Michael Winner, film director, national treasure (and no mean restaurant critic) dies aged 77 after long battle with liver disease

Wife Geraldine said today he passed away after battle with liver disease



The director died at his Kensington home after series of health problems



Winner also known for his restaurant reviews and flamboyant personality

He became famous to new generation with appearance in Esure adverts, spawning well-known catchphrase, 'Calm Down dear, it's only a commercial'

Film director and national treasure Michael Winner has died aged 77, it was revealed today.



His wife Geraldine confirmed that he had passed away at his home in Kensington, west London, after a long battle with liver disease.

He made more than 30 films over a career which spanned seven decades, including the blockbuster Death Wish series.

As well as his films, he was known for his witty restaurant reviews and larger-than-life personality.

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Lia Williams with Winner in 1992 who played Bella in his film Dirty Weekend. The film was based on a novel by Helen Zahavi Prolific: Winner directed more than 30 films including the blockbuster Death Wish series

Legend: Film director Michael Winner died aged 77 after a long battle with liver disease

Most recently Winner , who was also a regular contributor to the Daily Mail, appeared in adverts for insurance company Esure. The adverts spawned the catchphrase, 'Calm Down dear, it's only a commercial'.



Winner revealed in the summer that he was researching the possibility of assisted suicide after doctors told him he had less than two years to live.



His health scares in the past included a bacterial infection he got from eating oyster in Barbados, and food poisoning brought on by eating steak tartare four days in a row.

Paying tribute to her husband Mrs Winner, a former dancer, said in a statement: 'Michael was a wonderful man, brilliant, funny and generous. A light has gone out in my life.'

The couple first met in 1957, when he was 21 and she was 16, but married only in 2011 after a decades-long relationship.

In a film career which spanned more than 50 years, he worked with some of the biggest stars in Hollywood, including Marlon Brando, Robert Mitchum and Faye Dunaway.



He later reinvented himself as a restaurant critic, writing about food in his typically flamboyant style in his Winner's Dinners column for the Sunday Times, which he gave up only last month.

Winner, whose appearance in adverts for motor insurance coined the catchphrase 'Calm down dear, it's only a commercial', also founded and funded the Police Memorial Trust following the murder of WPC Yvonne Fletcher outside the Libyan embassy in London in 1984.

More than 50 officers have been honoured by the trust at sites across the country.

Couple: Winner with his wife Geraldine on their wedding day in 2011, 54 years after they first met

Devoted: The couple first met in 1957, when he was 21 and she was 16, but only married in 2011



Mr Winner pictured at his Kensington home in 1993. He struggled with his mother who was a gambling addict MICHAEL WINNER'S FILMS

Shoot to Kill (1960)

Some Like It Cool (1961)

Old Mac (1961)

Out of the Shadow (1961)

Play it Cool (1962)

The Cool Mikado (1962)

West 11 (1963)

The System (1964)

You Must Be Joking! (1965)

The Jokers (1967)

I'll Never Forget What's'isname (1967)

Hannibal Brooks (1969)

The Games (1970)

Lawman (1971)

The Nightcomers (1972)

Chato's Land (1972)

The Mechanic (1972)

Scorpio (1973)

The Stone Killer (1973)

Death Wish (1974)

Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood (1976)

The Sentinel (1977)

The Big Sleep (1978)

Firepower (1979)

Death Wish II (1982)

The Wicked Lady (1983)

Scream for Help (1984)

Death Wish 3 (1985)

A Chorus of Disapproval (1988)

Appointment With Death (1988)

Bullseye! (1990)

Dirty Weekend (1993)

Parting Shots (1999)

The initiative led to a National Police Memorial being erected in the Mall in central London.

Steve Lloyd, trust manager and vice-chairman of the Police Roll of Honour Trust, said: 'Michael had been ill for some time, but this is still a sad loss.

'Michael was a keen supporter of police charities and in particular was the founder of the project that let to the National Police Memorial being placed in the Mall in London. 'There is no doubt that Michael's work will be continued and we at the Trust pass on our sympathies to his family at this sad time.

'The work he did on behalf of the policing family brought a lot of comfort to those he recognised.' Winner had an early introduction to showbusiness - by the age of 14 he was writing a column for local newspapers interviewing stars from Louis Armstrong to Laurence Olivier.

His time as editor of the Cambridge University newspaper, Varsity, saw him lead a team that included Michael Frayn and Jonathan Miller, before stints as a film critic on Fleet Street. He got his break in 1956 when he started making documentaries and short films and went on to make dozens of films including an early role for David Hemmings alongside Diana Dors in the 1963 film West 11.

Other notable films included a remake of The Big Sleep, with Robert Mitchum as private eye Philip Marlowe, and Hannibal Brooks, which starred Oliver Reed as a prisoner-of-war who makes a bid for freedom with an elephant from a German zoo. But he is probably best known for the 1974 film Death Wish, which starred Charles Bronson as a mild-mannered architect who becomes a violent vigilante after his family is attacked in New York.

Hundreds of stars and other well-wishers took to Twitter within minutes to pay tribute to the man who has been hailed as a national treasure. Andrew Lloyd Webber, who was among the close friends to celebrate Winner's wedding two years ago, wrote on Twitter: 'Dearest Mr Michael Winner. True originals come rarely in a lifetime. Madeleine (Lloyd Webber's wife) and I will deeply miss you. ALW.'

'Sorry to hear of Michael Winner's passing. A true character,' Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh wrote. 'Shepperton will be duller place to visit without prospect of running into him.' Most recently Winner appeared in adverts for insurance company Esure, pictured. Winner ad-libbed the adverts' catchphrase, 'Calm Down dear, it's only a commercial' The director filming on the set of his film Scorpio, shot in the Watergate building in 1972 Friends in high places: Winner with the Queen in 2005 at the unveiling of a memorial to police officers Dedication: The director with David Cameron in 2010 at a memorial for police officer Gary Toms in London Winner and his wife Geraldine Lynton-Edwards photographed at their home in Holland Park, West London in 2011 Fellow restaurant critic Jay Rayner added: 'RIP Michael Winner. He could be absurd and made some lousy films. But he could also be a rather lovely man. Winner made life more interesting.' Despite a series of public spats, chef Gordon Ramsay said today of Winner that he 'loved him dearly'.

The chef wrote on Twitter: 'Such sad news. The most charismatic food critic ever. Loved him dearly. God bless Michael Winner. Gx,' The pair occasionally clashed over Winner's restaurant reviews.

Ramsay who once said Winner 'knows nothing about food', while the director said the Hells Kitchen star, like all chefs, suffered from 'verbal diarrhoea'.

Actor Jack Dee also paid tribute to the director.

He wrote: 'Interviewed Winner once. Lived next door to Jimmy Page. Told me he often sees Page coming back from Waitrose, That ruined it for me.' Television presenter and former tennis ace, Andrew Castle said: 'I am very sorry to hear of the death of Michael Winner. He had charisma and a wicked wit. Sadly missed by most.' 'Oh - am sad about Michael Winner- I worked with him a few times and he always made me laugh - he reminded me of my Dad', wrote comedian and actor Jenny Eclair. And Samuel West wrote: 'Michael Winner's first film was a travelogue called "This is Belgium". The budget was so tight that much of it was shot in East Grinstead.' TRIBUTES TO AN 'EXTRAORDINARY MAN' WHO 'LIVED LIFE AT 100MPH'

A scene from Michael Winner's film Parting Shots', 1999, starring actor John Cleese, left. Cleese paid tribute to his friend today Photographer Terry O'Neill - whose images of Winner include a 1969 photograph of the director smoking a cigar in a football ground with 'I can't stand vulgar publicity' written on a scoreboard - said Winner called him at 8am every day for around 30 years. 'We were friends for over 50 years, since I was about 20,' he said. 'We first met when I went to photograph one of his films and got Diana Dors out of her dressing room and got her to sweep the snow off the pavements. 'I worked on lots of his films. He will be greatly missed by the film industry and restaurateurs. 'He was very popular. He had a tremendous sense of humour and was a great character. 'He was totally against marriage but we all talked him into it and thank goodness we did. 'We spoke at 8am every morning without fail, even when he was on holiday. We'd have a 20-minute conversation and this went on for 20 or 30 years. 'But we hadn't spoken in the last week - he wasn't up to it. 'He was an incredible character and will be greatly missed.'

Journalist and family friend Rod Gilchrist described Winner as 'one of the most extraordinary people you could ever meet'.

He said: 'He was one of the last of the great Hollywood showmen. Given to extravagant gestures, he lived life at 100mph. He could by turns be incredibly generous, funny, playful and kind, while at the same time Mr Winner made a formidable adversary.

'With friends he was very loyal, supporting many financially through times of hardship.

'His films always had populist appeal, but Michael was also a man of refined tastes, enjoying great art. He was also a passionate advocate of the nation's architectural heritage which his own home, a Queen Anne revival mansion in Kensington, bore witness to.

'Michael cared deeply about the society we live in. When PC Yvonne Fletcher was murdered by Libyan terrorists in St James's Square in the early eighties, he called for the founding of the Police Memorial Trust which honours officers with memorials where they fell.

'When no one came forward, Michael founded the trust himself. He subsequently poured much of his fortune into supporting it and was tireless in his work for it.

Simon Cowell and Michael Winner pictured together in 2005. Mr Cowell paid tribute to the director today 'Mr Winner's impeccable connections ensured that four prime ministers attended the laying of memorial stones at different times around the country and the Queen unveiled the National Police Memorial in the Mall in 2005.

'I don't know anybody else who would have done this or achieved so much for the police and the memory of their officers who had given their lives fighting crime. He was utterly unique.' Andrew Neill, Winner's former editor at the Sunday Times, wrote on Twitter: 'So sad to hear of death of my old mate Michael Winner. One of life's great characters.'

Actor John Cleese paid tribute to his friend. He said in a statement: 'I have just heard the very sad news about Michael.

'He was the dearest, kindest, funniest and most generous of friends. I shall miss him terribly.' TV mogul Simon Cowell also paid tribute. 'I'm very sad to hear about Michael passing away. He's become a very good friend over the years and someone whose company I have always really enjoyed,' he said in a statement.

'Laughter was never far away when Michael was around and he is someone who the more I got to know, the fonder I got of him. I am sure there are a lot of other people who, like me, will really miss him.'

Peter Wood, chairman of insurance company esure which Winner helped advertise, said: 'Michael was one of the last of the great British characters who prided himself on being difficult while actually being incredibly charming and sensitive deep down.

'Few people could help make a company famous with an ad-libbed phrase in an advert but he did that for us. The world has lost a colour from its palette with his passing.'

Ben Fogle said on Twitter: 'Sad to hear the passing of Michael Winner. My mother played the "calm down dear" in his advert and was the first actress he directed.' DJ Chris Evans wrote: 'So Michael Winner Esq is no more. Often right, sometimes wrong. But never doubtful of his own opinion. Could have been a dictator - chose to be a film maker and food critic instead. Phew.'

VIDEO Michael fronted the Esure commercials with catchphrase 'Calm down dear'

An OBE? That's something you get for cleaning toilets! The irascible humour and remarkable life of Michael Winner

National treasure Michael Winner has sadly died aged 77 at his home in Kensington, west London, after a long battle with liver disease.

His wife, Geraldine, whom he married in 2011 after meeting her at the age of 21, confirmed he had passed away today.

Known for his larger-than-life personality, film director Winner was said to have lived life at 100mph.

His remarkable career spanned seven decades and in addition to making over 30 films he became known for his witty restaurant reviews.

Here, Glenys Roberts, describes the life and times of the flamboyant character.

Mr Winner pictured directing actor Charles Bronson in the film Death Wish Three in 1985

Pity poor St. Peter now Michael Winner is haranguing everyone in the hereafter. ‘Calm down dear,’ he’ll be saying, evoking his famous Esure commercial.

Best known lately for his irascible restaurant reviews, Winner first made waves as a film director in the Seventies with the controversial movie Death Wish, which unashamedly championed the role of the vigilante, but he was always a capricious self-publicist who did not suffer fools gladly.



Even when he campaigned for good causes like the police memorial erected in the Mall he couldn’t do it without offending someone.

‘A dead horse and three ping-pong balls would look better than that,’ was his opinion of the original memorial design.

And he famously turned down the offer of an OBE calling it something you got if you cleaned the toilets at Kings Cross station.

However offensive he will always be remembered for his wonderful stories of film stars he had worked with who behaved worse than he did.

One of his favourite concerned the bibulous Oliver Reed who had to be shunted from hotel to hotel when they were on location to Austria because he insisted on shouting Heil Hitler all over the disgraced Fuhrer’s birthplace.

Winner, who always said he had bedded 130 girls despite his mediocre sex appeal, also claimed he turned to the great seducer Marlon Brando for marriage guidance.

‘You’re alright Marlon,’ he told the star with whom he made The Nightcomers in the 70s, ‘You’ve got a lovely relationship and three children with your housekeeper Maria Cristina Ruiz .

‘Yes, Michael,’ said Marlon, ‘You know my bedroom, I’ve got all this electrical hi-fi and other equipment. One night, I lost a tiny screw and Maria was bent down on all fours on the floor looking for it under the bed. That’s when the relationship changed.’

Winner could make a story out of anything.

When Faye Dunaway, who starred in his 1983 remake of The Wicked Lady, gave a dinner party in a famous London restaurant, he begged not to be seated next to a particular lady.

As he told it later, half the way through the meal Faye looked up and said to the guest in question: ‘You know Michael Winner particularly asked not to be sat next to you because he said you were boring.'

Winner seen here leaving hospital in 2005. Two years later he gave up his bachelorhood when he became engaged to Geraldine Lynton-Edwards

And he once described how he came across my ex-husband, celebrity tailor Doug Hayward emerging pale and shaken from the house next to Winner’s one morning because another legendary bon viveur Richard Harris had locked Doug in a cupboard all night.

Winner was particularly rude about Simon Cowell and Des O’Connor.

And he fell out with the playmate of his later years John Cleese – with whom he went on a divorceymoon to celebrate Cleese’s separation from his third wife.

But most people forgave him because he was so funny.

Michael Caine’s wife Shakira got it about right when she said: ‘Everybody knows you’re rude, Michael, so you can do anything.’

Some of the best tales were about his eccentric family.

Winner was devoted to his Polish mother Helen who left him the 47 bedroom Woodlands House in Holland Park which is nearly as famous as his bad manners.



‘Everybody knows you’re rude, Michael, so you can do anything.’ - Michael Caine's wife Shakira



When Winner grew up in the house, it was crammed full of the old masters and jade ornaments his parents collected, though most of them found their way to the auction houses as family funds dwindled because of his mother’s gambling habit.

A lonely only child, on the day of his bar mitzvah, he sobbed on a pile of mink coats left on his bed, while Helen and her friends played poker downstairs.

And he always said he spent his childhood Christmases in the Casino in Cannes.

But Winner was trouble even in those days.

A prominent London art dealer remembers how he turned up at the house with a valuable painting from the Viennese school that Mrs. Winner collected.

After an hour’s hard sell the sale was almost in the bag when Michael came home from school to be greeted by his mother, a usually formidable creature, who asked what he thought of the picture.

‘It’s rubbish,’ the boy said and the deal was off.

For the most part he was left to himself, becoming fascinated by film from an early age and by the time he went to Quaker boarding school in Hertfordshire, he was writing a syndicated newspaper column about Hollywood stars.

He took himself to a crammer to get into Cambridge to read law and economics, then made the most commercial film he could think of – a nude movie set in Longleat, seat of the Marquess of Bath.



The happy couple pictured together in their Kensington home which is a 46-room mansion likened to 'the home of a country bishop who's won the pools'

Afraid the sight of bare flesh would offend the magistrate for the area, he confided his worries to the landowner. ‘Don’t worry,’ said the Marquess, ‘I am the local magistrate.’

His directing career flourished as the result of an exuberant Swinging London comedy The Jokers in the mid-Sixties starring his pal Oliver Reed, followed by Hannibal Brooks with Oliver Reed, a Second World War romp which attracted American attention.

But it was his 1974 film Death Wish, starring the rugged Charles Bronson that became Winner’s biggest box-office success.

By this time his eccentric parents had moved to the South of France.

Winner always claimed that after his father’s death in 1975, the paintings, furniture and property that remained were left to him but his mother sold them off.

This grievance fuelled a permanent fund of stories about a squandered fortune that Winner sometimes set at £10million, and sometimes much higher.

Mumsy also instructed solicitors to sue Winner on various pretexts for ten years to try to feed her habit.



'An OBE is what you get if you clean the toilets well at King's Cross station' - Winner declining the offer of an OBE in 2006

But when she died in 1984 aged 78, Michael was shattered.

‘We had fallen out because she gambled away £100million of my inheritance. We had not spoken for four months, but I was prepared to have a reconciliation. I delayed it, then she died.’

As it became more difficult to fund films in the Nineties, the ever resourceful raconteur reinvented himself with his column Winner’s Dinners, allowing him to make a veritable industry out of his taste for the highlife.

Winters in Barbados, summers in the South of France, he patronised luxury hotels and Michelin starred restaurant, giving them all hell if they did not come up to scratch.

His friend Michael Parkinson summed up its success by saying ‘Michael says all the things we wished we’d said when faced with bad food and service.’

Winner’s nemesis was a bad oyster eaten in Barbados in 2007.

He was flown back to London in Philip Green’s private jet and spent months in hospital hovering between life and death.

Though visibly frail, as he recovered he was typically defiant.

In 2011 at the age of 76, he finally married for the first time – his bride Geraldine Lynton-Edwards whom he had met as a teenage dancer in the Fifties.

And having filled several volumes with his witty memoirs, he tried to leave his legendary house with its home cinema where he entertained the likes of Warren Beatty, to the nation as a Winner museum housing his collection of children’s illustrations.

When it became obvious the local council would not be able to afford to keep it up, he tried to sell it for £60milion.

He even penned his own obituary, summing up his achievements with a rare flash of modesty, as a new wife, ten personal staff, three old Rolls-Royces, 365 shirts, 98 jackets and assorted trousers, socks and handkerchiefs.

In Los Angeles, however, there were still those who rated his movies as good as any and honoured him in 2011 with a retrospective on Hollywood Boulevard.

One of his last pronouncements was that he didn’t want a funeral but wished to be buried next to his finest achievement, the memorial he had erected in memory of Yvonne Fletcher and other police officers killed in the line of duty.

He even approached the royal parks for permission, and was predictably outraged when they refused ‘What?’ he thundered. ‘A number of royal dogs are buried in Hyde Park. If a dog can be buried in a royal park, why can’t I?’

His last thought was to get his friends to take his body there at night, dig a hole and stick him in it – with a tombstone saying ‘Watch out, I will return.’

There are a lot of people who will endorse that epitaph - because tiresome as he could be, the world will be a much less amusing place without Michael Winner.

VIDEO The best of grumpy film director and food critic Michael Winner