---
name: "Jonathan Lynn"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/jonathan-lynn"
fi1m_id: "jonathan-lynn"
imdb_id: "nm0528718"
tmdb_id: 21217
wikidata_id: "Q524711"
roles: ["Writer","Actor","Director"]
born: "3 April 1943"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 3
average_as: "writer"
average_over: 1
updated: "2026-10-07T10:58:07.743577+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Jonathan Lynn

## Identity

Jonathan Lynn

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/jonathan-lynn
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** jonathan-lynn
- **IMDb ID:** nm0528718
- **TMDB ID:** 21217
- **Wikidata ID:** Q524711
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Lynn, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q524711, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0528718/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/21217

Writer and actor. Born 3 April 1943 in Bath, Somerset, England, UK.

## Details

- **Work:** Writer, Actor, Director
- **Born:** 3 April 1943, Bath, Somerset, England, UK
- **Active:** 1969–1990
- **Also known as:** Джонатан Линн
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 3: 1 acting, 1 directing, 1 writing
- **Frequently works with:** [Nigel Hawthorne](https://film.one/person/nigel-hawthorne.md), [Antony Jay](https://film.one/person/antony-jay.md), [Derek Fowlds](https://film.one/person/derek-fowlds.md), [Paul Eddington](https://film.one/person/paul-eddington.md), [Peter Whitmore](https://film.one/person/peter-whitmore.md), [Sydney Lotterby](https://film.one/person/sydney-lotterby.md)
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 85 (1), 1980s 89 (1), 1990s 54 (1)
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Lynn, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q524711, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0528718/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/21217

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Yes Minister*](https://film.one/tv/yes-minister.md) (89)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Jonathan Lynn is a British-American film director, screenwriter and actor. Born in Bath, Somerset, he studied law at Pembroke College, Cambridge, where he performed with the Footlights revue Cambridge Circus.

With Antony Jay, he co-created and co-wrote the BBC political comedy series *Yes Minister* (1980–1984) and its sequel *Yes, Prime Minister* (1986–1988). He made his directorial debut with the film *Clue* (1985), which he also wrote, and went on to direct comedies including *Nuns on the Run* (1990), *My Cousin Vinny* (1992), *The Distinguished Gentleman* (1992), *Sgt. Bilko* (1996) and *The Whole Nine Yards* (2000).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (3)

### Performed in (1)

- *The Good Life* (1975), Fi1m 85, as Window Cleaner — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-good-life.md)

### Directed (1)

- *Nuns on the Run* (1990), Fi1m 54, Screenplay, Director — [page](https://film.one/film/nuns-on-the-run.md)

### Wrote (1) — the average rests on these

- *Yes Minister* (1980), Fi1m 89, Writer, Creator — [page](https://film.one/tv/yes-minister.md)

## Complete filmography (50)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Clue* (2022), Writer
- *Yes, Prime Minister* (2013), series, Writer, Director, Producer, Creator
- *Wild Target* (2010), as Parrot (voice) · Director
- *He's Such a Girl* (2009), Executive Producer
- *Vanity Fair* (2004), Executive Producer
- *The Fighting Temptations* (2003), Director
- *The Whole Nine Yards* (2000), Director
- *One Man Band* (1999), as Tailor's Assistant
- *Trial and Error* (1997), Director, Producer
- *Sgt. Bilko* (1996), Director
- *Greedy* (1994), as Douglas · Director
- *The Distinguished Gentleman* (1992), Director
- *My Cousin Vinny* (1992), Director
- *Life After Life* (1990), Writer
- *3 Men and a Little Lady* (1990), as Vicar Hewitt
- *Ferris Bueller* (1990), series, Director
- *Nuns on the Run* (1990), Director, Screenplay — Fi1m 54, [page](https://film.one/film/nuns-on-the-run.md)
- *Suspicion* (1987), Writer
- *Yes, Prime Minister* (1986), series, Writer, Creator
- *Clue* (1985), Screenplay, Director, Story
- *Into the Night* (1985), as Tailor
- *Twee handen op een buik* (1984), Theatre Play
- *Diana* (1984), series, as Twining
- *Arms and the Man* (1983), Director
- *The Funny Side of Christmas* (1982), Writer
- *Outside Edge* (1982), as Kevin
- *American Playhouse* (1982), series, as Gordon Cochrane 'Beaky' Thwaite · Teleplay
- *Breaking Glass* (1980), as Radio DJ
- *Yes Minister* (1980), series, Writer, Creator — Fi1m 89, [page](https://film.one/tv/yes-minister.md)
- *The Knowledge* (1979), as Ted Margolies
- *Dinner at the Sporting Club* (1978), as Cyril Benson
- *She Fell Among Thieves* (1978), as Gaston
- *BBC2 Play of the Week* (1977), series, as Gaston
- *Bar Mitzvah Boy* (1976), as Harold
- *My Brother's Keeper* (1975), series, Actor
- *The Good Life* (1975), series, as Window Cleaner — Fi1m 85, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-good-life.md)
- *The Internecine Project* (1974), Screenplay
- *Romance with a Double Bass* (1974), as Leader of the Orchestra
- *Colditz* (1972), series, as Bergman
- *Doctor in Charge* (1972), series, as Danny Hooley
- *Romany Jones* (1972), series, Writer
- *The House That Dripped Blood* (1971), Actor
- *Rumour* (1970), Actor
- *The Merchant of Venice* (1969), as Tubal
- *Doctor in the House* (1969), series, Actor
- *On the Buses* (1969), series, Writer
- *The Jazz Age* (1968), series, as Harry Plant
- *Nearest and Dearest* (1968), series, Writer
- *Prudence and the Pill* (1968), as Chemist's Assistant
- *Twice a Fortnight* (1967), series, Actor

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/jonathan-lynn