Steve Barron
Barron in July 2009
Born	Steven Barron (1956-05-04)4 May 1956 (age 68) Dublin, Ireland
Occupations	Filmmaker music video director
Years active	1976–present

Steven Barron (born 4 May 1956) is an Irish-British filmmaker and music video director. Among the music videos he has directed are "Billie Jean" byMichael Jackson, "Burnin Up" byMadonna, "Summer of '69" and "Run to You" byBryan Adams, "Money for Nothing" byDire Straits, "Electric Avenue" and "I Don't Wanna Dance" byEddy Grant, "Going Underground" byThe Jam, "Don't You Want Me" byThe Human League, "Baby Jane" byRod Stewart, "Pale Shelter" byTears for Fears, "Africa" byToto, and "Take On Me" byA-ha. The videos for "Take On Me", "Africa", and "Billie Jean" have each garnered over 1 billion views onYouTube. Barron also directed several films, includingTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990),Coneheads (1993), andThe Adventures of Pinocchio (1996).

Barron was born in Dublin on 4 May 1956,^[1] the son of filmmakerZelda Barron (née Solomons, 1929–2006)^[2] and actor Ron Barron. His mother was born in Manchester to an English mother and Russian father. His parents married in 1953 but the marriage was later dissolved. He has an older sister named Siobhan.^[2] He was raised in London and attendedSt Marylebone Grammar School.

Barron made his music video directorial debut in 1979 with "Time for Action" bySecret Affair and their following hit singles "My World" and "Sound of Confusion" and directed, and occasionally wrote additional treatment for,^[3] various music videos. These videos, which include "Billie Jean" byMichael Jackson,"Burning Up" byMadonna,"Money for Nothing" byDire Straits, and "Take On Me" byA-ha, would come to define the medium during the early days ofMTV and are still considered among the best of all time.^[4] He founded the production company Limelight with his sister Siobhan and Adam Whitaker.^[5][6]

In 1984, he directed thescience fiction comedyElectric Dreams, and then went on to direct several episodes of the television seriesThe Storyteller before returning to film, directing the filmsTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 1990,The Adventures of Pinocchio in 1996,Rat in 2000 andMike Bassett: England Manager in 2001. Barron directed several award-winning miniseries, such asMerlin (1998),Arabian Nights (2000) andDreamkeeper (2003) forHallmark Entertainment. In July 2010, it was revealed that Barron would make a return to music videos, directing "Butterfly, Butterfly", the then-final video of A-ha.

In late 2011, Barron's two-part production ofTreasure Island was shown on British television channelSky One.^[7]

In November 2014, Barron published his autobiography,Egg n Chips & Billie Jean: A Trip Through the Eighties.^[8]

Cameraman

• Trauma (1976)
• The Duellists (1977)
• A Bridge Too Far (1977)
• Superman (1978) (Uncredited)

Executive producer

• The Specialist (1994)
• While You Were Sleeping (1995)
• Peace One Day (2004) (Documentary)

• A-ha – "Take On Me" (1985), "The Sun Always Shines on T.V." (1985), "Hunting High and Low" (1986), "Cry Wolf" (1986), "Manhattan Skyline" (1987), "The Living Daylights" (1987), "Crying in the Rain" (1990), "Butterfly, Butterfly" (2010)
• Adam and the Ants – "Antmusic" (1980)
• Bryan Adams – "Cuts Like a Knife" (1983), "This Time" (1983), "Run to You" (1984), "Heaven" (1985), "Summer of '69" (1985)
• Culture Club – "God Thank You Woman" (1986)
• David Bowie – "As the World Falls Down" (1986) "Underground" (1986)
• Def Leppard – "Let's Get Rocked" (1992)
• Dire Straits – "Money for Nothing" (1985), "Calling Elvis" (1990), "Heavy Fuel" (1991)
• Dolly Parton – "Potential New Boyfriend" (1983)
• Eddy Grant – "Electric Avenue" (1982), "I Don't Wanna Dance" (1982), "Living on the Front Line" (1983)
• Fleetwood Mac – "Hold Me" (1982)
• Fun Boy Three – "It Ain't What You Do...." (1982)
• Heaven 17 – "Penthouse and Pavement" (1981), "Let Me Go" (1982), "Temptation" (1983)
• The Human League – "Don't You Want Me" (1981), "Love Action" (1981), "(Keep Feeling) Fascination" (1983)
• The Jam – "Strangetown" (1978), "When You're Young" (1979), "Going Underground" (1979), "Dreams of Children" (1979)
• Joe Jackson – "Steppin' Out" (1982), "Real Men" (1982), "Breaking Us in Two" (1982)
• Level 42 – "Heaven in My Hands" (1988)
• Madonna – "Burning Up" (1983)
• Michael Jackson – "Billie Jean" (1983)
• Natalie Cole &Nat King Cole – "Unforgettable" (1991)
• Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark – "Maid of Orleans" (1982)
• Paul McCartney – "Pretty Little Head" (1986)
• Rod Stewart – "Baby Jane" (1983)
• Secret Affair – "Time for Action" (1979), "My World" (1980), "Sound of Confusion" (1980)
• Sheena Easton – "For Your Eyes Only" (1981), "Telephone" (1983)
• Simple Minds – "Promised You a Miracle" (1982)
• Skids – "Iona" (1981)
• Styx – "Haven't We Been Here Before" (1983)
• Supertramp – "Cannonball" (1985), "Better Days" (1986)
• Tears for Fears – "Pale Shelter" (1983)
• Toto – "Africa" (1982), "Rosanna" (1982), "Stranger in Town" (1984)
• ZZ Top – "Rough Boy" (1986), "Sleeping Bag" (1986)

• Steve Barron atIMDb

• 1956 births
• Irish comedy film directors
• British comedy film directors
• English film producers
• English music video directors
• English people of Russian descent
• Film directors from London
• Irish film producers
• Irish music video directors
• Irish people of Russian descent
• People educated at St Marylebone Grammar School
• Living people

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• EngvarB from November 2013
• Use dmy dates from March 2025
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