Ken Russell
Known for Directing · 60 credits
- Born
- 1927-07-03
- Died
- 2011-11-27
- Place of birth
- Southampton, Hampshire, England, UK
- Also known as
- Alfred Russell · Alf Russell
Biography
Henry Kenneth Alfred "Ken" Russell (3 July 1927 – 27 November 2011) was an English film director. He is known for his pioneering work in television and film, and for his controversial style. He has been criticized as being over-obsessed with sexuality and the church. His subject matter is often about famous composers, or based on other works of art which he adapts loosely. Russell began directing for the BBC, where he did creative adaptations of composers' lives which were unusual for the time. He also directed many feature films independently and for studios.
He is best known for his Oscar-winning romantic drama Women in Love (1969), the notoriously controversial The Devils (1971), the rock musical Tommy (1975), and the science fiction film Altered States (1980).
One noted admirer, British film critic Mark Kermode, attempting to sum up the director's achievement, called Russell; "somebody who proved that British cinema didn't have to be about kitchen-sink realism – it could be every bit as flamboyant as Fellini. He now makes very strange experimental films like Lion's Mouth and Revenge of the Elephant Man, and they are as edgy and out there as the work he made in the 1970s."
Known For
TV Shows (9)
Omnibus
1967
as Self
Celebrity Big Brother
2001
as Self
Lady Chatterley
1993
as Sir Michael Reid
The South Bank Show
1978
as Self
Agatha Christie's Marple
2004
as Rev Caleb Dane Calthrop
Waking the Dead
2001
as Gerry Raistrick
Film '72
1971
as Self
Frank Stubbs Promotes
1993
as Self
Plunder
1990
Movies (51)
The Lair of the White Worm
1988
as Police Radio (voice) (uncredited)
Tommy
1975
as Cripple (uncredited)
Celebrity Naked Ambition
2003
as Self - Contributor
The Russia House
1990
as Walter
Valentino
1977
as Rex Ingram (uncredited)
Whore
1991
as Waiter (uncredited)
Gothic
1987
as Tourist
Alice in Russialand
1995
The Who: The Kids Are Alright
1979
as Self
Colour Me Kubrick
2005
as The Man In Nightgown
Salome's Last Dance
1988
as Cappadocian
Savage Messiah
1972
as Passenger getting off train in station (uncredited)
Brothers of the Head
2006
as Himself
Mr. Nice
2010
as Russell Miegs
The Insatiable Mrs. Kirsch
1995
as Mr. Kirsch
100 Greatest Sexy Moments
2003
as Self
Trapped Ashes
2006
as Dr. Lucy (segment "The Girl with Golden Breasts")
Song of Summer
1968
as Priest
In Search of the English Folk Song
1997
as Self
Director of Devils
2012
as Self
Empire of the Censors
1995
as Self
The Real Oliver Reed
2000
as Self
Vem Var Dracula
1996
as Self
Twiggy
2025
as (archival footage)
Tales of Erotica
1996
as Mr. Kirsch (segment 'The Insatiable Mrs. Kirsch') (uncredited)
Road to Mandalay
1991
as Self
Music for the Movies: Georges Delerue
1995
as Self
A Turnip Head's Guide To The British Cinema
1986
as Self
The Fall of the Louse of Usher
2002
as Dr. Calahari
Walk With The Damned
1961
as Hood
Ken Russell: A Bit of a Devil
2012
as Self (archive footage)
The Devils Original on-set footage
2012
Don’t Shoot the Composer
1966
as Himself
The Aristofrogs
2010
A Kitten for Hitler
2007
as Santa
A British Picture: Portrait of an Enfant Terrible
1989
The Real Blue Nuns
2006
as Self
Ken Russell's ABC of British Music
1988
as Himself
The Secret Life of Arnold Bax
1992
as Sir Arnold Bax
Hell on Earth: The Desecration & Resurrection of The Devils
2002
as Self
Your Honour, I Object! Guccione V Russell
1987
Isadora Duncan, the Biggest Dancer in the World
1966
as Captain Patterson
Revenge of the Elephant Man
2004
Lion's Mouth
2000
as Ken
Vaughan Williams: A Symphonic Portrait
1984
as Self
The Who: One Band's Explosive Story
2022
as Self (archive footage)
10 Best Elgar
2007
as Self (archive footage)
Russell at Work
1966
Boudica Bites Back
2009
as Roman Senator
Elgar: Fantasy of a Composer on a Bicycle
2002
as Narrator (voice)
PuzzleFace
as god
About Ken Russell
Henry Kenneth Alfred "Ken" Russell (3 July 1927 – 27 November 2011) was an English film director. He is known for his pioneering work in television and film, and for his controversial style. He has been criticized as being over-obsessed with sexuality and the church. His subject matter is often about famous composers, or based on other works of art which he adapts loosely. Russell began directing for the BBC, where he did creative adaptations of composers' lives which were unusual for the time. He also directed many feature films independently… With 60 credits spanning from 1961 to 2025, Ken Russell has appeared in 51 films and 9 TV shows.
Fans searching for Ken Russell movies, Ken Russell filmography, or the latest projects starring Ken Russell can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Ken Russell Movies
- The Lair of the White Worm (1988) — as Police Radio (voice) (uncredited)
- Tommy (1975) — as Cripple (uncredited)
- Celebrity Naked Ambition (2003) — as Self - Contributor
- The Russia House (1990) — as Walter
- Valentino (1977) — as Rex Ingram (uncredited)
Where to Watch Ken Russell Films
Most Ken Russell movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Ken Russell, check our movies catalogue and browse page.