama film Eye of the Needle and the 1985 thriller Jagged Edge.

Early life

Marquand was born in Llanishen, Cardiff, Wales. He was the son of Rachel E. and Hilary Marquand, who was a Labour Party Member of Parliament and Minister in the Post Second World War Labour Government. He is the younger brother of David Marquand, who also served as a Labour Party MP.
Richard Marquand was educated at Emanuel School, London, the University of Aix in Aix-en-Provence, France and King's College, Cambridge. During National Service he studied Mandarin and was posted to Hong Kong where he also read the news on the English language Hong Kong Television.

Career

By the late 1960s, Marquand had begun a career directing television documentaries for the BBC, where he worked on projects such as the 1972 series Search for the Nile and an edition of One Pair of Eyes, about the novelist Margaret Drabble who had been a friend of his at Cambridge. He collaborated with the celebrated foreign correspondent James Cameron on a long-running series called Cameron Country for BBC television and also with John Pilger on a series of films for ITV. In 1979, Marquand incorporated many of his documentary techniques in his biographical television movie Birth of the Beatles. He directed several films specifically for children including the 1977 Emmy winning Big Henry and the Polka Dot Kid.
On the strength of his direction of the 1981 feature, Eye of the Needle, Marquand was hired by writer-producer George Lucas to direct Return of the Jedi. In his commentary track on the DVD, Lucas explains that Marquand "had done some great suspense films and was really good with actors. Eye of the Needle was the film I'd seen that he had done that impressed me the most, it was really nicely done and had a lot of energy and suspense."
Marquand subsequently directed the 1985 courtroom thriller Jagged Edge, starring Jeff Bridges and Glenn Close.

Death

In 1987, Marquand died of a stroke aged 49. His last film, Hearts of Fire, starring Bob Dylan, was released posthumously.
Marquand had four children; Hannah, Sam, Molly, and James, the last of whom is also a film director.

Filmography

Theatrical feature films

Short films

Television films

Television series