He co-created and wrote Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister.
He directed Clue and My Cousin Vinny.
He even wrote for On The Buses and acted in The Liver Birds.
Mr Jonathan Lynn…
Jonathan Lynn is a British comedy legend.
What are your memories of that time?
I enjoyed writing with George Layton.
It was exhilarating to hear the audience laughing at our scripts.
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No.
Though I hoped, of course.
But the success I was really hoping for was as an actor.
Is acting something you still cherish?I love acting.
I always will, but only if the part has something interesting to play.
Its a moot point, however, as nobody asks me to act any more.
I sometimes wish they would.
I havent acted since 1993 in my filmGreedy, with Michael J Fox and Kirk Douglas.
I enjoyed being inThe Liver Birds, not because the part was interesting it wasnt!
George [Layton] and I wrote the first six of those.
It was one of the hardest jobs Ive ever done, very far from my own taste and sensibilities.
Also, for the first time ever, On The Buses got a rave review in The Times!
At various times Ive concentrated exclusively directing.
Id like to mix it up a bit more now.
Ive been writing a lot recently, for instance.
Which perhaps leads us to Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister.
Speaking personally, both were first broadcast a little before I was old enough to really appreciate them.
Did you have any feeling as to just how much it would loved down the years?
I am completely amazed by its continued success and influence.
Its not something you think about at all.
And theyre still doing an excellent job!
How much of the insight into the duplicity of politicians was based on inside knowledge?
Is it true that you have a couple of Government insiders helping you out?
Most of it was based on inside knowledge.
They all leak like sieves, as long as they know they wont be identified.
And have they altered your views of politicians?
I think that, like most politicians, they loved what we said about the Civil Service.
Just as most Civil Servants thought we really nailed the politicians.
My views on politicians havent changed at all.
They have been corrupted, one way or another.
It was my idea to get a political cartoonist.
Sid Lotterby chose Scarfe, which was an equally good idea.
And how did you pull your cast together?
Im naturally on the side of the underdog.
Paul Eddington and Nigel Hawthorne were our first choices mine, Tony Jays and the BBCs.
It is rare that one gets ones first choice actors, but in this case we were very lucky.
Margaret Thatcher was widely reported as a huge fan of the show: how do you feel about that?
I had mixed feelings.
I was worried that people would think it was a Tory show, which it wasnt.
Of course I was pleased that she liked it I was pleased if anyone liked it!
Do you feel that modern day mainstream television would commission a show of its nature now?
Would you ever be tempted to revisit the political genre on television yourself?
Not in a comedy series.
I like to move on.
Do you feel that dealing with politics on TV is now a choice between Newsnight and panel games?
I dont live in Britain at the moment, so I have no idea.
Is dealing with big name actors the biggest challenge for a movie director now?
Its one of the challenges.
The bigger challenge is dealing with the studios.
Its also a challenge to find the money for independent films.
The film Clue remains a firm favourite, particularly in America.
How did the project come to you?
I was approached by Peter Guber when I met him in London in 1983.
He owned the rights to the board game.
He had heard ofYes Minister.
Peter asked me to go to LA to meet the director, John Landis.
Landis pitched me his story, which didnt quite work.
I stayed up all night in my room at the Chateau Marmont and worked out a few incomplete ideas.
Of course I said yes.
But it was an opportunity few people would turn down, and I didnt.
Are you familiar with the Clue drinking game, and could we beat you at the Cluedo board game?
What do you remember about your work on the Ferris Bueller TV series?
Were you a fan of the film?
I loved the film.
I remember thinking that it would be impossible to capture the spirit of it in the series.
There was torrential rain for the entire shoot.
Every success Ive ever had has been a surprise to me.
You never know how people will react to any show.
If we did know, wed only ever make smash hits.
The studio had no such faith, and refused to help in any way.
But then, they hadnt wanted me to cast her.
Were you ever tempted by the rumoured sequel to My Cousin Vinny?
How was Eddie Murphy to work with, and was it the politics that drew you to the project?
It was the unlikely combination of Eddie Murphy and politics that drew me to it.
The script was by a Washington insider, Marty Kaplan, who had been Vice President Mondales speech writer.
I loved working with Eddie, whom I had admired since48 HoursandTrading Places.
He was a superbly inventive comedy actor, and a delight to work with.
What tempted you to take on the Sgt Bilko remake?
My love of the series.
But when Steve Martin said he wanted to do it, I went along.
Were you pleased or disappointed with how it was received at the time?I was disappointed.
I admire Seinfelds ability to make a funny series about nothing.
I am more of a satirist.
Thats why I foundOn The Busesso hard, too.
You were dealing with special effects too in Sgt Bilko: how did you find that?
You talk to the experts.
Do you mean visual effects, in fact CGI images, matte paintings and so forth?
Ive had them in many of my films, but theyre fairly discreet.
I thought the script was no good.
And now youre attached to two more feature films Hunted and The Last First Time.
What can you tell us about those?
The Last First Timeis a screenplay written by a ridiculously talented 20-year-old actor called Jason Fuchs.
Hes currently playing a leading role in a Broadway hit.
I want to produce and direct it with him playing the leading role, which he wrote for himself.
That might be next.
Thank you again so much for your time.
Jonathan Lynns own website can be found atwww.jonathanlynn.com
