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| caption = Van Eyssen in trailer for "Three Steps in the Dark" (1953)
| caption = Van Eyssen in trailer for "Three Steps in the Dark" (1953)
| birth_name = Matthew John Du Toit Van Eyssen
| birth_name = Matthew John Du Toit Van Eyssen
| birth_date = {{birth date|1922|3|19}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|1922|3|19|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Fauresmith]], [[Union of South Africa|South Africa]]
| birth_place = [[Fauresmith]], [[Union of South Africa|South Africa]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1995|11|13|1922|3|19}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1995|11|13|1922|3|19|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Fulham]], London, England, UK
| death_place = [[Fulham]], London, England, UK
| restingplace =
| restingplace =
| othername =
| othername =
| occupation = Actor<br>Literary agent<br>Producer
| occupation = Actor<br>Literary agent<br>Producer
| yearsactive = 1950-1991
| yearsactive = 1950–1991
| spouse = Shirley Goulden (divorced 1977)
| spouse = Shirley Goulden (divorced 1977)
| partner = [[Ingrid Bergman]]
| partner = [[Ingrid Bergman]]
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| awards =
| awards =
}}
}}
'''John Van Eyssen''' (born '''Matthew John Du Toit Van Eyssen''',<ref>[http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/individual/343357 BFI biodata]</ref> March 19, 1922 - November 13, 1995) was a [[Union of South Africa|South African]] born actor, agent and film production executive. He moved to [[UK|Britain]] following the [[Second World War]], attending the Central School of Speech and Drama.
'''John Van Eyssen''' (born '''Matthew John Du Toit Van Eyssen''',<ref>[http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/individual/343357 BFI biodata]</ref> 19 March, 1922 – 13 November, 1995) was a [[Union of South Africa|South African]] born actor, agent and film production executive. He moved to [[UK|Britain]] following the [[Second World War]], attending the Central School of Speech and Drama.


Van Eyssen appeared in films from 1950 as well as on stage (playing Cassio in Orson Welles' 1951 production of ''Othello'', for example<ref>[[Othello (Orson Welles stage production)]]</ref>) but achieved his greatest fame as an actor when he portrayed [[Jonathan Harker]] in the [[Hammer Film Productions]] version of ''[[Dracula (1958 film)|Dracula]]'' (released as ''Horror of Dracula'' in the US) in 1958.
Van Eyssen appeared in films from 1950 as well as on stage (playing Cassio in Orson Welles' 1951 production of ''Othello'', for example<ref>[[Othello (Orson Welles stage production)]]</ref>) but achieved his greatest fame as an actor when he portrayed [[Jonathan Harker]] in the [[Hammer Film Productions]] version of ''[[Dracula (1958 film)|Dracula]]'' (released as ''Horror of Dracula'' in the US) in 1958.


He left acting in 1961 to become head of the Grade Organisation literary agency.<ref name="kine">'Van Eyssen named MD Columbia (British)', ''Kinematograph Weekly'' vol 625 no 3223 19 July 1969</ref> His subsequent clients were [[Franco Zeffirelli]], [[Tennessee Williams]] and [[Arthur Miller]]. He left the business in 1965 to work for the UK division of [[Columbia Pictures]], eventually becoming Managing Director in July 1969.<ref name="kine"/> Among the films he oversaw were ''[[A Man for All Seasons (1966 film)|A Man for All Seasons]]'' (1966), ''[[Born Free]]'' (1966), ''[[Georgy Girl]]'' (1966), ''[[To Sir, with Love]]'' (1967), ''[[The Taming of The Shrew]]'' (1967), and ''[[Oliver! (film)|Oliver!]]'' (1968). Both ''Oliver!'' and ''A Man for All Seasons'' won Best Picture Academy Awards. In 1970, he was promoted to Worldwide Head of Production (ex-USA) and moved to [[New York City|New York]].
He left acting in 1961 to become head of the Grade Organisation literary agency.<ref name="kine">'Van Eyssen named MD Columbia (British)', ''Kinematograph Weekly'' vol. 625 no. 3223 19 July 1969</ref> His subsequent clients were [[Franco Zeffirelli]], [[Tennessee Williams]] and [[Arthur Miller]]. He left the business in 1965 to work for the UK division of [[Columbia Pictures]], eventually becoming Managing Director in July 1969.<ref name="kine"/> Among the films he oversaw were ''[[A Man for All Seasons (1966 film)|A Man for All Seasons]]'' (1966), ''[[Born Free]]'' (1966), ''[[Georgy Girl]]'' (1966), ''[[To Sir, with Love]]'' (1967), ''[[The Taming of The Shrew]]'' (1967), and ''[[Oliver! (film)|Oliver!]]'' (1968). Both ''Oliver!'' and ''A Man for All Seasons'' won Best Picture Academy Awards. In 1970, he was promoted to Worldwide Head of Production (ex-USA) and moved to [[New York City|New York]].


After his tenure at Columbia, Van Eyssen became an independent producer, returning to the UK in 1991 to establish Britain's premier showcase for talented young filmmakers, the Chelsea Film Festival. He was longtime companion to [[Ingrid Bergman]] in the years before her death in 1982.
After his tenure at Columbia, Van Eyssen became an independent producer, returning to the UK in 1991 to establish Britain's premier showcase for talented young filmmakers, the Chelsea Film Festival. He was longtime companion to [[Ingrid Bergman]] in the years before her death in 1982.

Revision as of 03:36, 27 November 2016

John Van Eyssen
File:John-van-eyssen-trailer.jpg
Van Eyssen in trailer for "Three Steps in the Dark" (1953)
Born
Matthew John Du Toit Van Eyssen

(1922-03-19)19 March 1922
Fauresmith, South Africa
Died13 November 1995(1995-11-13) (aged 73)
Fulham, London, England, UK
Occupation(s)Actor
Literary agent
Producer
Years active1950–1991
SpouseShirley Goulden (divorced 1977)
PartnerIngrid Bergman
ChildrenDavid van Eyssen

John Van Eyssen (born Matthew John Du Toit Van Eyssen,[1] 19 March, 1922 – 13 November, 1995) was a South African born actor, agent and film production executive. He moved to Britain following the Second World War, attending the Central School of Speech and Drama.

Van Eyssen appeared in films from 1950 as well as on stage (playing Cassio in Orson Welles' 1951 production of Othello, for example[2]) but achieved his greatest fame as an actor when he portrayed Jonathan Harker in the Hammer Film Productions version of Dracula (released as Horror of Dracula in the US) in 1958.

He left acting in 1961 to become head of the Grade Organisation literary agency.[3] His subsequent clients were Franco Zeffirelli, Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller. He left the business in 1965 to work for the UK division of Columbia Pictures, eventually becoming Managing Director in July 1969.[3] Among the films he oversaw were A Man for All Seasons (1966), Born Free (1966), Georgy Girl (1966), To Sir, with Love (1967), The Taming of The Shrew (1967), and Oliver! (1968). Both Oliver! and A Man for All Seasons won Best Picture Academy Awards. In 1970, he was promoted to Worldwide Head of Production (ex-USA) and moved to New York.

After his tenure at Columbia, Van Eyssen became an independent producer, returning to the UK in 1991 to establish Britain's premier showcase for talented young filmmakers, the Chelsea Film Festival. He was longtime companion to Ingrid Bergman in the years before her death in 1982.

His son, David Van Eyssen, is a US-based producer and director known for the webseries RCVR.[4]

Selected filmography

References

  1. ^ BFI biodata
  2. ^ Othello (Orson Welles stage production)
  3. ^ a b 'Van Eyssen named MD Columbia (British)', Kinematograph Weekly vol. 625 no. 3223 19 July 1969
  4. ^ RCVR
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