John Boorman attended Catholic school (Salesian Order) although his
family was not, in fact, Roman Catholic. His first job was for a
dry-cleaner. Later, he worked as a critic for a women's journal and for
a radio station until he entered the television business, working for
the BBC in Bristol. There, he started as assistant but worked later as
director on documentaries, such as
The Newcomers (1964). His
friendship with Lee Marvin allowed him to
work in Hollywood (e.g.
Point Blank - Keiner darf Überleben (1967) and
Die Hölle sind wir (1968))
from where he returned to the UK (e.g.
Leo, der Letzte (1970),
Zardoz (1974) or
Exorzist II - Der Ketzer (1977)).
He became famous for Excalibur (1981),
Der Smaragdwald (1985) and
his autobiographic story
Hope and Glory - Der Krieg der Kinder (1987) where he
tells his own experiences as a child after World War II and which
brought him another Academy Award Nomination after
Beim Sterben ist jeder der Erste (1972).
