John Van Eyssen
Biography
John Van Eyssen was a South African-born actor, literary agent and film studio executive who worked mainly in Britain. After wartime service in the South African Army, he moved to the UK and attended the Central School of Speech and Drama. In 1948 he acted with the Royal Shakespeare Company, playing Rosencrantz in Hamlet opposite Paul Scofield, and in 1951 he was Cassio in Orson Welles's production of Othello. From 1950 he worked in films, gaining his greatest fame as Jonathan Harker in Hammer's Dracula (1958). He left acting in 1961 to head the Grade Organisation's literary agency, where his clients included Franco Zeffirelli, Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller, then joined Columbia Pictures' UK division in 1965 and became managing director in 1969. He oversaw Oliver! and A Man for All Seasons, both Best Picture Academy Award winners, and later produced independently and returned to Britain in 1991 to establish the Chelsea Film Festival. He died in 1995.
73years old at death
- Born Fauresmith
- Died Fulham
- Star sign: PiscesThe sign runs February 19 to March 20
Movie Career
- Films
- 7
- Career span
- 7 years1953 to 1960
First and latest
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A change of course
Van Eyssen stopped acting in 1961 and became head of the Grade Organisation literary agency. Franco Zeffirelli, Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller were clients he took on afterward.
A change of course
Van Eyssen moved to Columbia Pictures' UK division in 1965, and by July 1969 he was its Managing Director. The films he oversaw included Oliver! and A Man for All Seasons, both of which won Best Picture Academy Awards.
Early training
Van Eyssen served in the South African Army during the Second World War. After being discharged, he went to the UK and studied at the Central School of Speech and Drama.
Beyond film
Van Eyssen played Lucifer in the York Cycle of Mystery Plays in 1951 and 1954, the cycle having been first revived in 1951 for the Festival of Britain.
Behind the camera
After leaving Columbia, Van Eyssen worked as an independent producer. He went back to the UK in 1991 and set up the Chelsea Film Festival, a showcase for talented young filmmakers.
John Van Eyssen movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Terence Fisher directed two of these films, Joseph Losey two. Six actors appear in two of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Percy Herbert's page
Stanley Baker's page
Charles Lloyd Pack's page
Hardy Krüger's page
George Roubicek's page
Redmond Phillips's page
Terence FisherDirector, 2 films, 1953 to 1958
All films by Terence Fisher
Joseph LoseyDirector, 2 films, 1959 to 1960
All films by Joseph Losey
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.