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IMDbPro

Alvin Rakoff(1927-2024)

  • Director
  • Producer
  • Writer
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Alvin Rakoff has directed more than 100 television, film and stage productions. He is now in his 10th decade. And still active.

The twice Emmy Award-winning director has worked with many of the world's most prestigious leading talent, including Laurence Olivier, John Gielgud, Peter Sellers, Judi Dench, Donald Pleasance, Henry Fonda and Richard Harris.

Alvin Rakoff also gave an unknown extra his first leading role: Sean Connery. He gave drama student Alan Rickman his first professional job. Other young talent nurtured includes Michael Crawford, Simon Russell Beale and Michael Caine.

As well as a producer of much of his screen and stage work, Alvin is also a prolific writer of original screenplays, adaptations, theatre musicals, plays, and three novels. His first novel, & Gillian (Little Brown) was translated into ten languages

Alvin Rakoff was born in Canada. His early days as journalist helped him work his way to a degree at University of Toronto. In 1952 he was seconded by CBC to visit BBC in London. He has lived here ever since.

The late actress Jacqueline Hill was his first wife, with whom he had two children: Dr Sasha Rakoff, Charity Executive and John D Rakoff, film producer. He is now married to Sally Hughes - MD, The Mill at Sonning Theatre.

Alvin is working on the first volume of his memoirs, to be published in 2021.
BornFebruary 6, 1927
DiedOctober 12, 2024(97)
BornFebruary 6, 1927
DiedOctober 12, 2024(97)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Add photos, demo reels
  • Nominated for 3 BAFTA Awards
    • 4 nominations total

Known for

Jean Simmons and Leonard Whiting in Un Roméo de banlieue (1971)
Un Roméo de banlieue
5.8
  • Director
  • 1971
Laurence Olivier and Alan Bates in A Voyage Round My Father (1982)
A Voyage Round My Father
7.2
TV Movie
  • Director
  • 1982
BBC Sunday-Night Theatre (1950)
BBC Sunday-Night Theatre
7.1
TV Series
  • Director
Shades of Greene (1975)
Shades of Greene
7.9
TV Series
  • Director

Credits

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IMDbPro

Director



  • A Dance to the Music of Time (1997)
    A Dance to the Music of Time
    7.5
    TV Mini Series
    • Director
    • 1997
  • A Haunting Harmony (1993)
    A Haunting Harmony
    6.7
    TV Movie
    • Director
    • 1993
  • Molly
    TV Movie
    • Director
    • 1993
  • Ivan Kaye and Doreen Mantle in Sam Saturday (1992)
    Sam Saturday
    6.2
    TV Series
    • Director
    • 1992
  • The Best of Friends (1991)
    The Best of Friends
    7.4
    TV Movie
    • Director
    • 1991
  • The Play on One (1988)
    The Play on One
    5.9
    TV Series
    • Director
    • 1991
  • Paradise Postponed (1986)
    Paradise Postponed
    7.9
    TV Mini Series
    • Director
    • 1986
  • The First Olympics: Athens 1896 (1984)
    The First Olympics: Athens 1896
    7.5
    TV Mini Series
    • Director
    • 1984
  • A Talent for Murder (1983)
    A Talent for Murder
    6.2
    TV Movie
    • Director
    • 1983
  • Jean Simmons and Ian Carmichael in All for Love (1982)
    All for Love
    6.7
    TV Series
    • Director
    • 1983
  • Mr. Halpern and Mr. Johnson (1983)
    Mr. Halpern and Mr. Johnson
    7.6
    TV Movie
    • Director
    • 1983
  • Ian Richardson in Number 10 (1983)
    Number 10
    8.4
    TV Mini Series
    • Director
    • 1983
  • Richard Beckinsale, Freddie Fletcher, Arthur Lowe, Jack Rosenthal, and Paula Wilcox in ITV Playhouse (1967)
    ITV Playhouse
    7.1
    TV Series
    • Director
    • 1968–1982
  • Laurence Olivier and Alan Bates in A Voyage Round My Father (1982)
    A Voyage Round My Father
    7.2
    TV Movie
    • Director
    • 1982
  • Accroche-toi, j'arrive (1980)
    Accroche-toi, j'arrive
    4.7
    • Director
    • 1980

Producer



  • Tom Duncan and Evelyn Adams in Meet Me on the Southbank (2013)
    Meet Me on the Southbank
    8.3
    • associate producer
    • 2013
  • A Dance to the Music of Time (1997)
    A Dance to the Music of Time
    7.5
    TV Mini Series
    • producer
    • 1997
  • Ivan Kaye and Doreen Mantle in Sam Saturday (1992)
    Sam Saturday
    6.2
    TV Series
    • producer
    • 1992
  • The Best of Friends (1991)
    The Best of Friends
    7.4
    TV Movie
    • producer
    • 1991
  • Laurence Olivier and Alan Bates in A Voyage Round My Father (1982)
    A Voyage Round My Father
    7.2
    TV Movie
    • producer
    • 1982
  • King Solomon's Treasure (1979)
    King Solomon's Treasure
    3.8
    • producer
    • 1979
  • Bob Dylan, David Warner, Ursula Howells, Reg Lye, and Maureen Pryor in The Madhouse on Castle Street (1963)
    BBC Sunday-Night Play
    8.5
    TV Series
    • producer
    • 1960–1963
  • The Largest Theatre in the World: Heart to Heart (1962)
    The Largest Theatre in the World: Heart to Heart
    8.0
    TV Movie
    • producer
    • 1962
  • The Largest Theatre in the World
    TV Series
    • producer
    • 1962
  • A Quiet Game of Cards
    TV Movie
    • producer
    • 1962
  • Studio 4
    6.8
    TV Series
    • producer
    • 1962
  • Hudson's Bay (1959)
    Hudson's Bay
    6.7
    TV Series
    • producer
    • 1959
  • BBC Sunday-Night Theatre (1950)
    BBC Sunday-Night Theatre
    7.1
    TV Series
    • producer
    • 1954–1959
  • Television Playwright
    6.4
    TV Series
    • producer
    • 1959
  • Sean Connery in Blood Money (1957)
    Blood Money
    7.6
    TV Movie
    • producer
    • 1957

Writer



  • Z Cars (1962)
    Z Cars
    7.1
    TV Series
    • writer
    • 1976
  • Carol Mayo Jenkins and Andrew Skidd in Performance (1974)
    Performance
    7.2
    TV Series
    • adaptation
    • 1975
  • Churchill's People (1974)
    Churchill's People
    5.8
    TV Series
    • writer
    • 1975
  • Jan Francis in Rooms (1974)
    Rooms
    7.4
    TV Series
    • writer
    • 1975
  • Sean Connery, Michael Caine, Paul Scofield, and Anna Calder-Marshall in ITV Saturday Night Theatre (1969)
    ITV Saturday Night Theatre
    6.0
    TV Series
    • dramatised by
    • 1972
  • Jean Simmons and Leonard Whiting in Un Roméo de banlieue (1971)
    Un Roméo de banlieue
    5.8
    • original story
    • written by
    • 1971
  • BBC Sunday-Night Theatre (1950)
    BBC Sunday-Night Theatre
    7.1
    TV Series
    • adaptation
    • television adaptation
    • 1953–1958
  • No Man's Land
    TV Movie
    • adapted for television by
    • 1956
  • Canada Day
    TV Movie
    • written by
    • 1955
  • Willie the Squouse
    TV Movie
    • adapted for television by
    • 1954
  • A Flight of Fancy
    TV Movie
    • deviser
    • 1952

Personal details

Edit
  • Official sites
    • Discogs
    • France's national library catalogue .
  • Born
    • February 6, 1927
    • Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  • Died
    • October 12, 2024
    • Chiswick, London, England, UK(old age)
  • Spouses
      Sally Hughes2013 - October 12, 2024 (his death)
  • Parents
      Pearl Isenberg

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Sometimes mangled, his surname is pronounced "Raykoff".

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