Dennis Potter
- Writing
- May 17, 1935 · Berry Hill, UK
- June 7, 1994
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.
Known for
Filmography
- Drama Out of a Crisis: A Celebration of Play for Today · Self
- The Mayor of Casterbridge · Creator
- The Singing Detective · Screenplay
- The Bittersweet · Theatre Play, Writer
- Cold Lazarus · Writer, Creator
- Karaoke · Writer, Creator
- Midnight Movie · Writer, Producer
- An Interview with Dennis Potter · Self
- Message for Posterity · Writer
- Mesmer · Writer
- Visions of Heaven and Hell · Self
- Lipstick on Your Collar · Writer, Executive producer
- Performance · Writer
- Secret Friends · Director, Novel
- Follow the Yellow Brick Road · Writer
- Blackeyes · Narrator (voice, uncredited), Novel
- Christabel · Writer, Creator
- Track 29 · Writer
- Visitors · Writer
- The Singing Detective · Writer, Creator
- Dreamchild · Writer, Executive producer
- Tender Is the Night · Writer, Creator
- Television
- Screen Two · Writer
- Gorky Park · Screenplay
- Brimstone & Treacle · Screenplay, Story
- Pennies from Heaven · Writer
- Cream in My Coffee · Writer
- Rain on the Roof · Writer
- Blade on the Feather · Writer
- Blue Remembered Hills · Narrator (voice, uncredited), Writer
- Pennies from Heaven · Writer, Creator
- The Mayor of Casterbridge · Writer, Screenplay
- The South Bank Show
- Where Adam Stood · Writer
- Brimstone and Treacle · Writer
- Double Dare · Writer
- Late Call · Writer, Creator
- Schmoedipus · Writer
- Joe's Ark · Writer
- Wessex Tales · Writer
- Only Make Believe · Writer
- Follow the Yellow Brick Road · Writer
- The Sextet · Writer
- Casanova · Writer, Creator
- Traitor · Writer
- Paper Roses · Writer
- Angels Are So Few · Writer
- Play for Today · Writer
- Lay Down Your Arms · Writer
- Son of Man · Writer
- Moonlight on the Highway · Writer
- ITV Saturday Night Theatre · Writer
- A Beast with Two Backs · Writer
- Shaggy Dog · Writer
- The Company of Five · Writer
- The Bone Grinder · Writer
- ITV Playhouse · Writer
- Where the Buffalo Roam · Writer
- Emergency Ward 9 · Writer
- VOTE, VOTE, VOTE for Nigel Barton · Writer
- Stand Up, Nigel Barton · Writer
- Alice · Screenplay
- Thirty-Minute Theatre · Writer
- Not So Much a Programme, More a Way of Life · Writer
- The Wednesday Play · Writer
- That Was the Week That Was · Writer
- Between Two Rivers · Narrator, Director