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Richard Alfred Marquand (22 September 1937 – 4 September 1987) was a Welsh film and television director active in both American and British film productions, best known for directing the 1983 space opera Return of the Jedi, the final film in the original Star Wars trilogy. He also directed the 1981 drama film Eye of the Needle, the critically panned romance film Until September, and the 1985 thriller Jagged Edge.
Marquand was educated at Emanuel School, London, the University of Aix-Marseille in France and King's College, Cambridge, where he studied modern languages, and where one of his tutors was E. M. Forster. During National Service he studied Mandarin and was posted to Hong Kong where he also read the news on the English language Hong Kong Television.
On the strength of his direction of the 1981 feature, Eye of the Needle, Marquand was hired by writer-producer George Lucas to direct Return of the Jedi. In his commentary track on the DVD, Lucas explains that Marquand "had done some great suspense films and was really good with actors. Eye of the Needle was the film I'd seen that he had done that impressed me the most, it was really nicely done and had a lot of energy and suspense." For his work on the film, Marquand won a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation in 1984.
Marquand subsequently directed the 1985 courtroom thriller Jagged Edge, starring Jeff Bridges and Glenn Close.
According to a 2014 Wales Online interview with his son James, Marquand wrote a screenplay for "a Welsh western" in the late 1970s at the South Wales branch of Pinewood Studios. The screenplay told the story of a young orphan girl in Victorian era Mid Wales who enlists two local men to help her wreak revenge on those who killed her father; Marquand used to tell the story to his children when they were on holiday at the family's cottage near Tregaron. Marquand reportedly pitched it to Hollywood producers who expressed interest in making it into a film; however, Marquand declined the offer because the producers insisted the story be relocated to the Rocky Mountains in the United States. In the interview, James Marquand expressed interest in adapting his father's screenplay into a film.
On 30 August 1987, Marquand had a stroke at his home in Penshurst. He was taken to Kent and Sussex Hospital in Royal Tunbridge Wells, where he died five days later, on 4 September, at the age of 49. His last film, Hearts of Fire, starring Bob Dylan, was released posthumously.
Story writer
TV movies
TV series
TV series
As himself
Filmography
Short film
1975 The Puritan Experience: Making of a New World The Puritan Experience: Forsaking England
Feature film
Director
1978 The Legacy 1979 Birth of the Beatles 1981 Eye of the Needle 1983 Return of the Jedi Cameo as "Maj. Marquand" and voice cameo as "EV-9D9" 1984 Until September 1985 Jagged Edge 1987 Hearts of Fire Also producer
Television
Miniseries
1963 This Nation Tomorrow 3 episodes 1965 Inside America 4 episodes 1966 Inside Ireland 2 episodes Women, Women, Women 2 episodes 1967 Inside Australia Director (4 episodes) / Narrator (12 episodes) 1971 The Search for the Nile 2 episodes 1964 Home for Heroes? Birmingham '64 1970 Edward II Associate director under Toby Robertson 1968–70 Cameron Country Director (8 episodes) / Producer (episode ''Nobody Ever Asks Why'') 1976 NBC Special Treat Director (2 episodes) / Writer (episode ''Luke Was There'')
Documentary works
Short film
1963 The Sky at Night 2 episodes 1963–64 Adventure 2 episodes 1964–65 Landmarks 2 episodes 1967–70 One Pair of Eyes 4 episodes 1971–73 Omnibus Director (2 episodes) / Producer (episode ''That's My Little Masterpiece'') 1975–76 Pilger Director (4 episodes) / Producer (episode ''Zap!! The Weapon Is Food'')
External links
Categories: 1937 Births, 1987 Deaths, Aix-marseille University Alumni, Alumni Of King's College, Cambridge, British Documentary Filmmakers, British People Of Guernsey Descent, Burials At Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hugo Award Winners, Mass Media People From Cardiff, People Educated At Emanuel School, People From Penshurst, British Science Fiction Film Directors, Welsh Film Directors, Welsh People Of Scottish Descent, Welsh Television Directors
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