South African-born, Lionel's career began in television in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), before he began traveling the world. With 18 feature film credits to his name, he moved on to writing and directing. For the past few years he has specialized in non-fiction series and single shows, but he has directed episodic television and single dramas in South Africa before settling permanently in the United States in 1986. He worked in Canada in 1966 and has travelled extensively, making films worldwide.