Menu
Ken Russell

Ken Russell

Known For Directing
Birthday Jul 03, 1927
Died Nov 27, 2011 (84)
Birthplace Southampton, Hampshire, England, UK
Popularity 0.4 (history)
Updated Sep 18, 2025
Entry Date Apr 13, 2024
Links TMDb IMDb
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 abou ... t 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

Headshots

Profile
Profile
Profile
Profile
Filmography

Twiggy

Twiggy

2025

as (archival footage)

Mr. Nice

Mr. Nice

2010

as Russell Miegs

Boudica Bites Back

Boudica Bites Back

2009

as Roman Senator

A Kitten for Hitler

A Kitten for Hitler

2007

as Santa

Trapped Ashes

Trapped Ashes

2006

as Dr. Lucy (segment "The Girl with Golden Breasts")

Colour Me Kubrick

Colour Me Kubrick

2005

as The Man In Nightgown

The Fall of the Louse of Usher

The Fall of the Louse of Usher

2002

as Dr. Calahari

Lion's Mouth

Lion's Mouth

2000

as Ken

The Insatiable Mrs. Kirsch

The Insatiable Mrs. Kirsch

1995

as Mr. Kirsch

The Secret Life of Arnold Bax

The Secret Life of Arnold Bax

1992

as Sir Arnold Bax

Whore

Whore

1991

as Waiter (uncredited)

The Russia House

The Russia House

1990

as Walter

Salome's Last Dance

Salome's Last Dance

1988

as Cappadocian

The Lair of the White Worm

The Lair of the White Worm

1988

as Police Radio (voice) (uncredited)

Gothic

Gothic

1986

as Tourist

Valentino

Valentino

1977

as Rex Ingram (uncredited)

Tommy

Tommy

1975

as Cripple (uncredited)

Savage Messiah

Savage Messiah

1972

as Passenger getting off train in station (uncredited)

Song of Summer

Song of Summer

1968

as Priest

Kitsune

Kitsune

2016

Thanks

Boudica Bites Back

Boudica Bites Back

2009

Screenplay

A Kitten for Hitler

A Kitten for Hitler

2007

Writer

The Fall of the Louse of Usher

The Fall of the Louse of Usher

2002

Cinematography, Writer, Editor

Lion's Mouth

Lion's Mouth

2000

Screenplay

Mindbender

Mindbender

1996

Writer

Treasure Island

Treasure Island

1995

Teleplay

Whore

Whore

1991

Camera Operator, Screenplay

The Rainbow

The Rainbow

1989

Screenplay

A British Picture

A British Picture

1989

Writer

Salome's Last Dance

Salome's Last Dance

1988

Screenplay

The Lair of the White Worm

The Lair of the White Worm

1988

Screenplay

Aria

Aria

1987

Writer

Valentino

Valentino

1977

Screenplay

Tommy

Tommy

1975

Screenplay

Lisztomania

Lisztomania

1975

Screenplay

Mahler

Mahler

1974

Writer

The Devils

The Devils

1971

Screenplay

The Boy Friend

The Boy Friend

1971

Screenplay

Song of Summer

Song of Summer

1968

Writer

The Debussy Film

The Debussy Film

1965

Scenario Writer

Always on Sunday

Always on Sunday

1965

Scenario Writer

Bartók

Bartók

1964

Screenplay

Amelia and the Angel

Amelia and the Angel

1958

Cinematography, Story, Writer

Boudica Bites Back

Boudica Bites Back

2009

Director

A Kitten for Hitler

A Kitten for Hitler

2007

Director

Watch the Birdie

Watch the Birdie

2007

Director

Trapped Ashes

Trapped Ashes

2006

Director

Lion's Mouth

Lion's Mouth

2000

Director

Dogboys

Dogboys

1998

Director

Tales of Erotica

Tales of Erotica

1996

Director

Mindbender

Mindbender

1996

Director

Treasure Island

Treasure Island

1995

Director

Alice in Russialand

Alice in Russialand

1995

Director

Prisoner of Honor

Prisoner of Honor

1991

Director

Whore

Whore

1991

Director

The Rainbow

The Rainbow

1989

Director

Il Mefistofele

Il Mefistofele

1989

Director

A British Picture

A British Picture

1989

Director

Salome's Last Dance

Salome's Last Dance

1988

Director

Aria

Aria

1987

Director

Gothic

Gothic

1986

Director

Faust

Faust

1985

Director

Crimes of Passion

Crimes of Passion

1984

Director

The Planets

The Planets

1983

Director

Altered States

Altered States

1980

Director

Valentino

Valentino

1977

Director

Tommy

Tommy

1975

Director

Lisztomania

Lisztomania

1975

Director

Mahler

Mahler

1974

Director

Savage Messiah

Savage Messiah

1972

Director

The Devils

The Devils

1971

Director

The Music Lovers

The Music Lovers

1971

Director

The Boy Friend

The Boy Friend

1971

Director

Dance of the Seven Veils

Dance of the Seven Veils

1970

Director

Women in Love

Women in Love

1969

Director

Song of Summer

Song of Summer

1968

Director

Billion Dollar Brain

Billion Dollar Brain

1967

Director

Dante's Inferno

Dante's Inferno

1967

Director

The Debussy Film

The Debussy Film

1965

Director

Always on Sunday

Always on Sunday

1965

Director

Bartók

Bartók

1964

Director

French Dressing

French Dressing

1964

Director

The Lonely Shore

The Lonely Shore

1962

Director

The Preservation Man

The Preservation Man

1962

Director

Pop Goes the Easel

Pop Goes the Easel

1962

Director

London Moods

London Moods

1961

Director

Prokofiev

Prokofiev

1961

Director

Old Battersea House

Old Battersea House

1961

Director

A House in Bayswater

A House in Bayswater

1960

Director

The Light Fantastic

The Light Fantastic

1960

Director

Amelia and the Angel

Amelia and the Angel

1958

Director

Peepshow

Peepshow

1956

Director

Knights on Bikes

Knights on Bikes

1956

Director

Dogboys

Dogboys

1998

Producer

The Rainbow

The Rainbow

1989

Producer

Tommy

Tommy

1975

Producer

Savage Messiah

Savage Messiah

1972

Producer

The Devils

The Devils

1971

Producer

The Music Lovers

The Music Lovers

1971

Producer

The Boy Friend

The Boy Friend

1971

Producer

Always on Sunday

Always on Sunday

1965

Producer

Organization Category Movie
Television Credits

Lady Chatterley

as Sir Michael Reid

Episodes: 4

First Aired: Jun 06, 1993

Waking the Dead

as Gerry Raistrick

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jun 18, 2001

Agatha Christie's Marple

as Rev Caleb Dane Calthrop

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Dec 12, 2004

The South Bank Show

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 14, 1978

Plunder

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Mar 05, 1990

Frank Stubbs Promotes

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jul 12, 1993

Celebrity Big Brother

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Mar 09, 2001

Popularity Metrics

Popularity History


Year Month Avg Max Min
2024 5 7 7 7
2024 6 6 8 4
2024 7 14 24 5
2024 8 13 29 6
2024 9 7 15 1
2024 10 4 8 2
2024 11 3 5 1
2024 12 4 7 2
2025 1 10 44 3
2025 2 3 7 1
2025 3 1 7 0
2025 4 0 0 0
2025 5 1 2 0
2025 6 2 2 1
2025 7 1 8 0
2025 8 0 0 0
2025 9 0 0 0
2025 10 0 0 0

Trending Rank


Year Month Avg Rank Max Rank
2024 5 645 645
2024 6 521 172
2025 1 519 375
2025 7 532 457
2025 9 313 292
2025 10 567 510

Return to Top