John Dexter

John Dexter (2 August 1925 – 23 March 1990) was an English theatre, opera and film director.

Theatre

Born in

Dexter's first great success was his production of Roots, in 1959, which brought Joan Plowright to prominence. He went on to direct Toys in the Attic (with Wendy Hiller, 1960) and Saint Joan (1963). In 1964, he was named Associate Director of the National Theatre of Great Britain, and he produced The Royal Hunt of the Sun (1964).

That year, he also directed Othello, with Sir Laurence Olivier, Maggie Smith and Frank Finlay. It was considered a tremendous success. RCA recorded an audio version, and, the following year, Stuart Burge made a film of the production (now available on DVD) for BHE Films.

Dexter continued with

Dexter's debut feature-film was The Virgin Soldiers (with Lynn Redgrave, 1969). His second film was The Sidelong Glances of a Pigeon Kicker (aka, Pigeons, with Elaine Stritch, 1970); his third was I Want What I Want (1972).

For

• The Threepenny Opera (1989 revival)
• M. Butterfly (1988)
• The Glass Menagerie (1983 revival)
• One Night Stand (1980, "never officially opened")
• The Merchant (1977)
• The Misanthrope (1975 revival)
• Equus (1974)
• The Unknown Soldier and His Wife (1967)
• Black Comedy/White Lies (1967)
• The Royal Hunt of the Sun (1965)
• Do I Hear a Waltz? (1965)
• Chips With Everything
  (1963)

Awards and nominations

Notes

References

• Dexter, John. (1993). The Honourable Beast: A Posthumous Autobiography. London: Nick Hern Books.
  ISBN 9781854590398; OCLC 28642052
• Hiley, Jim. (1981). Theatre at work: The story of the National Theatre's production of Brecht's "Galileo". London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
  ISBN 9780710008596; OCLC 7883761

• John Dexter at the Internet Broadway Database
• John Dexter at
  IMDb