Ridley Scott
Actor | Director | Producer | Writer
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Scott was born in South Shields, Tyne and Wear, England, the son of Elizabeth and Colonel Francis Percy Scott. He was raised in an Army family, meaning that for most of his early life, his father — an officer in the Royal Engineers — was absent. Ridley's older brother, Frank, joined the Merchant Navy when he was still young and the pair had little contact. During this time the family moved around, living in (among other areas) Cumbria, Wales and Germany. He has a younger brother, Tony, also a film director. After the Second World War, the Scott family moved back to their native north-east England, eventually settling in Teesside (whose industrial landscape would later inspire similar scenes in Blade Runner). He enjoyed watching films, and his favourites include Lawrence of Arabia, Citizen Kane and Seven Samurai. Scott studied in Teesside from 1954 to 1958, at Grangefield Grammar School and later in West Hartlepool College of Art, graduating with a Diploma in Design. He ... Show more...
Scott was born in South Shields, Tyne and Wear, England, the son of Elizabeth and Colonel Francis Percy Scott. He was raised in an Army family, meaning that for most of his early life, his father — an officer in the Royal Engineers — was absent. Ridley's older brother, Frank, joined the Merchant Navy when he was still young and the pair had little contact. During this time the family moved around, living in (among other areas) Cumbria, Wales and Germany. He has a younger brother, Tony, also a film director. After the Second World War, the Scott family moved back to their native north-east England, eventually settling in Teesside (whose industrial landscape would later inspire similar scenes in Blade Runner). He enjoyed watching films, and his favourites include Lawrence of Arabia, Citizen Kane and Seven Samurai. Scott studied in Teesside from 1954 to 1958, at Grangefield Grammar School and later in West Hartlepool College of Art, graduating with a Diploma in Design. He progressed to an M.A. in graphic design at the Royal College of Art from 1960 to 1962.
At the RCA he contributed to the college magazine, ARK and helped to establish its film department. For his final show, he made a black and white short film, Boy and Bicycle, starring his younger brother, Tony Scott, and his father. The film's main visual elements would become features of Scott's later work; it was issued on the 'Extras' section of The Duellists DVD. After graduation in 1963, he secured a job as a trainee set designer with the BBC, leading to work on the popular television police series Z-Cars and the science fiction series Out of the Unknown. Scott was an admirer of Stanley Kubrick early in his development as a director. For his entry to the BBC traineeship, Scott remade Paths of Glory as a short film.
He was assigned to design the second Doctor Who serial, The Daleks, which would have entailed realising the famous alien creatures. However, shortly before Scott was due to start work, a schedule conflict meant that he was replaced on the serial by Raymond Cusick.
At the BBC, Scott was placed into a director training programme and, before he left the corporation, had directed episodes of Z-Cars, its spin-off, Softly, Softly, and adventure series Adam Adamant Lives!
In 1968, Ridley and Tony Scott founded Ridley Scott Associates (RSA), a film and commercial production company.Five members of the Scott family are directors, all working for RSA. Brother Tony has been a successful film director for more than two decades; sons, Jake and Luke are both acclaimed commercials directors as is his daughter, Jordan Scott. Jake and Jordan both work from Los Angeles and Luke is based in London.
In 1995, Shepperton Studios was purchased by a consortium headed by Ridley and Tony Scott, which extensively renovated the studios while also expanding and improving its grounds. Show less...
Filmography - Acting
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Sword-and-Sandal (2019)
As: Himself (archive footage)
The silent cinema had already created colossal movies based on ancient civilizations, but it is in the 1950s when peplums reach their apogee in Hollywood. Then, peplums take root at Cinecittà studios, in Rome, where cheap cinema is produced with bodybuilders as heroes. The genre decays in the late 1960s, but rises again decades later, when a modern classic is released in 2000.
Runtime: 54 min.
Directed by: Jérôme Korkikian
Stars: David Franzoni | Douglas Wick | Julien Bocher | Hervé Lacroix | Romain Debord
Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine (2015)
As: Himself (archive footage)
When Steve Jobs died the world wept. But what accounted for the grief of millions of people who didn’t know him? This evocative film navigates Jobs' path from a small house in the suburbs, to zen temples in Japan, to the CEO's office of the world's richest company, exploring how Jobs’ life and work shaped our relationship with the computer. The Man in the Machine ...
Runtime: 128 min.
Directed by: Alex Gibney
Stars: Nolan Bushnell | Bob Belleville | Chrisann Brennan | Jason Chen | Nick Denton
Keepers of the Covenant: Making Exodus: Gods and Kings (2015)
As: Himself
An in-depth documentary on the making of Ridley Scott's "Exodus: Gods and Kings," featuring interviews with the cast and crew. Featured in the Deluxe Edition Blu-ray set.
Runtime: 153 min.
Directed by: Charles de Lauzirika
Stars: Christian Bale | Joel Edgerton | Ridley Scott | Peter Chiang | Alberto Iglesias
Laddie (2015)
As: Himself
Profile of the producer and former studio head of 20th Century Fox in the 1970s, Alan Ladd Jr.
Directed by: Amanda Ladd Jones
Stars: Mel Gibson | Morgan Freeman | Ben Affleck | Sigourney Weaver | Ron Howard
Trespassing Bergman (2013)
As: Himself
A pilgrimage to the isolated house on the island of Fårö, where Ingmar Bergman spent most of his later years, elicits unusual stories. From Lars von Trier to Claire Denis and from Woody Allen to Michael Haneke, every fan adds something very personal to this posthumous portrait.
Runtime: 107 min.
Directed by: Jane Magnusson | Hynek Pallas
Stars: Woody Allen | Pernilla August | Harriet Andersson | Wes Anderson | Tomas Alfredson
The Furious Gods: Making Prometheus (2012)
As: Himself
An in-depth documentary on the making of Ridley Scott's "Prometheus," featuring cast and crew interviews, outtakes and behind-the-scenes footage. Released on the 4-disc Collector's Edition Blu-ray set.
Runtime: 220 min.
Directed by: Charles de Lauzirika
Stars: Guy Pearce | Charlize Theron | Noomi Rapace | Ridley Scott | Damon Lindelof
The Real Robin Hood (2010)
As: Himself
Was there really a Robin Hood? Did he steal from the rich and give to the poor? This History Channel program revisits the popular legend of the valiant folk hero, revealing Robin's true origins as a composite of multiple figures from the distant past, reviewing their amazing exploits, and seeking insights from historians as well as cast members of the 2010 adventure film ...
Runtime: 120 min.
Directed by: M. David Melvin
Stars: Cate Blanchett | Russell Crowe | Ridley Scott | Dominic Kinnaird | Lockhart Ogilvie
Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner (2007)
As: Himself
The definitive three-and-a-half hour documentary about the troubled creation and enduring legacy of the science fiction classic "Blade Runner," culled from 80 interviews and hours of never-before-seen outtakes and lost footage.
Runtime: 214 min.
Directed by: Charles de Lauzirika
Stars: Edward James Olmos | Sean Young | Rutger Hauer | Joanna Cassidy | Ridley Scott
Ben-Hur: The Epic That Changed Cinema (2005)
As: Himself
Current filmmakers such as Ridley Scott and George Lucas reflect on the importance and influence of the epic classic "Ben-Hur".
Runtime: 57 min.
Directed by: Gary Leva
Stars: George Lucas | Ben Burtt | Ridley Scott | William Wyler | Bruce Crawford
Watch the Skies!: Science Fiction, the 1950s and Us (2005)
As: Himself
Directors Stephen Spielberg, George Lucas, Ridley Scott and James Cameron discuss the science fiction movies of the 1950s that influenced them.
Runtime: 56 min.
Directed by: Richard Schickel
Stars: Steven Spielberg | Mark Hamill | George Lucas | Ridley Scott | James Cameron
Strength and Honor: Creating the World of Gladiator (2005)
As: Himself
An in-depth look at the entire making of Ridley Scott's Gladiator.
Runtime: 197 min.
Directed by: Charles de Lauzirika
Stars: Russell Crowe | Joaquin Phoenix | Ridley Scott | David Franzoni
The Beast Within: Making 'Alien' (2003)
As: Himself
A behind-the-scenes look at the making of “Alien,” the terrifying classic about a spaceship crew trapped with a hideous monster that's hunting them one by one.
Runtime: 178 min.
Directed by: Charles de Lauzirika
Stars: John Hurt | Harry Dean Stanton | Tom Skerritt | Sigourney Weaver | Ridley Scott
Thelma & Louise: The Last Journey (2003)
As: Himself
Nearly every major element of making the 1991 film Thelma & Louise is examined here from how the script was written to how Ridley Scott got involved, to how the big tanker explosion was pulled off. Some funny stories are shared and some great trivia as to what was improvised on set and actually left in the film.
Runtime: 60 min.
Directed by: Charles de Lauzirika
Stars: Susan Sarandon | Geena Davis | Ridley Scott | Callie Khouri | Mimi Polk Gitlin
Creating a Myth... the Memories of 'Legend' (2002)
As: Himself
This 51 minute documentary of the movie "Legend" can be found as an extra on the 2002 2-disc boxed-set 'Ultimate Edition' DVD release of "Legend". The first part of the documentary deals with the fruition of the idea and the making of the movie. It includes interviews with almost all the main participants of the feature, with the exception of actor Tom Cruise, who was a no show. The second half is much ...
Runtime: 51 min.
Stars: Robert Picardo | Tim Curry | Mia Sara | Alice Playten | Ridley Scott
On the Edge of 'Blade Runner' (2000)
As: Himself
This is the rare UK Channel 4 documentary about Blade Runner, giving insights into it's history with interviews of Ridley Scott, the writers and nearly all the cast. Interviews with production staff, including Ridley, give details into the creative process and turmoil during preproduction. Stories from Paul M. Sammon and Fancher provide insight into Philip K. Dick and the origins of Do Androids Dream of ...
Runtime: 52 min.
Directed by: Andrew Abbott
Stars: Rutger Hauer | Joanna Cassidy | Ridley Scott | Philip K. Dick | Syd Mead
The Alien Legacy (1999)
As: Himself
A behind the scenes look at the making of 'Alien'
Runtime: 68 min.
Directed by: Michael Matessino
Stars: Sigourney Weaver | Ridley Scott | Ron Cobb | H.R. Giger
The Fine Art of Separating People from Their Money (1998)
As: Himself
An examination of the evolution of commercials as an artistic medium, featuring interviews with media luminaries who relate how the in-your-face stylistic conventions of commercials have influenced feature films and the visual arts. A documentary film talking about art and advertising divided in three parts: 1. Crossing Over - from cinema to ads from ads to cinema 2. Humour - How humour affects us in ...
Runtime: 170 min.
Directed by: Hermann Vaske
Stars: David Lynch | Spike Lee | Dennis Hopper | Dennis Hopper | Ridley Scott