Russell, Ken, in full Henry Kenneth Alfred Russell 1927-
English film director

Born in Southampton, he worked as a ballet dancer, actor and photographer before making short documentary films. The BBC commissioned him to make musical biographies for Monitor (1962-65), as well as Portrait of a Goon (1959), Lotte Lenya Sings Kurt Weill (1962) and Isadora, The Biggest Dancer in the World (1966). He turned to feature films with French Dressing (1963) and had international success with Women in Love (1969). His flamboyant style and musically inspired themes continued in The Music Lovers (1971) and Mahler (1974). Other productions include the films The Devils (1971), Savage Messiah (1972), Crimes of Passion (1984), The Rainbow (1989) and Mindbender (1995) and on television, Lady Chatterley (1993).