The man behind the "Seven Up" series of documentaries that spanned six decades (most recently "63 Up"), Michael Apted, has died at age 79.
We gave him some due in our reviews of his series that chronicled a cohort of British baby boomers since the 1960s as they passed through their seven-year cycles of life. About a year ago we revisited the entire series. Part one covered the first four episodes. Part two covers the next four entries, and our post includes video of an interview Apted did with Roger Ebert.
Apted was part of the crew for "Seven Up" in 1964 when it was made for British television, and he then took over the rest of the series. It remains to be seen if, five years from now, someone will take over the project and continue it with "70 Up." The series remains one of the landmark achievements of documentary filmmaking and an endlessly fascinating sociological study.
Apted had other achievements to list on his resume, including directing "Coal Miner's Daughter" in 1980, as wells as a run as three terms as president of the Directors Guild of America. Here is an obituary.
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