John Bury
British set, costume and lighting designer
About John Bury
Lived 1925 – 2000 (aged 75). John Bury was a British costume designer, lighting designer, scenographer and theatre designer.
John Bury OBE (27 January 1925 - 12 November 2000) was a British set, costume and lighting designer who worked for theatres in London, the rest of the UK, and Broadway and international opera.
Bury was educated at Hereford Cathedral School. After serving in the Royal Navy during World War II, he pursued a variety of jobs before joining the Theatre Workshop under the direction of Joan Littlewood at the Theatre Royal Stratford East in London. In 1963 he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company, whose artistic director was then Peter Hall. In 1973 he followed Hall to the National Theatre Company, then still based at the Old Vic, to become its Head of Design and an associate director.
For Hall's Broadway production of Amadeus by Peter Shaffer, transferred from the National Theatre, Bury was nominated for Tony Awards for scenery, costumes and lighting, and received the awards for scenery and lighting. He was also nominated for five more Tony Awards including his first production on Broadway, Harold Pinter's The Homecoming in 1967.
He was appointed OBE in the 1979 New Year Honours list.
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Important facts
People in John Bury's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped John Bury's
Frequently asked questions
Who was John Bury?
British set, costume and lighting designer
When was John Bury born?
John Bury was born on 27 January 1925 in Aberystwyth.
When did John Bury die?
John Bury died on 12 November 2000 in Gloucestershire.
What was John Bury's occupation?
John Bury was a costume designer, lighting designer, scenographer and theatre designer.
What nationality was John Bury?
John Bury was British.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: John Bury (theatre designer)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Bury. https://biography.guide/john-bury-costume-designer/
MLA: "John Bury." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-bury-costume-designer/.
Chicago: "John Bury." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-bury-costume-designer/.
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