British director John Irvin, known for his eclectic career spanning war zone reportage, cold war espionage, and Hollywood productions, has died at the age of 86. Irvin directed the acclaimed 1979 BBC mini-series Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, an adaptation of John le Carré’s novel.
The series, which starred Alec Guinness as George Smiley, was a significant success, drawing over 8 million viewers at its peak and winning multiple awards, including best drama series in the Broadcasting Press Guild awards. Guinness reportedly praised Irvin's directing style, saying he had “Balls behind the camera.”
Irvin's diverse filmography included The Dogs of War (1980) with Christopher Walken, the horror film Ghost Story (1981) featuring Fred Astaire, and the Arnold Schwarzenegger action movie Raw Deal (1986). He also directed Hamburger Hill (1987), a film about the Vietnam War, a conflict he had hoped to depict for many years.
Born in Wallasey, Irvin studied at the London School of Film Technique and began his career making documentaries, including Gala Day (1963) for the BBC and the Bafta-nominated Mafia No! (1967).