John Madden
English theatre, film, television, and radio director
About John Madden
Born 1949. John Madden is a British film director, television director, film editor, film producer, theatre director and director.
John Philip Madden (born 8 April 1949) is an English director of stage, film, television, and radio. He is known for directing the period romantic comedy film Shakespeare in Love, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture at the 71st Academy Awards ceremony.
Life and career Madden was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. He was educated at Clifton College in Bristol. He was in the same house as Roger Michell, who became a friend and later also a director. He began his career in British independent films, and graduated from Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge in 1970 with a B.A. in English Literature.
He started work in television, including directing Helen Mirren in Prime Suspect 4, episodes of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (ITV, 1984–1994), and Inspector Morse (1990–1995).
He directed the film Shakespeare in Love (1998), which won the Academy Award for Best Picture and for which he was also nominated as Best Director. He lost to Steven Spielberg, who directed Saving Private Ryan. The film also won the Silver Bear at the 49th Berlin International Film Festival.
Madden has since directed several films, including Proof (2005), The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011), and its sequel, The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2015).
Works Film
Television Poppyland (1984 UK TV film, Screen Two) The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1986–1991, 2 episodes) After the War (1989 UK TV series) Inspector Morse (1990–1995, 4 episodes) The Widowmaker (1990) Prime Suspect 4 (1995) Masters of Sex (2013, pilot)
Plays Plays he has directed include Arthur Kopit's Wings, and the world premiere in 1980 of Jules Feiffer's Grown Ups at the American Repertory Theatre.
Radio Between 1981 and 1996, Madden directed a series of radio adaptations of Star Wars in a BBC/NPR co-production, which included versions of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1981), The Empire Strikes Back (1983) and Return of the Jedi (1996) scripted for radio by Brian Daley.
Before it was produced for the stage, Madden directed Wings for NPR's Earplay series, in a production that won the Prix Italia.
Accolades Academy Awards
BAFTA Film Awards
BAFTA TV Awards
David di Donatello Awards
Directors Guild of America Awards
Golden Globe Awards
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Important facts
People in John Madden's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped John Madden's
Frequently asked questions
Who is John Madden?
English theatre, film, television, and radio director
When was John Madden born?
John Madden was born on 8 April 1949 in Hampshire.
What is John Madden's occupation?
John Madden is a film director, television director, film editor, film producer, theatre director and director.
What nationality is John Madden?
John Madden is British.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: John Madden (director)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Madden. https://biography.guide/john-madden-film-director/
MLA: "John Madden." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-madden-film-director/.
Chicago: "John Madden." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-madden-film-director/.
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