born March 25, 1908, Croydon, Surrey, Eng.
died April 16, 1991, London
British film director.
He worked at Gaumont Studios from 1928, becoming head film editor. He codirected In Which We Serve (1942) with Noë l Coward and was sole director of Coward's Blithe Spirit (1945) and Brief Encounter (1945). He directed film adaptations of Great Expectations (1946) and Oliver Twist (1948). Lean won wide acclaim for The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957, Academy Award) and later for Lawrence of Arabia (1962, Academy Award), Dr. Zhivago (1965), and A Passage to India (1984). His literate, epic productions featured spectacular cinematography and stunning locales.