Sir Samuel Alexander Mendes CBE (born 1 August 1965) is an English film and stage director, producer and screenwriter. In theatre, he is known for his dark re-inventions of the stage musicals Cabaret (1994), Oliver! (1994), Company (1995), and Gypsy (2003). He directed an original West End stage musical for the first time with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2013).
For directing the play The Ferryman, Mendes was awarded the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play in 2019.
Prime Suspect star John Benfield dies aged 68 after battle with rare cancer
thesun.co.ukACTOR John Benfield, who played Helen Mirren’s boss in Prime Suspect, who has died of cancer at the age of 68. John, whose real name was John Turner, appeared as DCS Michael Kernan in the ITV show.
Born in Wanstead, Essex, he turned to acting at university studying history. He acted in more than 70 films and TV series for directors including Woody Allen, Ken Loach and Sam Mendes.
John died aged 68 on June 16 from a rare cancer, at Sobell House Hospice in Oxford. He leaves Lilian, son Freddie, and grandson Rex.
Read more on thesun.co.uk
