---
name: "Jonathan Powell"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/jonathan-powell"
fi1m_id: "jonathan-powell"
imdb_id: "nm0694178"
tmdb_id: 1239889
wikidata_id: "Q3183410"
roles: ["Producer"]
born: "25 April 1947"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 2
average_fi1m_score: 85
average_as: "producer"
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-10-07T12:33:19.894122+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 Powell

## Identity

Jonathan Powell

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/jonathan-powell
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** jonathan-powell
- **IMDb ID:** nm0694178
- **TMDB ID:** 1239889
- **Wikidata ID:** Q3183410
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Powell_(producer), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3183410, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0694178/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1239889

Producer. Born 25 April 1947 in Sittingbourne, Kent, England, UK.

## Details

- **Work:** Producer
- **Born:** 25 April 1947, Sittingbourne, Kent, England, UK
- **Active:** 1979–1987
- **Also known as:** Jonathan Leslie Powell
- **Frequently works with:** [Arthur Hopcraft](https://film.one/person/arthur-hopcraft.md), [John le Carré](https://film.one/person/john-le-carre.md), [Alec Guinness](https://film.one/person/alec-guinness.md), [Anthony Bate](https://film.one/person/anthony-bate.md), [Simon Langton](https://film.one/person/simon-langton.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 85, as producer, over 2 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1970s 88 (1), 1980s 82 (1)
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Powell_(producer), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3183410, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0694178/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1239889

## Biography

Jonathan Leslie Powell (born 25 April 1947) is an English television producer and executive. He was educated at Sherborne School and the University of East Anglia, where he studied English literature. He began working in television drama in 1968 and produced series such as Crown Court.

For the BBC he produced literary adaptations including Testament of Youth (1979), Pride and Prejudice (1980) and The Barchester Chronicles (1982). He is best known as the producer of the Alec Guinness-starring serials Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979) and Smiley's People (1982).

Powell later held senior BBC positions, including Head of Drama Series and Serials and Controller of BBC1 (1987–1993). He subsequently became a professor and head of the department of Media Arts at Royal Holloway, University of London.

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

## On Fi1m (2)

- *Smiley's People* (1982), Fi1m 82, Producer — [page](https://film.one/tv/smileys-people.md)
- *Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy* (1979), Fi1m 88, Producer — [page](https://film.one/tv/tinker-tailor-soldier-spy-1979.md)

## Complete filmography (37)

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

- *Delirium* (2017), Executive Producer
- *The Last Chance Saloon* (2010), Actor
- *Trials and Tribulations* (2008), Actor
- *A Thief Of Time* (2004), Executive Producer
- *Doctors and Nurses* (2004), series, Executive Producer
- *Lloyd & Hill* (2003), Executive Producer
- *Bertie and Elizabeth* (2002), Executive Producer
- *Dirty Tricks* (2000), Executive Producer
- *The Railway Children* (2000), Executive Producer
- *Cider with Rosie* (1998), Executive Producer
- *Frenchman's Creek* (1998), Executive Producer
- *The Woman In White* (1997), Executive Producer
- *The Woman In White* (1997), series, Executive Producer
- *Rebecca* (1997), series, Executive Producer
- *Element of Doubt* (1996), Executive Producer
- *A Perfect Spy* (1987), series, Producer
- *Tender Is the Night* (1985), series, Executive Producer
- *Bleak House* (1985), series, Producer
- *The Old Men at the Zoo* (1983), series, Producer
- *The Barchester Chronicles* (1982), series, Producer
- *Smiley's People* (1982), series, Producer — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/smileys-people.md)
- *The Woman in White* (1982), series, Producer
- *The Bell* (1982), series, Producer
- *Sons and Lovers* (1981), Producer
- *Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde* (1980), Producer
- *Therese Raquin* (1980), series, Producer
- *Pride and Prejudice* (1980), series, Producer
- *Testament of Youth* (1979), series, Producer, Creator
- *Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy* (1979), series, Producer — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/tinker-tailor-soldier-spy-1979.md)
- *Crime and Punishment* (1979), series, Producer
- *The Birds Fall Down* (1978), series, Producer
- *Wuthering Heights* (1978), series, Producer
- *The Mayor of Casterbridge* (1978), series, Producer
- *A Christmas Carol* (1977), Producer
- *Occupations* (1974), Producer
- *1939* (1973), Producer
- *The Eagle Has Landed* (1973), Script Editor

---
© 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-powell