Early life and career Morahan was born on 9 July 1929 in
London, the son of film production designer
Tom Morahan (1906-1969) and his wife, Nancy Charlotte Barker (1904-1977), an artist. He was educated at
Highgate School followed by his national service. Originally thinking about a career as an architect, he realised it would be some years before he could earn a living and thus settled on working in the film industry. The director
Thorold Dickinson advised him to learn about acting and the theatrical repertoire instead. The film
Clockwise (1986), with
John Cleese in the lead, was a minor hit.
Personal life and honours Morahan's first wife was Joan Lucie Murray (d. 1973), with whom he had two sons, including director
Andy Morahan; a daughter from the marriage predeceased him. After his first wife died, Morahan married actress
Anna Carteret; the couple have two daughters: theatre director Rebecca, also involved in human rights activism, Morahan was appointed
Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the
2011 Birthday Honours for services to drama. Morahan died on 7 April 2017, the same day as
Tim Pigott-Smith, one of the leads in
The Jewel in the Crown. ==Selected directing credits==