Director of Hammer horror classics such as Taste the Blood of Dracula, Countess Dracula, and Hands of the Ripper.
He worked at a coffee shop before completing a BBC directors' course.
He earned a Razzie Award for Worst Director for 1983's The Lonely Lady. Still, the film went on to achieve cult classic status.
He married actress Mia Nardi.
He directed many of the Hammer films that featured Christopher Lee as Dracula.