David Leland, a director of stage and screen whose filmmaking CV includes films such as Wish You Were Here, Personal Services and Land Girls, has died. He was 82.
Born in 1941 in Cambridge, Leland initially trained as an actor at the Central Speech of School and Drama and had many stage credits before moving into direction at the Crucible Theatre. That began his collaboration with Alan Clarke in 1981. He wrote Made In Britain, which Clarke directed and featured the first screen role of Tim Roth. In 1986, Leland and director Neil Jordan co-wrote the screenplay for Mona Lisa, which starred Bob Hoskins.
Leland then wrote Personal Services, which was directed by Terry Jones and followed the true-life story of Cynthia Payne, who ran a private brothel.
Payne was also the subject of Leland's next film his directorial debut, Wish You Were Here, which chronicled her teenage years, starring Emily Lloyd.
While his next two films,...
Born in 1941 in Cambridge, Leland initially trained as an actor at the Central Speech of School and Drama and had many stage credits before moving into direction at the Crucible Theatre. That began his collaboration with Alan Clarke in 1981. He wrote Made In Britain, which Clarke directed and featured the first screen role of Tim Roth. In 1986, Leland and director Neil Jordan co-wrote the screenplay for Mona Lisa, which starred Bob Hoskins.
Leland then wrote Personal Services, which was directed by Terry Jones and followed the true-life story of Cynthia Payne, who ran a private brothel.
Payne was also the subject of Leland's next film his directorial debut, Wish You Were Here, which chronicled her teenage years, starring Emily Lloyd.
While his next two films,...
- 12/27/2023
- by James White
- Empire - Movies
Welcome to Essex is a new zombie horror film from writer-director Ryan J Fleming which will have its UK premier at The Romford Film Festival on Thursday 24th May. I got a chance to talk to ask Robert Evans who plays Mike Rider in the film a few questions about; how he got involved in the film, what makes Welcome to Essex stand out in the horror genre and his favourite moment during filming.
How did you first get into acting?
I first got into acting at a fairly young age via a stage school I was selected for a couple of adverts and to be an extra in the films The Missionary and also Octopussy. From there I joined local amateur dramatics groups, appeared on stage with the Docklands Youth Theatre and The Theatre Royal Stratford East Theatre Workshop in Newham. I have appeared in numerous Queens Theatre Community Shows since the late 90s,...
How did you first get into acting?
I first got into acting at a fairly young age via a stage school I was selected for a couple of adverts and to be an extra in the films The Missionary and also Octopussy. From there I joined local amateur dramatics groups, appeared on stage with the Docklands Youth Theatre and The Theatre Royal Stratford East Theatre Workshop in Newham. I have appeared in numerous Queens Theatre Community Shows since the late 90s,...
- 4/10/2018
- by Philip Rogers
- Nerdly
Frequently described as "Britain's nicest man", Michael Palin really has done it all. From playing a singing, cross-dressing lumberjack to travelling Around the World in 80 Days, the star has no plans to stop yet. He's even about to venture further than ever before, as he joins the Clangers' little moon planet as their new narrator.
Palin is a household name in the UK and around the world, thanks to his globetrotting adventures and most prominently his Monty Python fame. But here are some facts you may not know about the comedian...
1. Michael Edward Palin was born in Broomhill, Sheffield on May 5, 1943. He attended Birkdale Preparatory School and had his first acting - and possibly cross-dressing - experience at the age of 5 in a performance of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, in which he played Martha Cratchit... and fell off the stage.
Undeterred by this unfortunate turn of events and despite his extreme stage fright,...
Palin is a household name in the UK and around the world, thanks to his globetrotting adventures and most prominently his Monty Python fame. But here are some facts you may not know about the comedian...
1. Michael Edward Palin was born in Broomhill, Sheffield on May 5, 1943. He attended Birkdale Preparatory School and had his first acting - and possibly cross-dressing - experience at the age of 5 in a performance of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, in which he played Martha Cratchit... and fell off the stage.
Undeterred by this unfortunate turn of events and despite his extreme stage fright,...
- 11/15/2014
- Digital Spy
What can be said about Michael Palin that hasn’t been said already? Perhaps calling him a Renaissance man, or comparing him to a shark that never stops swimming. He’s something different to each generation, be it as a member of Monty Python; a unique explorer and travel presenter neither in the vein of Alan Whicker or Karl Pilkington; a filmmaker; a geographer and railway enthusiast; or as a man of letters both fictional and non-fictional. His works spans every cultural medium imaginable short of painting and sculpture, though chances are he indulges those in his spare time as well.
Palin and Python are back in the news not just for court cases, but for the shock announcement they’re reuniting for a limited amount of shows at the O2 arena next summer. It will be the first time since 1988 they’ve performed together, albeit without the late Graham Chapman.
Palin and Python are back in the news not just for court cases, but for the shock announcement they’re reuniting for a limited amount of shows at the O2 arena next summer. It will be the first time since 1988 they’ve performed together, albeit without the late Graham Chapman.
- 12/10/2013
- by Oscar Harding
- Obsessed with Film
A friend, who was perhaps not quite tactful enough to become the movie producer he wanted to be, once met the actress Kerry Fox, and told her that her work in Jane Campion's An Angel at My Table was the best female film performance he had ever seen, "Apart from Maggie Smith in The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne."
While one might think that coming second in the whole of cinema history was still doing pretty well, and that there's no shame in coming second to Maggie Smith in anything, and that the addition of another name and title to the statement shows that my friend had really thought about it and wasn't just blowing smoke up the Fox ass, she apparently didn't look all that pleased. Perhaps she would prefer to be judged up against all actors, not just a female subset. But perhaps the problem was that...
While one might think that coming second in the whole of cinema history was still doing pretty well, and that there's no shame in coming second to Maggie Smith in anything, and that the addition of another name and title to the statement shows that my friend had really thought about it and wasn't just blowing smoke up the Fox ass, she apparently didn't look all that pleased. Perhaps she would prefer to be judged up against all actors, not just a female subset. But perhaps the problem was that...
- 12/6/2012
- by David Cairns
- MUBI
He’s coming to the end of his tour of duty as conflicted and complex meth cooker / slacker party animal Jessie Pinkman on the acclaimed Breaking Bad, so it makes sense that Aaron Paul is looking towards potential future work. He’s now in negotiations to take the lead role in HBO drama The Missionary.It’s not an adaptation of the 1982 Michael Palin comedy, but instead aims to follow the fictional tale of an American missionary in 1960s Berlin who becomes tangled up with the CIA.The Interpreter’s Charles Randolph dreamt up the concept, and he’s working with a team that includes author Malcolm Gladwell, producer Stephen Levinson and actor / producer Mark Wahlberg.Though HBO has only given the show a pilot order so far, the talent involved has us thinking it’ll be in with a solid shot at going to series, especially since Wahlberg and...
- 6/13/2012
- EmpireOnline
British helmer Richard Loncraine is reteaming with his Wimbledon star Paul Bettany on the Harrison Ford starrer The Wrong Element, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. The Joe Forte script revolves around the security chief (Harrison) of a global bank whose family is kidnapped. Mark Pellington was originally on board to direct. In addition to Wimbledon, Loncraine's credits include Richard III, Brimstone & Treacle and The Missionary. He also directed HBO Films' My House in Umbria, for which he was nominated for an Emmy and a DGA Award, and HBO Films' The Gathering Storm, which won an Emmy as outstanding made for television movie in 2002. Warners and Village Roadshow are co-financing the feature, with Jon Shestack and Beacon Communications president Armyan Bernstein producing. Village Roadshow's Bruce Berman will serve as executive producer. The studio has yet to set a start date for the feature, which was due to shoot in the fall. Jeff Clifford is the Warners exec overseeing; Dana Goldberg is the Village Roadshow executive on the project. Loncraine is repped by Endeavor.
- 10/7/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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