Biography
Richard Lester (born 19 January 1932) is an American-born British-based film director notable for his work with The Beatles in the 1960s and his work on the Superman film series in the 1980s.
Known For
Complete Filmography
The Enigmatic Charlotte Rampling
2023
as Self (archive footage)
Screen icon Charlotte Rampling has fascinated the world of cinema, fashion and photography with her mysterious and almost inaccessible beauty. A major...
The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years
2016
as Self
The Beatles stormed through Europe's music scene in 1963, and, in 1964, they conquered America. Their groundbreaking world tours changed global youth ...
Spike Milligan: Love, Light and Peace
2014
as Himself - Director
A very personal portrait of the truly unique comedy genius of Spike Milligan, as told in his own words and featuring exclusive home movie footage. Wit...
The Beatles: Help!
2007
as Self
30 minute documentary about the making of the film Help! with Richard Lester, the cast and crew. Includes exclusive behind the scenes footage of The B...
You Will Believe: The Cinematic Saga of Superman
2006
as Self (archive footage)
A 5-part documentary of the history of Superman in the movies. • Origin - Superman in the media and the challenges the Salkinds faced • Vision - Cre...
Filmmakers in Action
2006
as Self
What is the state of cinema and what being a filmmaker means? What are the measures taken to protect authors' copyright? What is their legal status in...
Best Sellers or: Peter Sellers and 'Dr. Strangelove'
2004
as Self
Documentary about actor Peter Sellers and one of his most memorable film roles.
Things They Said Today
2002
as Self
A documentary on the making of the Beatles' 1964 film "A Hard Day's Night," featuring director Richard Lester, music producer George Martin, screenwri...
The Unknown Peter Sellers
2000
as Himself
Documentary about the life and career of a comic genius, Peter Sellers.
Richard Lester!
1998
A tribute to Richard Lester, Philadelphia-born filmmaker who moved to England to direct the modern classics "A Hard Day's Night," "Petulia," and "Help...
Spike
1996
as Himself
Spike personally tells the story of his life from India, World War II to The Goons and his Q series
You Can't Do That! The Making of 'A Hard Day's Night'
1995
as Self
Thirty years after A Hard Day's Night, its producer, director, writer and others describe its making. United Artists Records came to Walter Shenson, a...
Paul McCartney's Get Back
1991
Director
Get Back is a 1991 concert film starring Paul McCartney that documents The Paul McCartney World Tour of 1989–1990. The film was directed by Richard Le...
The Return of the Musketeers
1989
Director
It's 1649: Mazarin hires the impoverished D'Artagnan to find the other musketeers: Cromwell has overthrown the English king, so Mazarin fears revolt, ...
A Turnip Head's Guide To The British Cinema
1986
as Self
Documentary presenting Alan Parker’s view of British cinema with comments from Richard Lester and others and location report from King’s Lynn on the m...
The Making of 'Superman III'
1985
as Self
This documentary treats movie fans to a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Superman III, a more comical take on the superhero story in which the ...
Finders Keepers
1984
Director, Executive Producer
On the run from the police and a female roller derby team, scam artist Michael Rangeloff steals a coffin and boards a train, pretending to be a soldie...
The Making of 'Superman II'
1983
as Self
Documentary about the making of the sequel to Superman.
Superman III
1983
Director
Aiming to defeat the Man of Steel, wealthy executive Ross Webster hires bumbling but brilliant Gus Gorman to develop synthetic kryptonite, which yield...
Superman II
1980
Director
Three Kryptonian criminals led by General Zod team up with Lex Luthor to conquer Earth, forcing a depowered Superman to regain his strength and stop t...
Cuba
1979
Director
A British mercenary arrives in pre-Revolution Cuba to help train the corrupt General Batista's army against Castro's guerrillas while he also romances...
Butch and Sundance: The Early Days
1979
as Man Watching Hearse Pass by (uncredited)
Before the adventures that made them legends, they were charming mastermind Robert Leroy Parker, alias Butch Cassidy, and crack-shot outlaw Harry Alon...
Butch and Sundance: The Early Days
1979
Director
Before the adventures that made them legends, they were charming mastermind Robert Leroy Parker, alias Butch Cassidy, and crack-shot outlaw Harry Alon...
The Ritz
1976
Director
To escape from a mobster, businessman Gaetano Proclo orders a cab driver to take him to a place where he can't be found. Unfortunately for Gaetano, th...
Robin and Marian
1976
Director
Robin Hood, aging none too gracefully, returns exhausted from the Crusades to woo and win Maid Marian one last time.
Royal Flash
1975
Director
Cowardly rogue Harry Flashman's (Malcolm McDowell) schemes to gain entry to the royal circles of 19th-century Europe go nowhere until he meets a pair ...
La route
1975
Mercadet, a young man, and Morin, a forty-something, meet in a brothel in India. They team up to continue their journey together. Along the way, they ...
The Four Musketeers
1974
Director
The Four Musketeers defend the queen and her dressmaker from Cardinal Richelieu and Milady de Winter.
Juggernaut
1974
Director
A terrorist demands a huge ransom in exchange for information on how to disarm the seven bombs he has planted aboard a trans-Atlantic cruise ship.
The Three Musketeers
1973
Director
The young D'Artagnan arrives in Paris with dreams of becoming a King's musketeer. He meets and quarrels with three men, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, ea...
The Bed Sitting Room
1969
Producer, Director
In the hazy aftermath of World War III, the fallout from a 'nuclear misunderstanding' is producing strange mutations amongst the survivors, and the no...
Petulia
1968
Director
Dr. Archie Bollen is having a midlife crisis. He's just divorced his wife and is establishing a new life for himself. One night, he catches the eye of...
Petulia: The Uncommon Movie
1968
as Himself
A short featurette on the making of "Petulia"
How I Won the War
1967
Director, Producer
An inept British WWII commander leads his troops to a series of misadventures in North Africa and Europe.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
1966
Director
A wily slave must unite a virgin courtesan and his young smitten master to earn his freedom.
Help!
1965
Director
An obscure Eastern cult that practices human sacrifice pursues Ringo after he unknowingly puts on a ceremonial ring (that, of course, won't come off)....
The Knack... and How to Get It
1965
Director
A nebbish schoolteacher begs his smooth (and misogynistic) pal to teach him 'the knack' – how to score with women. Serendipitously, the men meet up wi...
A Hard Day's Night
1964
Director
Capturing John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr in their electrifying element, 'A Hard Day's Night' is a wildly irreverent jour...
The Mouse on the Moon
1963
Director
Sequel to The Mouse that Roared; The Tiny Country of Grand Fenwick has a hot water problem in the castle. To get the money necessary to put in a new s...
It's Trad, Dad!
1962
Director
The hero and heroine want to popularize a trad jazz in their town. Some older people feel displeased about a trad jazz, and prevent their trying. The ...
The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film
1959
A short film without any direct action designed more as an experiment, with disjointed comic scenes with no common thread.
The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film
1959
Writer, Director, Music
A short film without any direct action designed more as an experiment, with disjointed comic scenes with no common thread.