Michael David Apted British director, screenwriter, producer, actor Date of Birth: 10.02.1941 Country: Great Britain

Biography of Michael David Apted

Michael David Apted, a British director, screenwriter, producer, and actor, was born in 1941 in Olney, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom. He grew up in a family involved in the insurance business, with his parents being Francis Amelia and Ronald William Apted.

Education and Early Career:
After completing his education at City of London School, Michael attended Cambridge University, specializing in law and history. His television career started in the early 1960s at Granada TV in Manchester, where he began as an intern. It was during this time that he met director Paul Almond, who invited Michael to join the project '7 Up'. This groundbreaking project, initiated by the activist group 'World In Action', aimed to document the lives of children from different social backgrounds and track their development every seven years. Michael Apted eventually became the ideologist and director of the project.

Directorial Success:
In the 1970s, Michael Apted made his mark as a diverse and talented director. His directorial debut in feature film came with 'Triple Echo' in 1972, followed by the critically acclaimed drama 'Stardust' in 1975. He gained international recognition in 1980 with the biographical drama 'Coal Miner's Daughter', which received multiple Oscar nominations. Apted's filmography includes both fiction and documentary films, and his documentary films are highly regarded worldwide.

Documentaries and International Projects:
While continuing his work on the '7 Up' series, Apted also directed other notable documentaries. In 1989, he directed the documentary film 'The Long Way Home', focusing on the renowned Russian rock musician Boris Grebenshchikov. In the 1990s, he explored China through his documentary film 'Moving the Mountain'. In 1991, Apted produced a similar documentary project called 'Age 7 in the USSR', directed by Sergei Miroshnichenko, which garnered significant attention worldwide.

Filmography and Recognition:
Throughout his career, Michael Apted directed and produced a diverse range of films. Some notable works include 'Gorky Park' (1983), 'Critical Condition' (1987), 'Nell' (1994), 'Extreme Measures' (1996), and the James Bond film 'The World Is Not Enough' (1999). While some films received critical acclaim, others faced harsh criticism.

Personal Life:
Michael Apted was previously married to actress Jo Apted before divorcing and later marrying actress and screenwriter Dana Stevens. He has two children.