The four-time Oscar nominee who had a career spanning five decades died in London on Sunday following an unspecified illness said his agent Judy Daish, reported Daily Mail online.
After a brief stint as an actor, he began his directorial career in 1963 with 'Summer Holiday', which famously saw Cliff Richard taking a London double decker bus round Europe.
Yates then moved into TV and helmed several episodes of The Saint and Danger Man, before making Robbery, a film inspired by the Great Train Robbery, in 1967. This led to Hollywood, and his first American film, the cop thriller 'Bullitt', was released the following year.
Starring Steve McQueen, it told the story of a San Franciscan cop who is determined to track down the Mafia boss who put a hit on a witness under his protection. It was best remembered for its high-octane car chase, which is regarded by critics as one of the finest ever put on film, and which many credit as setting the standard for future car chase sequences in Hollywood films.
Later on in his career Yates picked up four Oscar nominations. He was shortlisted as Best Director and producer for the 1979 coming-of-age drama 'Breaking Away', and also received the same nominations for 1983's 'The Dresser', an adaptation of the successful stage play starring Albert Finney and Tom Courtenay.
Yates' other films included Seventies blockbuster 'The Deep', fantasy film 'Krull', 'Suspect' starring Cher and Dennis Quaid and the Tom Selleck thriller, 'An Innocent Man'. His final film, the made for TV movie A Separate Peace, was made in 2004.
Yates is survived by his wife Virginia Pope, a son and a daughter. A small private funeral is planned, followed by a memorial service. PTI KKR KKR 01111437