
Geoff Wonder Obituary, Grammy-winning filmmaker Geoff Wonfor has died aged 73.
- by Alex Danvers
Geoff Wonder Obituary, Death – The director, who was born in Newcastle, is known for his work on projects including “The Beatles Anthology,” “The Tube,” and the music video “Band Aid 20,” which was released in 2004. Ray Laidlaw, who was one of his closest friends and also a musician, referred to him as a “man of the people” and a “amazing talent.” Denise Welch, the host of the show, referred to Wonfor as a “North East Titan” and called him a “great father, grandpa, and friend.” His family praised him as a “world-class filmmaker” who “leaves behind an outstanding body of work” and described him as having “a great presence with a heart to match.” Laidlaw, a member of the band Lindisfarne, mentioned that he had known Wonfor since the two were in their early 20s and that the director had been a “great inspiration” for him.
According to what he shared with BBC Look North, “He had an unbelievable enthusiasm for life and was a wonderful person to be around. “[He was] So imaginative, and he was a man of the people… I think he would be much happy being with the staff in the pub. In 1997, the Grammy Award for “Best Music Video” was presented to Wonfor for his work on the Beatles Anthology, an eight-part television series that detailed the history of the band. He worked on the project for a period of five years and, after its completion, collaborated with Sir Paul McCartney on a number of music videos. Actor Tim Healy, who collaborated with the filmmaker on Sunday for Sammy charity activities, described him as “a fantastic director, soul mate, and joy to be with.” Tim Healy worked with the director.
During Muhammad Ali’s tour of Britain in 1977, Wonfor spent four days following him around and documenting his activities. Previously, he had stated to the BBC: “It was incredible, the biggest rush I’ve ever experienced in my life. We had no idea what to expect, and we never in our wildest dreams imagined there would be throngs as large as they were. “I couldn’t believe how big he was, about the size of a brick outhouse, yet he was so kind, and he performed everything that was asked of him.” Sam, the director’s daughter, issued a statement in which she said: “We are utterly heartbroken over the passing of our father and grandfather, and are finding it nearly impossible to conceive of a world without them in it. “He was one of a kind, possessing a massive presence and a heart to match it.
“His friendliness, sense of humor, and encyclopedic capacity for remembering jokes of all qualities ensured that people who met him rarely forgot him, a fact that has been borne out by the wave of wonderful messages and tributes we’ve received since he passed away. His encyclopedic capacity for remembering jokes of all qualities. “We are so extremely grateful that he was able to continue doing what he loved right up until the end,” said his family. His daughters Abi and Sam, as well as his grandchildren Ami, Amba, Amaaya, Fred, and Georgie, will miss him greatly.
Geoff Wonder Obituary, Death – The director, who was born in Newcastle, is known for his work on projects including “The Beatles Anthology,” “The Tube,” and the music video “Band Aid 20,” which was released in 2004. Ray Laidlaw, who was one of his closest friends and also a musician, referred to him as a…