Dennis Potter
Born: 1935-05-17 in Berry Hill, UK
Died: 1994-06-07
Known For: Writing
Biography
Dennis Christopher George Potter (17 May 1935 – 7 June 1994) was an English television dramatist, screenwriter and journalist. He is best known for his BBC TV serials Pennies from Heaven (1978), The Singing Detective (1986), and the television plays Blue Remembered Hills (1979) and Brimstone and Treacle (1976). His television dramas mixed fantasy and reality, the personal and the social, and often used themes and images from popular culture. Potter is widely regarded as one of the most influential and innovative dramatists to have worked in British television. Born in Gloucestershire and graduating from Oxford University, Potter initially worked in journalism. After standing for parliament as a Labour candidate at the 1964 general election, his health was affected by the onset of psoriatic arthropathy which necessitated Potter changing careers and led to him becoming a television dramatist. His new career began with contributions to the BBC's Wednesday Play anthology series in 1965, and he continued to work in the medium for the rest of his life. He also wrote screenplay adaptations for the Hollywood studios. He died of pancreatic cancer in 1994.
Filmography
2020
- Drama Out of a Crisis: A Celebration of Play for Today as Self – Writer (archive footage, 1973 & 1977)
2003
- The Mayor of Casterbridge ... (Creator)
- The Singing Detective ... (Screenplay)
2000
- The Bittersweet ... (Theatre Play)
1996
- Karaoke ... (Writer)
- Cold Lazarus ... (Writer)
1994
- Mesmer ... (Writer)
- Visions of Heaven and Hell as Self
- Midnight Movie ... (Writer)
- Message for Posterity ... (Writer)
- An Interview with Dennis Potter as Himself
1993
- Lipstick on Your Collar ... (Writer)
1991
- Performance ... (Writer)
- Secret Friends ... (Director)
- Follow the Yellow Brick Road ... (Writer)
1989
- Blackeyes as Narrator (voice, uncredited)
1988
- Christabel ... (Writer)
- Track 29 ... (Writer)
1987
- Visitors ... (Writer)
1986
- The Singing Detective ... (Writer)
1985
- Screen Two ... (Writer)
- Tender Is the Night ... (Writer)
- Dreamchild ... (Writer)
1983
- Gorky Park ... (Screenplay)
1982
- Brimstone & Treacle ... (Screenplay)
1981
- Pennies from Heaven ... (Writer)
1980
- Blade on the Feather ... (Writer)
- Cream in My Coffee ... (Writer)
- Rain on the Roof ... (Writer)
1979
- Blue Remembered Hills as Narrator (voice, uncredited)
1978
- Pennies from Heaven ... (Writer)
- The Mayor of Casterbridge ... (Writer)
1976
- Where Adam Stood ... (Writer)
- Brimstone and Treacle ... (Writer)
- Double Dare ... (Writer)
1975
- Late Call ... (Writer)
1974
- Schmoedipus ... (Writer)
- Joe's Ark ... (Writer)
1973
- Wessex Tales ... (Writer)
- Only Make Believe ... (Writer)
1972
- The Sextet ... (Writer)
- Follow the Yellow Brick Road ... (Writer)
1971
- Casanova ... (Writer)
- Traitor ... (Writer)
- Paper Roses ... (Writer)
1970
- Play for Today ... (Writer)
- Lay Down Your Arms ... (Writer)
- Angels Are So Few ... (Writer)
1969
- ITV Saturday Night Theatre ... (Writer)
- Moonlight on the Highway ... (Writer)
- Son of Man ... (Writer)
1968
- The Company of Five ... (Writer)
- Shaggy Dog ... (Writer)
- A Beast with Two Backs ... (Writer)
- The Bone Grinder ... (Writer)
1967
- ITV Playhouse ... (Writer)
1966
- Where the Buffalo Roam ... (Writer)
- Emergency Ward 9 ... (Writer)
1965
- Thirty-Minute Theatre ... (Writer)
- VOTE, VOTE, VOTE for Nigel Barton ... (Writer)
- Alice ... (Screenplay)
- Stand Up, Nigel Barton ... (Writer)
1964
- The Wednesday Play ... (Writer)
- Not So Much a Programme, More a Way of Life ... (Writer)
1962
- That Was The Week That Was ... (Writer)
1960
- Between Two Rivers as Narrator