1. Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
2. Michael Denison to Carol L. Dudley

John Dexter Biography (1925?-1990)

Born August 2, 1925 (some sources say 1935), in Derby, England; died of heartfailure, March 23, 1990, in London, England; son of Harry James (a plumber)and Rose Dexter.

Nationality

English

Gender

Male

Occupation

director, designer, actor

Death Details

March 23, 1990

London, England

Famous Works

• Credits; Stage Work; Director
• Yes--and After, English Stage Company, Royal Court Theatre, London, England, 1957.
• Each in His Own Wilderness, English Stage Company, Royal Court Theatre, 1957.
• Chicken Soup with Barley, English Stage Company, Royal Court Theatre, 1958 and 1960.
• Roots, English Stage Company, Royal Court Theatre, 1959.
• Last Day in Dreamland and A Gift of the Sea (double bill),English Stage Company, Royal Court Theatre, 1959.
• This Year, Next Year, English Stage Company, Royal Court Theatre,1960.
• I'm Talking about Jerusalem, English Stage Company, Royal Court Theatre, 1960.
• Toys in the Attic, Royal Court Theatre, 1960.
• The Kitchen, English Stage Company, Royal Court Theatre, 1961.
• (Broadway debut) Chips with Everything, Plymouth Theatre, New YorkCity, 1963.
• The Royal Hunt of the Sun, ANTA Theatre, New York City, 1965.
• Do I Hear a Waltz, Forty-sixth Street Theatre, New York City, 1965.
• "Black Comedy" and "White Lies," in Black Comedy (double bill), Ethel Barrymore Theatre, New York City, 1967.
• The Unknown Soldier and His Wife, Vivian Beaumont Theatre, New York City, 1967.
• Hamlet, American Shakespeare Festival, Stratford, CT, 1969.
• In Praise of Love, Morosco Theatre, New York City, 1973.
• Equus, Plymouth Theatre, 1974, then Helen Hayes Theatre, 1976.
• The Misanthrope, St. James Theatre, New York City, 1975.
• Phaedra Britannica, National Theatre Company, London, 1975.
• The Merchant, Plymouth Theatre, 1977.
• Pygmalion, Center Theatre Group, Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, 1978.
• One Night Stand, Nederlander Theatre, New York City, 1980.
• Gallileo and As You Like It (double bill), National TheatreCompany, 1980.
• Shoemaker's Holiday, National Theatre Company, 1981.
• The Portage to San Cristobal of A. H., Mermaid Theatre, 1982.
• The Glass Menagerie, Eugene O'Neill Theatre, New York City, 1983.
• The Nightingale, Covent Garden Opera Company, London, 1983.
• Portraits, Savoy Theatre, London, 1987.
• M. Butterfly, National Theatre, Washington, D.C., then Eugene O'Neill Theatre, 1988, later Shaftesbury Theatre, London, 1989.
• The 3 Penny Opera, National Theater, then Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, New York City, 1989.
• Also directed Gigi, 1985, and The Cocktail Party, 1986.
• Credits; Stage Work; National Theatre Company, Old Vic Theatre, London
• Chicken Soup with Barley, 1961.
• This Time Next Year, 1961.
• I'm Talking about Jerusalem, 1961.
• The Kitchen, 1961.
• South, 1961.
• The Keep, 1961 and 1962.
• (Codirector) Chips with Everything, 1962.
• My Place, 1962.
• England, Our England, 1962.
• The Blood of the Bambergs, 1962.
• The Sponge Room and Squat Betty (double bill), 1962.
• Jackie the Jumper, 1962.
• Half a Sixpence, 1962.
• Saint Joan, then Chichester and Edinburgh Festivals, 1962.
• Hobson's Choice, 1964.
• Othello, 1964.
• (Codirector) The Royal Hunt of the Sun, then Chichester Festival,1964.
• (Codirector) Armstrong's Last Goodnight, then Chichester Festival,1966.
• Black Comedy, then Chichester Festival, 1966.
• A Bond Honoured, 1966.
• The Storm, 1966.
• Wise Child, 1967.
• A Woman Killed with Kindness, 1971.
• (Codirector) Tyger, 1971.
• The Goodnatured Man, 1971.
• The Old Ones, 1972.
• The Misanthrope, 1973.
• Equus, 1973.
• In Praise of Love, 1973.
• The Party, 1973.
• Pygmalion, then Albery Theatre, 1974.
• Credits; Major Tours; Director
• Equus, U.S. cities, 1975.
• Credits; Opera; Director
• (Opera directing debut) Benvenuto Cellini, Covent Garden, London,1966.
• From the House of the Dead, Hamburg Opera, Hamburg, Germany, 1967.
• Billy Budd, Hamburg Opera, 1967.
• Il Ballo in Maschera, Hamburg Opera, 1967.
• Boris Godurov, Hamburg Opera, 1967.
• I Vespri Siciliani, Hamburg Opera, 1967.
• Aida, Metropolitan Opera Company, 1974.
• La Gioconda, Metropolitan Opera Company, 1974.
• I Vespri Siciliani, Metropolitan Opera Company, 1974, then Paris Opera, Paris, France, 1975.
• The Devils, Sadler's Wells Theatre, London, 1975.
• La Forza del Destino, Metropolitan Opera Company, then Paris Opera, 1975.
• La Gioconda, Paris Opera, 1975.
• Aida, Paris Opera, 1976.
• Le Prophete, Metropolitan Opera Company, 1977.
• Dialogues of the Carmelites, Metropolitan Opera Company, 1977.
• Lulu, Metropolitan Opera Company, 1977.
• Rigoletto, Metropolitan Opera Company, 1977.
• Billy Budd, Metropolitan Opera Company, 1978.
• The Bartered Bride, Metropolitan Opera Company, 1978.
• Don Pasquale, Metropolitan Opera Company, 1978.
• Don Carlo, Metropolitan Opera Company, 1979.
• Die Enfuhrung aus dem Serail, Metropolitan Opera Company, 1979.
• The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny, Metropolitan Opera Company, 1979.
• Rossignol, Le Sacre du Printemps, and Oedipus Rex (triple bill), 1981.
• Parade (triple bill), Metropolitan Opera Company, 1981.
• Stravinsky (triple bill), Metropolitan Opera Company, 1981.
• The Portage to San Cristobal, Metropolitan Opera Company, 1982.
• The Devil and the Good Lord, Buxton Opera Festival, 1985.
• La Buone Figlio, Buxton Opera Festival, 1985.
• Il Filosofo di Campagna, Buxton Opera Festival, 1985.
• Also director for American Shakespeare Festival, Stratford, CT, 1969. Director of Nabucco, produced in Zurich, Switzerland, 1986.
• Credits; Opera Producer; Metropolitan Opera Company
• Lulu, 1980.
• Don Carlo, 1980.
• Rigoletto, 1981.
• La Forza del Destino, 1984.
• Don Carlo, 1984.
• Aida, 1985.
• Dialogues of the Carmelites, 1987.
• Credits; Film Appearances
• Jacoby, Laura, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1944.
• Tom Russell, Buffalo Bill Rides Again, Screen Guild, 1947.
• Credits; Film Work; Director
• Othello, Eagle/Warner Brothers, 1966.
• The Virgin Soldiers, Columbia, 1968.
• The Sidelong Glances of a Pigeon Kicker (also known as Pigeons), Saturn Pictures/Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer-Plaza, 1970.
• I Want What I Want, Marayan/Cinerama, 1972.
• Credits; Television Work; Specials
• Also director of Mahagonny, 1979, Lulu, 1980, and Twelfth Night, Grenada TV.

Further Reference

Obituaries and Other Sources: Periodicals

• New York Times, March 27, 1990.
• Variety, March 28, 1990.