Tony Richardson; Directed Film Classic ‘Tom Jones’

Tony Richardson, the Oscar-winning director of the film classic “Tom Jones,” died Thursday from AIDS complications, a spokeswoman said. He was 63.

The British-born Richardson, whose 23 film credits include “A Taste of Honey” and “The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner,” died at St. Vincent’s Medical Center, said his publicist, Melanie Hodal.

Richardson, the father of actress Natasha Richardson and ex-husband of actress Vanessa Redgrave, also directed 30 theater productions, including “Look Back in Anger.”

Born in England in 1928, Richardson began his career as a producer for the British Broadcasting Corp. in 1952. In 1955, he was appointed associate artistic director of the English Stage Co.

He made his feature film debut adapting “Look Back in Anger” and subsequently adapted “The Entertainer,” also written by John Osborne. His first major commercial and critical hit came in 1961 with “A Taste of Honey.”

“Tom Jones,” adapted from Henry Fielding’s novel about a young man’s life in 18th-Century England, won three Oscars: best picture, best director and best screenwriter for Osborne.

Most recently, he directed “Blue Skies,” starring Jessica Lange and Tommy Lee Jones. It is scheduled for release next year.

He and Miss Redgrave were divorced in 1967.

Funeral arrangements are pending. In addition to Miss Richardson, he is survived by daughters Joely Richardson and Katherine Grimond.