David Leland
Born(1941-04-20)20 April 1941
Cambridge, England
Died24 December 2023(2023-12-24) (aged 82)
Alma materRoyal Central School of Speech and Drama
Occupation(s)Film director, screenwriter, actor

David Leland (20 April 1941 – 24 December 2023) was a British film director, screenwriter and actor who came to international fame with his directorial debut Wish You Were Here in 1987.[1]

Life and career

Leland initially trained as an actor at Central School of Speech and Drama.[2] In 1963, he was part of the breakaway group of Central staff and students who formed Drama Centre London along with fellow students including actor and later theatre director Jack Shepherd and Jon Lord, later keyboard player and co-founder of rock band Deep Purple and Whitesnake.[3]

Leland moved into stage management and direction at the Crucible Theatre. Here, he collaborated with and helped inspire emerging talent such as Michael Palin and Terry Jones, directing the world premiere of ‘Their Finest Hours’. He recognised the writing and performing genius of an as-of-yet undiscovered Victoria Wood, who wrote her first play, ‘Talent’ for Leland to direct.

He also gave Pierce Brosnan his first opportunity to act on stage in the British premiere of Tennessee Williams’ ‘The Red Devil Battery Sign’ at The Round House, which Leland directed.

He began his collaboration with British television director Alan Clarke in 1981.[4] Their film Made in Britain was well received and featured the first screen role of actor Tim Roth.[5] Made in Britain won the Prix Italia (an international Television award) in 1984.[4] In 1986, Leland and director Neil Jordan co-wrote the screenplay for the thriller-drama Mona Lisa, featuring Bob Hoskins.[6] With Jordan, he was nominated for BAFTA, Golden Globe and Writers Guild of America awards.[7]

Leland then wrote Personal Services in 1986.[8] It was directed by Terry Jones and concerned Cynthia Payne, a real-life British madam who ran a private brothel.[9] Julie Walters took the leading role. While Personal Services dealt with the adult life of Cynthia Payne, Leland's next film, Wish You Were Here, concerned her teenage years.[10] This film was a success at the 1987 Cannes Film Festival and it made the young British actress Emily Lloyd a star.[11] It was awarded the FIPRESCI-Award at Cannes and the BAFTA for best screenplay.[12][13]

In 1991, Leland directed the successful stage musical A Tribute to the Blues Brothers, which played on the West End and then toured for ten years in the UK and Australia.[14]

Leland's next two films, Checking Out (with Jeff Daniels) and The Big Man (with Liam Neeson), failed at the box office and with the critics but have since been successful in the private market. In 1997, Leland co-wrote and directed The Land Girls starring Rachel Weisz and Anna Friel and, in 2000, directed Episode 6 of the HBO Miniseries Band of Brothers.[4][15]

In 2012, Leland joined the Showtime series The Borgias as co-showrunner and executive producer (alongside Neil Jordan, whom he had worked with on Mona Lisa), writing the last five episodes of its second season and directing its last two episodes.[3] He described his stint as co-showrunner and executive producer as a "hands-on" experience and having to commit to extensive research on the Renaissance.[3]

Leland was a close friend of George Harrison, with whom he worked on several occasions, chiefly as director on the aforementioned ‘Checking Out’ (which Harrison produced through HandMade Films) and as director for several Traveling Wilburys music videos including ‘Handle With Care’. Leland also directed the music video to Tom Petty’s ‘I Won’t Back Down’ (which also featured George Harrison and Ringo Starr), and Sir Paul McCartney’s ‘Brown Eyed Handsome Man’.

Following George Harrison’s untimely passing, Leland directed the cinematic documentary ‘Concert For George’ (2003), a memorial concert event which took place at the Royal Albert Hall, featuring the remaining Beatles: Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, as well as Eric Clapton, Tom Petty, and many others. Leland won a GRAMMY® Award for the cinematic documentary, and the DVD was subsequently certified platinum eight times over.[16][17]

Leland died on 24 December 2023, at the age of 82.[18][19]

Filmography

Actor

Screenwriter

Director

Films
Television

Awards and nominations

  • 2005 Grammy Award for best long form music video (Concert for George)
  • 2002 Emmy Award for directing a miniseries (Band of Brothers)
  • 2002 Christopher Award for best miniseries (Band of Brothers)
  • 1988 BAFTA Award for best screenplay (Wish You Were Here)
  • 1987 FIPRESCI Award International Cannes Film Festival (Wish You Were Here)
  • 1987 Peter Sellers Award for Comedy (Evening Standard British Film Awards) (Wish You Were Here and Personal Services)
  • 1986 Writers Guild of America Nomination (Mona Lisa)
  • 1986 Golden Globe Nomination (Mona Lisa)

References

  1. ↑ Maslin, Janet (24 July 1987). "Wish You Were Here (1987)". The New York Times.
  2. ↑ "Soham Grammarians - David Leland (1952 entry)". Sohamgrammar.org.uk.
  3. 1 2 3 Whitney, Hilary (2 July 2011). "Q&A: Writer/Director David Leland". The Arts Desk. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 "BFI Screenonline: Leland, David (1947-) Biography". Screenonline.org.uk.
  5. ↑ "Made in Britain (1981) - Alan Clarke". AllMovie.
  6. ↑ "Mona Lisa (1986)". BFI. Archived from the original on 8 October 2016.
  7. ↑ "BAFTA Awards". Awards.bafta.org.
  8. ↑ "Personal Services (1987)". BFI. Archived from the original on 31 May 2017.
  9. ↑ "Personal Services (1987) - Terry Jones | Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related". AllMovie.
  10. ↑ Ebert, Roger. "Wish You Were Here movie review (1987) | Roger Ebert". Rogerebert.com/.
  11. ↑ "Wish You Were Here (1987) - David Leland | Review". AllMovie.
  12. ↑ "Movies". Dipresci.org. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  13. ↑ "Wish You Were Here (1987) - David Leland | Awards". AllMovie.
  14. ↑ "The Official Tribute to the Blues Brothers - Live On Stage". Users.monash.edu. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  15. ↑ "David Leland | TV, Documentary and Other Appearances". AllMovie.
  16. ↑ "Concert for George (2003)". BFI. Archived from the original on 3 October 2018.
  17. ↑ "Concert for George". Concord.com.
  18. ↑ Whittock, Jesse (27 December 2023). "David Leland Dies: 'Wish You Were Here' Director & 'The Borgias' Co-Showrunner Was 82". Deadline. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  19. ↑ Etan Vlessing (27 December 2023). "David Leland, 'Wish You Were Here' Director, Dies at 82". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  20. ↑ "Flying into the Wind (1983)". BFI. Archived from the original on 4 May 2019.
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