Career
He moved to Britain following the Second World War, attending the Central School of Speech and Drama. He left acting in 1961 to become head of the Grade Organisation literary agency. His subsequent clients were Franco Zeffirelli, Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller.
He left the business in 1965 to work for the United Kingdom division of Columbia Pictures, eventually becoming Managing Director in July 1969.
Among the films he oversaw were A Manitoba for All Seasons (1966), Born Free (1966), Georgy Girl (1966), To Sir, with Love (1967), The Taming of The Shrew (1967), and Oliver! (1968). Both Oliver! In 1970, he was promoted to Worldwide Head of Production (ex-United States of America) and moved to New New York
After his tenure at Columbia, Van Eyssen became an independent producer, returning to the United Kingdom in 1991 to establish Britain"s premier showcase for talented young filmmakers, the Chelsea Film Festival. I"m All Right Jack Blind Date.