Ray Austin (director)

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Ray Austin on the Space: 1999 sets

Ray Austin (December 5, 1932—) is a British television director. He has worked on episodes as a director for some 50 different television series between 1968 and 1998.

He started his career as a stunt man and stunt coordinator between 1965 and 1967 most notably for 50 episodes of The Avengers in 1965, but became gradually involved as a director for TV then film. Perhaps due to his background as a stuntman, his style of direction is often highly visual and physical with a great deal of movement.

His work as for TV includes episodes of The Avengers (on which he also performed stunts in many episodes), Space: 1999, The New Avengers, and V. He has also directed several television movies, including The Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E..

In 1969 he also directed many episodes of the detective series Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased). Austin directed the 1972 film Virgin Witch, which has a minor cult following.

[edit] Excerpt from Who's Who Film and TV year book: 2006

Raymond Austin: Baron of Delvin. A K A Ray Austin, distinguished director, producer, screenwriter and novelist Austin, is best known in the U.S. and U.K. for his prolific work on many television programs. Born in London and educated at Brighton Collage. Austin made his U.S. feature film debut as a stunt man/bit player in Spartacus, under the name, Ray Austin. He also appeared in television episodes on such action shows as Highway-Patrol, Peter Gunn and Have Gun Will Travel. Following his return to England, he was appointed stunt director for Cleopatra, and worked as a second unit director/stunt coordinator on the Rome location. He continued working as a stunt director and actor in several more films, including The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, in which he played Mr. Clay. In the late 60s, he began writing televison plays and directing episodes for The Saint and The Avengers. He also worked on other distinguished television shows including The Prisoner, Black Beauty, and many others English tv shows. In 70, Austin was named “Outstanding Producer/Director and Writer of the Year” by the London Film Festival for his short The Perfumed Garden. Austin won the same award the following year for another short-film, The Sandal, which also earned him honors that year at the Cannes Film Festival. In 72/73 he was producer/directed/writer on Shirley’s World, the American television show. He remained in Britain through 78 and then moved back to the U.S. to work on scores of television shows as director, producer and writer. In addition to continuing his fruitful work behind-the-scenes through the 1990's. Austin also lectured on film and television at UCLA, the LA Actors Play House, and the London Film School. In the late ‘80s, he and his wife, novelist Wendy DeVere-Austin moved permanently to Fox Haven their home in the Virginia countryside. Though he spends his leisure time there, he still maintains a busy career, directing episodes of television series. Austin still tours the country and lecturers. Two-thousand-and-one saw his first novel in the book stores, “The Eagle Heist, A Beauford Sloan Mystery. Two-thousand-and-two sees the second book under the same banner, “Dead Again.”

Two-thousand-and-six, "Your Turn To Die," and "Find Me A Spy, Catch Me A Tratior."