Jonathan Bates

For the vocalist and musician, see Mellowdrone.

Jonathan Bates (1 November 1939 – 31 October 2008) was an English sound editor. He was nominated for an Academy Award in the category of Best Sound for the film Gandhi,^[3] and won a BAFTA in 1988 for his work on the film Cry Freedom alongside long-term collaborators Gerry Humphreys and Simon Kaye.^[4]

Jonathan Bates
Born	(1939-11-01)1 November 1939[1] Little Chart, Kent, England
Died	31 October 2008(2008-10-31) (aged 68)[2] Esher, Surrey, England
Resting place	St Peter's Churchyard, Petersham
Education	The King's School, Canterbury
Occupation	Sound Editor
Years active	1959–2007
Notable credit(s)	Gandhi Cry Freedom A Chorus Line
Spouse	Jennifer Thompson
Children	Tim and Catherine
Father	H. E. Bates
Relatives	Victoria Wicks
Awards	BAFTA for Sound on Cry Freedom (1988)

Early life

Jonathan Bates was born at home on 1 November 1939, the youngest of the four children of author H. E. Bates. He was a pupil at The King's School, Canterbury and had early ambitions to become a jet pilot, but was influenced to work in the movies due to his father's relationship with the director David Lean.^[2][1]

Career

Jonathan Bates began his film career at Ealing Studios, Borehamwood as a runner and trainee soon after leaving school in 1956, and eventually became a Sound editor. He worked on over 65 films between 1959 and 2007, and was most associated with the films of Brian G. Hutton, Jack Gold, Lewis Gilbert and Richard Attenborough with whom he collaborated on numerous productions.

Personal life

In 1966 Bates married Jennifer Thompson whilst shooting Hotel Paradiso in Paris. He had first met her whilst working on the 1961 production of Whistle Down the Wind, where she was and also an assistant dubbing editor. They remained married until his death in 2008. The union produced a son, Tim and a daughter, Catherine.^[5][2] Bates retired in 2003 and was also a passionate cricketer and played for Twickenham All-Stars. He died in 2008 after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.^[1]

Awards

Year	Work	Award	Category	Result	Ref.
1983	Gandhi	55th Academy Awards (Oscars)	Sound	Nominated	[3]
1983	Gandhi	36th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs)	Sound	Nominated	[6]
1986	A Chorus Line	39th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs)	Sound	Nominated	[7]
1988	Cry Freedom	41st British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs)	Sound	Won	[8]

Selected filmography

Year	Title	Credit	Director	Ref
1959	Kidnapped	Dubbing Assistant	Robert Stevenson	[2][1]
1960	Never Let Go	Dubbing Assistant	John Guillermin	[9]
1961	Whistle Down the Wind	Dubbing Assistant	Bryan Forbes	[2][1]
1963	Station Six Sahara	Sound Editor	Seth Holt	[9][2][1]
1964	The Moon-spinners	Sound Editor	James Neilson	[9]
	The Three Lives of Thomasina	Sound Editor	Don Chaffey	[9]
1965	Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines	Dubbing Editor	Ken Annakin	[9][2][1]
1966	Bunny Lake is Missing	Sound Editor	Otto Preminger	[9][2]
	Return of the Seven	Sound Editor	Burt Kennedy	[9]
	Hotel Paradiso	Sound	Peter Glenville	[9][1]
1967	Fathom	Sound Editor	Leslie H. Martinson	[9]
	Maroc 7	Sound	Gerry O'Hara	[9]
	The Comedians	Sound	Peter Glenville	[9]
1968	Inspector Clouseau	Sound	Bud Yorkin	[9]
1969	Where Eagles Dare	Sound Editor	Brian G. Hutton	[9][2][1]
1970	Kelly's Heroes	Sound Editor	Brian G. Hutton	[9][2]
1971	'Friends'	Dubbing Editor	Lewis Gilbert	[9]
	Macbeth	Dubbing Editor	Roman Polanski	[9][2][1]
1972	Danny Jones	Sound Editor	Jules Bricken	[9]
	Young Winston	Dubbing Editor	Richard Attenborough	[9][2][1]
1973	Catholics. A Fable of the Future (TV movie)	Sound Editor	Jack Gold	[9]
	Night Watch	Sound Editor	Brian G. Hutton	[9]
1974	11 Harrowhouse	Sound Editor	Aram Avakian	[9]
1975	The "Human" Factor	Sound Editor	Edward Dmytryk	[9]
	Murder on the Orient Express	Sound Editor	Sidney Lumet	[9][2][1]
	92 in the Shade	Sound Editor	Thomas McGuane	[9]
1976	Aces High	Sound Editor	Jack Gold	[9]
1977	Voyage of the Damned	Sound Editor	Stuart Rosenberg	[9]
	The Eagle Has Landed	Sound Editor	John Sturges	[9][2]
1978	Silver Bears	Sound Editor	Ivan Passer	[9]
	Magic	Sound Editor	Richard Attenborough	[9]
	International Velvet	Sound Editor	Bryan Forbes	[9][2]
	The Medusa Touch	Sound Editor	Jack Gold	[9]
1979	Dracula	Sound Editor	John Badham	[9][1]
1980	Flash Gordon	Sound Editor	Mike Hodges	[9][2]
1982	Gandhi	Sound Editor	Richard Attenborough	[9][2][1]
1983	Red Monarch	Sound Editor	Jack Gold	[9]
	High Road to China	Sound Editor	Brian G. Hutton	[9]
1984	The Chain	Sound Editor	Jack Gold	[9]
1985	A Chorus Line	Supervising Sound Editor	Richard Attenborough	[9][2][1]
1986	Mona Lisa	Sound Editor	Neil Jordan	[9][2][1]
1987	Cry Freedom	Sound Editor	Richard Attenborough	[9][2][1]
1988	A Fish Called Wanda	Sound Editor	Charles Crichton	[9][2][1]
	The Deceivers	Supervising Sound Editor	Nicholas Meyer	[9]
1989	The Mighty Quinn	Sound Editor	Carl Schenkel	[9]
	Shirley Valentine	Sound Editor	Lewis Gilbert	[9][2][1]
1992	Chaplin	Sound Editor	Richard Attenborough	[9][2][1]
1993	Prague	Sound Editor	Ian Sellar	[9]
	The Man Without a Face	Supervising Sound Editor	Mel Gibson	[9]
1994	Shadowlands	Sound	Richard Attenborough	[9][2][1]
1995	Haunted	Sound Editor	Lewis Gilbert	[9]
1996	In Love and War	Sound	Richard Attenborough	[9]
1997	Lawn Dogs	Supervising Sound Editor	John Duigan	[9]
1998	Dancing at Lughnasa	Supervising Sound Editor	Pat O'Connor	[9]
	Les Misérables	Supervising Sound Editor	Bille August	[9]
1999	The Trench	Supervising Sound Editor	William Boyd	[9]
2000	The Body	Supervising Sound Editor	Jonas McCord	[9]
	Grey Owl	Sound	Richard Attenborough	[9]
2002	Before You Go	Supervising Sound Editor	Lewis Gilbert	[9]
2003	Nicholas Nickleby	Supervising Sound Editor	Douglas McGrath	[9]
2007	Closing the Ring	Supervising Sound Editor	Richard Attenborough	[9][2]

References

1. "Jonathan Bates: Award-winning sound editor who became closely". The Independent. 19 November 2008. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
2. Monks, Mick (3 December 2008). "Obituary: Jonathan Bates". the Guardian. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
3. "The 55th Academy Awards (1983) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Retrieved 9 October 2011.
4. "Jonathan Bates". www.bafta.org. 11 May 2012. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
5. "Ann (1932–), Judith (1933–2009), Richard (1937–) and Jonathan Bates (1939–2008) :: HE Bates". hebates.com. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
6. "BAFTA Awards". awards.bafta.org. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
7. "BAFTA Awards". awards.bafta.org. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
8. "BAFTA Awards". awards.bafta.org. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
9. "Jonathan Bates". BFI. Archived from the original on 28 May 2018. Retrieved 26 September 2022.

External links

• Jonathan Bates at IMDb
• Obituary in The Guardian newspaper
• Obituary in The Independent newspaper
• Obituary in The Times newspaper