Initially an exponent of social realism, he became known as a versatile and prolific director of thrillers, action, and adventure films.

[1] His works included mainstream critical and commercial successes like Woman in a Dressing Gown (1957), Ice Cold in Alex (1958), Tiger Bay (1959), North West Frontier (also 1959), The Guns of Navarone (1961), the original Cape Fear (1962), and Mackenna's Gold (1969).

He also directed cult classics like the Planet of the Apes sequels, The White Buffalo (1977), Happy Birthday to Me (1981), King Solomon's Mines (1985) and several Charles Bronson vehicles[2] for Cannon Films in the 1980s.

[clarification needed] Thompson studied at Dover College then went to work in the theatre, joining the Nottingham Repertory Company as an actor and stagehand.

He wrote the scripts for The Middle Watch (1940), made at Associated British Picture Corporation (ABPC) and East of Piccadilly (1941).

In 1942 a revised version of Double Error, titled Murder Without Crime, opened at the Comedy Theatre in London.

[13] After the war Thompson returned to his work as scriptwriter under contract at Associated British on such films as No Place for Jennifer (1949) and For Them That Trespass (1949), the latter starring Richard Todd in his debut.

"[14] The same year his play The Human Touch, co-written with Dudley Leslie, ran for more than a hundred performances at the Savoy Theatre in a production starring Alec Guinness.

Believing people can "commit crimes without being criminals", he sought to make his audiences condone or at least understand behaviour that they would normally condemn.

"[17] Thompson's first film success was one he directed and co-wrote (with Anne Burnaby), The Yellow Balloon (1953), the story of a child who is blackmailed into helping a criminal after accidentally causing his friend's death.

Thompson later said the "pattern" of his ABPC films was "two pieces of tepid rubbish for one decent project – if I could persuade Robert Clark, who was head of production.

According to one obituary Thompson "made excellent use of the CinemaScope screen, assembled a fine supporting cast and, with zestful choreography... came up with one of the few successes in a genre for which the British cinema was not noted.

"[16] Woman in a Dressing Gown (1957), with Yvonne Mitchell, Anthony Quayle and Sylvia Syms and written by Ted Willis, deals with the collapse of a 20-year marriage.

Thompson had a big success with Ice Cold in Alex (1958), the story of a British Army unit trekking across North Africa in the Second World War.

He followed it with North West Frontier (1959), an adventure film set in British India starring Kenneth More and Lauren Bacall.

Hayley Mills also earned a BAFTA for Most Promising Newcomer portraying a 12-year-old girl who refuses to betray a sailor accused of murder.

[23]The Guns of Navarone, a World War II epic filmed on location in Rhodes, Greece, was nominated for seven Academy Awards including Thompson for Best Director.

Based on a novel called The Executioners by John D. MacDonald, Cape Fear shows how a sex offender can manipulate the justice system and terrorise an entire family.

[11] Neither was The Short Cut which he discussed doing with Darryl F. Zanuck,[24] or The Living Room from a novel by Graham Greene or Chips with Everything by Arnold Wesker.

[29] In September 1963 Thompson announced he had formed a company, Bowhall Productions, to make around four films a year in the $120,000-$160,000 budget range.

[33] These plans were postponed when Thompson received an offer to replace Michael Anderson, who had fallen ill before he was to start directing a thriller about cults with David Niven, Eye of the Devil (1967) (originally titled 13).

[36] After a war film, Before Winter Comes (1968) Thompson was reunited with the star, producer and writer of Navarone in the Western Mackenna's Gold (1969) but it did poorly at the box office.

Thompson was hired to replace original director Fielder Cook, who was fired shortly before filming began.

Producer Pancho Okhenr said Thompson "knew exactly what shots he needed to put together the film... [Bronson] had a lot of respect for Lee.

[55] Norris and Gossett play Max Donigan and Leo Porter, two soldiers of fortune, whose adventures rarely result in any notable gain.

"[58] In February 1989, Thompson's final directorial effort was released Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects starring Charles Bronson.

In March 1962 Hedda Hopper reported that Thompson was "sweating it out" in Los Angeles while Henry and Hampshire were "awaiting his decision in London.

Thompson died of congestive heart failure on 30 August 2002, at his holiday home in Sooke, British Columbia, aged 88.

[66] The Washington Post said "he directed adventure films noted for their punchy pacing, rich atmosphere and nuanced characterization.

His thrillers were tautly edited exercises in suspense, and he also made some engaging comedies and a bracing musical...Though his later films can most kindly be labelled potboilers, his body of work in the Fifties and early Sixties was an impressive one.