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==Career== ===Acting=== Lynn's first West End appearance was in a stage production of ''Green Julia'', for which he was nominated for the 1965 Plays and Players Award as Most Promising New Actor.<ref name=bioj>{{cite web |url=http://www.jonathanlynn.com/bio.htm |title=Jonathan Lynn bio |access-date=4 July 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140701185511/http://www.jonathanlynn.com/bio.htm |archive-date=1 July 2014}}</ref> In 1967, he played Motel the tailor in the original West End production of ''[[Fiddler on the Roof]]'' (production recorded by [[CBS]] Records).<ref>{{cite web|title=Jonathan Lynn|url=http://www.tv.com/people/jonathan-lynn/biography/|publisher=tv.com|access-date=10 February 2013|archive-date=12 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140912011622/http://www.tv.com/people/jonathan-lynn/biography/|url-status=dead}}</ref> From the late 1960s, Lynn was appearing in and writing television sitcoms, including the television comedy series ''[[Twice a Fortnight]]'' with [[Graeme Garden]], [[Bill Oddie]], [[Terry Jones]], [[Michael Palin]] and [[Tony Buffery]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Twice a Fortnight (1967β ) Full Cast & Crew|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061308/fullcredits?ref_=tt_ov_st_sm|publisher=IMDb|access-date=16 March 2016}}</ref> Lynn played the Irish medical student Danny Hooley in the second series of the television comedy ''[[Doctor in the House (TV series)|Doctor in the House]]'' in 1970. He wrote some episodes for ''[[Doctor at Large (TV series)|Doctor at Large]]'', ''Doctor in Charge'', ''Doctor at Sea'' and ''Doctor on the Go''.<ref name=filmref>{{cite web|title=Jonathan Lynn Biography (1943-)|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/23/Jonathan-Lynn.html|publisher=Film Reference|access-date=10 February 2013}}</ref> As a TV actor, his most memorable roles included Beryl's boyfriend Robert in early series of ''[[The Liver Birds]]'',<ref>{{cite web|title=Liver Birds|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/liverbirds/|publisher=BBC|access-date=10 February 2013}}</ref> the role of Harold in [[Jack Rosenthal]]'s 1976 television film ''[[Bar Mitzvah Boy]]'',<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thejc.com/arts/film/21725/review-the-barmitzvah-boy |title=Review: The Barmitzvah Boy |author=Jenni Frazer |access-date=4 July 2014 |date=9 November 2009 |newspaper=[[The Jewish Chronicle]]}}</ref> and the role of Ted Margolis in Rosenthal's ''[[The Knowledge (film)|The Knowledge]]'' (1979).<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rst-2QEpfFcC&pg=PA181 |page=181 |access-date=4 July 2014 |title=Comedy Rules: From the Cambridge Footlights to Yes, Prime Minister |author=Jonathan Lynn |publisher=[[Faber & Faber]] |year=2011|isbn=9780571277971 }}</ref> He had a bit-part as a window cleaner in the BBC television series ''[[The Good Life (1975 TV series)|The Good Life]]''. His film appearances have included roles in ''[[Prudence and the Pill]]'' (1968), ''[[The House That Dripped Blood]]'' (1971), ''[[Romance with a Double Bass]]'' (1974), and ''[[Three Men and a Little Lady]]'' (1990). Lynn is a guest instructor at [[HB Studio]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Jonathan Lynn |url=https://hbstudio.org/instructors/lynn-jonathan/|publisher=HB Studio|access-date=20 April 2021}}</ref> ===Screenwriting=== Lynn's first (co-written) screenplay was for ''[[The Internecine Project]]'', which was released in 1974.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/118154%7C88564/Jonathan-Lynn/ |title=TCM Biography - Jonathan Lynn |access-date=4 July 2014}}</ref> For television he wrote episodes for the ''[[Doctor in the House (TV series)|Doctor]]'' TV series and ''[[On the Buses]]'' and wrote for [[Harry Worth (actor, born 1917)|Harry Worth]] and [[George Layton]] before eventually, in partnership with [[Antony Jay]], writing ''[[Yes Minister]]'' and ''[[Yes Minister|Yes, Prime Minister]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Jonathan Lynn on Yes, Prime Minister's rise to high office|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-01-15/jonathan-lynn-on-yes-prime-ministers-rise-to-high-office|work=[[Radio Times]]|date= 15 January 2013|access-date=10 February 2013}}</ref> His later writing credits include the first two films he directed, ''[[Clue (film)|Clue]]'' (1985) and ''[[Nuns on the Run]]'' (1990).<ref>{{cite web|title=Biography|url=http://www.jonathanlynn.com/bio.htm|publisher=Jonathan Lynn|access-date=10 February 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130215094307/http://www.jonathanlynn.com/bio.htm|archive-date=15 February 2013}}</ref> He is also known for his co-writing, co-producing, and co-directing of the revived ''Yes, Prime Minister'' series produced by the [[BBC]] on [[Gold (UK TV channel)|Gold]] in 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturenews/9778989/Culture-and-arts-what-to-see-in-January-2013.html |work=[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] |access-date=4 July 2014 |title=Culture and arts: what to see in January 2013 |date=4 January 2013 |author=Rupert Christiansen|display-authors=etal}}</ref> ===Books=== Lynn co-authored the books ''The Complete Yes Minister'', as well as ''The Complete Yes Prime Minister'', which spent 106 weeks on the ''Sunday Times'' top 10 fiction list. Both were ranked number one on the ''Sunday Times'' list, including in December 1986 when the books were ranked number one and number two respectively.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jonathanlynn.com/books/complete_yes_prime_minister/complete_yes_prime_minister.htm |title=The Complete Yes Prime Minister |access-date=4 July 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924010420/http://www.jonathanlynn.com/books/Complete_Yes_Prime_Minister/complete_yes_prime_minister.htm |archive-date=24 September 2014}}</ref> He also wrote the 1993 novel ''Mayday''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G2-3438010932.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140921211758/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G2-3438010932.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=21 September 2014 |title=Jonathan Lynn |access-date=4 July 2014}}</ref> In 2011 Lynn wrote a non-fiction work entitled ''Comedy Rules''. ''The Independent'' newspaper called the book "a charming memoir, full of amusing and insightful anecdotes about the many entertainers Lynn has worked with" and described it as a combination of autobiography and how-to manual for comedy. The paper wrote further: "By dovetailing different types of book, Lynn cleverly avoids the pitfalls of both genres. Because it's ostensibly a sort of how-to book, there are no boring childhood reminiscences. Because it's also a kind of autobiography, his no-nonsense dos and don'ts are springboards for entertaining yarns, rather than academic discourse."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/comedy-rules-by-jonathan-lynn-2343706.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220614/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/comedy-rules-by-jonathan-lynn-2343706.html |archive-date=14 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |access-date=4 July 2014 |title=Comedy Rules, By Jonathan Lynn |date=26 August 2011 |author=William Cook}}</ref> ===Plays=== Lynn won praise for his direction of the 2010 London stage version of ''Yes, Prime Minister'', which he co-wrote as well.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last1=Lahr |first1=John |author-link=John Lahr |title=Brits and Wits |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |date=11 October 2010 |pages=116β118 |url=http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/theatre/2010/10/11/101011crth_theatre_lahr |quote="...a new stage version of 'Yes, Prime Minister' (expertly directed by Lynn, at the [[Gielgud Theatre|Gielgud]], in London)..." }}</ref> In 2016 Lynn's play ''The Patriotic Traitor'' was published. Its subject is the relationship of [[Philippe PΓ©tain]] to [[Charles de Gaulle]]. In the words of the blurb, βTwo giants of the twentieth century who loved each other like father and son until they found themselves on opposing sides in World War II. In 1945 de Gaulle had his oldest friend tried for treason. Their complex relationship β noble, comic and absurd β changed history.β <ref>Lynn, Jonathan, ''The Patriotic Traitor'', London, Faber and Faber, 2016. ISBN 9780571331024.</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03jx7xt| title=Free Thinking β Delacroix. Petain, De Gaulle. Jonathan Lynn |work=BBC Radio 3 |date=17 February 2016 |access-date=26 November 2022}} The discussion between Lynn and Philip Dodd, the presenter, begins at 16.00 after the start.<br />A podcast is also available for downloading within the United Kingdom, but not necessarily elsewhere, as in some cases the BBC blocks its podcasts from being downloaded outside the United Kingdom.</ref> Lynn also co-wrote the stage play of "Clue", together with Hunter Foster, Eric Price and Sandy Rustin. ===Producing=== Lynn also produced six episodes of the new ''Yes, Prime Minister'' television series, was executive producer of ''He's Such a Girl'', ''[[Vanity Fair (2004 film)|Vanity Fair]]'', and was a producer for ''[[Trial and Error (1997 film)|Trial and Error]]''.<ref name=imdb /> It also received an exclusive production agreement with [[Columbia Pictures Television]] in 1992.<ref>{{Cite news|date=1992-12-14|title=Lynn signs deal with Columbia|work=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]]|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/92-OCR/BC-1992-12-14-OCR-Page-0042.pdf|access-date=2021-11-01}}</ref>
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