Sidney J Furie

Born: 28 February 1933
Where: Toronto, Canada

Sidney decided he wanted to be a filmmaker when he was six years old, after seeing his first film, Captains Courageous, and showed early promise with his 1957 directing debut, A Dangerous Age, which he also produced and scripted.

After moving to Great Britain in 1960, Sidney turned out several critical successes like The Young Ones and The Leather Boys, before striking box-office gold with the 1965 spy thriller The Ipcress File, which won a Bafta for Best Picture.

He followed this triumph with his US directing debut, The Appaloosa starring Marlon Brando. He followed with The Naked Runner, Big Fauss and Little Halsy, and Lady Sings the Blues.

After several disappointing years with films like Gable and Lombard, Sidney climbed back on the "A" list with 1986's Iron Eagle.

Following Hit, Sidney delivered the first of his colossal bombs, Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York, followed by Gable and Lombard, before finding success with The Boys in Company C.

Superman IV: The Quest for Peace proved to be a slight improvement over its predecessor, but was still not a big success.

Sidney kept busy directing for the made-for-TV and straight-to-video markets. All the while he continued to direct movies throughout the 90s and into the new millennium.