Jonathan Bates

Jonathan Bates (1 November 1939 – 31 October 2008) was a British sound editor whose distinguished career spanned nearly five decades. He earned an Academy Award nomination for Gandhi and won a BAFTA in 1988 for Cry Freedom, sharing the honour with his long-time collaborators Gerry Humphreys and Simon Kaye.

Born at home on 1 November 1939, Bates was the youngest of four children of the writer H. E. Bates. He attended The King’s School in Canterbury, where he first dreamed of becoming a jet pilot. However, his father’s friendship with the acclaimed film director David Lean sparked an early fascination with cinema and ultimately drew him into the film industry.

After leaving school in 1956, Bates joined Ealing Studios in Borehamwood as a runner and trainee. His curiosity and technical skill quickly set him apart, and he rose through the ranks to become a sound editor. Over the course of his career, he contributed to more than 65 feature films between 1959 and 2007. He was particularly known for his collaborations with directors Brian G. Hutton, Jack Gold, Lewis Gilbert, and Richard Attenborough, with whom he developed a lasting creative rapport.

While working on Hotel Paradiso in Paris in 1966, Bates married Jennifer Thompson, whom he had first met during the production of Whistle Down the Wind in 1961, where she was an assistant dubbing editor. Their marriage endured until his death, and together they had two children, Tim and Catherine.

Bates retired from professional work in 2003 but continued to indulge his love of cricket, playing for the Twickenham All-Stars. In 2008 he was diagnosed with a brain tumour and passed away later that year, just one day before his 69th birthday. He is remembered for his precision, artistry, and the quiet excellence that defined both his life and his craft.