Steve Barron Irish director and producer Date of Birth: 04.05.1956 Country: USA

1. Early Life and Career Beginnings
2. Film Debut and Music Video Success
3. Blockbuster Films and Production
4. Television and Commercials
5. Later Career

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Steve Barron was born on May 4, 1954, in Dublin, Ireland. Coming from a family deeply involved in filmmaking, as his father was an actor and technician, and his mother, Zelda Barron, was a director, Steve was immersed in the world of cinema from a young age. He got his start in the industry as a teenager, working as a camera assistant on films such as "A Bridge Too Far" (1977), "The Duellists" (1977), "Superman" (1978), and "Superman II" (1980).

Film Debut and Music Video Success

Barron made his directorial debut in 1984 with the sci-fi comedy "Electric Dreams," which garnered awards at film festivals in Madrid and France. His fame skyrocketed in the mid-1980s when he began directing music videos for iconic artists, including Madonna, David Bowie, Michael Jackson (for the song "Billie Jean"), Dire Straits (for "Money For Nothing"), A-HA (for "Take On Me"), and Natalie Cole (for "Unforgettable").

Blockbuster Films and Production

In 1990, Barron returned to feature films with the global hit action-comedy "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," which remains the highest-grossing independent film to date, earning over $300 million worldwide. He continued his escapist cinematic ventures, directing the sci-fi comedy "Coneheads" (1993), a big-screen adaptation of the classic sketch from "Saturday Night Live." In 1994, Barron ventured into production, serving as an executive producer for the action thriller "The Specialist," starring Sylvester Stallone and Sharon Stone, and the romantic comedy "While You Were Sleeping," featuring Sandra Bullock.

Television and Commercials

Barron continued his directing career on the small screen, making his television debut with the fairy tale films "Fearnot" and "Hans My Hedgehog" from the series "The Storyteller." He also became an executive producer on "Reboot" (1994), the first-ever computer-generated animated series. Additionally, he directed numerous commercials in England and the United States for major brands like Pepsi, Coke, Ford, and Renault.

Later Career

In 1997, Barron began a collaboration with Jim Henson Productions and Hallmark Entertainment, directing popular miniseries such as the Emmy-nominated NBC fantasy epic "Merlin" (1998) and the television series "Arabian Nights" (2000). His last directorial work as of 2010 was the independent drama "Choking Man" (2006), which he also wrote. In 2008, Barron served as a co-producer on the film "The Day After Peace." In June 2010, it was announced that the Irish director had returned to music videos, helming A-HA's final video, "Butterfly Butterfly (The Last Hurrah)."