Stephen Whittaker

Stephen Whittaker 28 June 1947 7 February 2003 was a British actor and director He worked largely in British film and television and attended HenleyinArden School in Warwickshire before further training as an actor at Londons Corona Academy He began his career aged 17 as a bad boy in the film To Sir With Love 1966 and in the classic BBC Doctor Who adventure The Web of Fear as a soldier battling Yeti in the London Underground In 1985 Whittaker took a directors training course and directed a short training film which he sent to John Schlesinger who had directed him in Yanks Schlesinger suggested him to producer Mark Shivas as director for Channel 4s drama trilogy What If Its Raining written by Anthony Minghella This was the beginning of a directing career of prestigious TV and film work Shortly before Whittakers death writer Julian Fellowes spoke of him as the most exciting director in the industry In 2001 he filmed his final project The Rocket Post a romantic drama set on a remote Scottish island The film had severe funding problems and was eventually released in 2006 three years after his death The credits bear a dedication to his memory Whittaker died following complications from a routine surgery