David Leland (born 20 April 1947) is an English film director, screenwriter and actor who came to international fame with his directorial debut ''

Wish You Were Here Wish You Were Here may refer to: Film, television, and theater Film * ''Wish You Were Here'' (1987 film), a British comedy-drama film by David Leland * ''Wish You Were Here'' (2012 film), an Australian drama/mystery film by Kieran Darcy-Smith ...

'' in 1987.

Life

He initially trained as an actor at

Central School of Speech and Drama The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama was founded by Elsie Fogerty in 1906, as The Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art, to offer a new form of training in speech and drama for young actors and other students. It became a ...

. In 1963, he was part of the breakaway group of Central staff and students who formed

Drama Centre London Drama Centre London (often abbreviated as Drama Centre) was a British drama school in King's Cross, London, where it moved in 2011 after a major reshaping of the University of the Arts London. It was part of Central Saint Martins, a constitue ...

. After several small parts as actor he began his collaboration with British television director

Alan Clarke Alan John Clarke (28 October 1935 – 24 July 1990) was an English television and film director, producer and writer. Life and career Clarke was born in Wallasey, Wirral, England. Most of Clarke's output was for television rather than cinema, ...

in 1981. Their film ''

Made in Britain ''Made in Britain'' is a 1983 British television play written by David Leland and directed by Alan Clarke. It follows a 16-year-old racist skinhead and his constant confrontations with authority figures. It was broadcast on ITV on 10 July 19 ...

'' was well received and featured the first screen role of actor

Tim Roth Timothy Simon Roth (born 14 May 1961) is an English actor and producer. He began acting on films and television series in the 1980s. He was among a group of prominent British actors of the era, the " Brit Pack". He made his television debut ...

. ''Made in Britain'' won the Prix Italia (an international Television award) in 1984. In 1986, Leland and director

Neil Jordan Neil Patrick Jordan (born 25 February 1950) is an Irish film director, screenwriter, novelist and short-story writer. His first book, '' Night in Tunisia'', won a Somerset Maugham Award and the Guardian Fiction Prize in 1979. He won an Academ ...

co-wrote the screenplay for the thriller-drama ''

Mona Lisa The ''Mona Lisa'' ( ; it, Gioconda or ; french: Joconde ) is a half-length portrait painting by Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci. Considered an archetypal masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance, it has been described as "the best kno ...

'', featuring

Bob Hoskins Robert William Hoskins (26 October 1942 – 29 April 2014) was an English actor. His work included lead roles in films and television series such as '' Pennies from Heaven'' (1978), ''The Long Good Friday'' (1980), ''Mona Lisa'' (1986), ''Who ...

. With Jordan, he was nominated for BAFTA,

Golden Globe The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...

and

Writers Guild of America The Writers Guild of America is the joint efforts of two different US labor unions representing TV and film writers: * The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE), headquartered in New York City and affiliated with the AFL–CIO * The Writers Gu ...

awards. He then wrote '' Personal Services'' in 1986. It was directed by

Terry Jones Terence Graham Parry Jones (1 February 1942 – 21 January 2020) was a Welsh comedian, director, historian, actor, writer and member of the Monty Python comedy team. After graduating from Oxford University with a degree in English, Jones and ...

and concerned

Cynthia Payne Cynthia Diane Payne (née Paine; 24 December 193215 November 2015) was an English brothel keeper and party hostess who made headlines in the 1970s and 1980s, when she was convicted of running a brothel at 32 Ambleside Avenue, in Streatham, a so ...

, a real-life British

madam Madam (), or madame ( or ), is a polite and formal form of address for women in the English language, often contracted to ma'am (pronounced in American English and this way but also in British English). The term derives from the French ''madam ...

who ran a private

brothel A brothel, bordello, ranch, or whorehouse is a place where people engage in sexual activity with prostitutes. However, for legal or cultural reasons, establishments often describe themselves as massage parlors, bars, strip clubs, body rub p ...

Julie Walters Dame Julia Mary Walters (born 22 February 1950), known professionally as Julie Walters, is an English actress. She is the recipient of four British Academy Television Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, two International Emmy Awards, a B ...

took the leading role. While ''Personal Services'' dealt with the adult life of Cynthia Payne, Leland's next film, ''

'', concerned her teenage years. This film was a success at the 1987

Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films ...

and it made the young British actress

Emily Lloyd Emily Alice Lloyd-Pack (born 29 September 1970), known as Emily Lloyd, is an English actress. At the age of 16, she starred in her debut and breakthrough role in the 1987 film ''Wish You Were Here'', for which she received critical acclaim an ...

a star. It was awarded the FIPRESCI-Award at Cannes and the BAFTA for

best screenplay Best or The Best may refer to: People * Best (surname), people with the surname Best * Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer Companies and organizations * Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain * Best Lock Corporation, ...

. 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. Leland's next two films, '' Checking Out'' (with

Jeff Daniels Jeffrey Warren Daniels (born February 19, 1955) is an American actor, comedian, musician, and playwright, known for his work on stage and screen playing diverse characters switching between comedy and drama. He is the recipient of several accol ...

) and ''

The Big Man ''The Big Man'' (US title: ''Crossing the Line'') is a 1990 feature film. It stars Liam Neeson, Joanne Whalley and Billy Connolly. The film's score was composed by Ennio Morricone. It is based on the 1986 novel of the same name by William M ...

'' (with

Liam Neeson William John Neeson (born 7 June 1952) is an actor from Northern Ireland. He has received several accolades, including nominations for an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and two Tony Awards. In 2020, he was placed 7th on '' Th ...

), 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 ''The Land Girls'' is a 1998 film directed by David Leland and starring Catherine McCormack, Rachel Weisz, Anna Friel, Steven Mackintosh and Ann Bell. It is based on the 1995 novel ''Land Girls'' by Angela Huth. The title refers to the real-li ...

'' starring

Rachel Weisz Rachel Hannah Weisz (; born 7 March 1970 ) is an English actress. She is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Laurence Olivier Award, and a BAFTA Award. Weisz began acting in British stage and television in the ...

and

Anna Friel Anna Louise Friel (born 12 July 1976) is an English actress. Born in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, she has been acting professionally since age 13. Friel achieved fame with her portrayal of Beth Jordache on the British soap opera '' Brookside'' ...

and, in 2000, wrote and directed Episode 6 of the HBO Miniseries '' Band of Brothers''. In 2012, Leland joined the Showtime series '' The Borgias'' as co-showrunner and executive producer (alongside

, whom he had worked with on ''Mona Lisa''), writing the last five episodes of its second season and directing its last two episodes. 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 The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ide ...

. After the death of his friend

George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician and singer-songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Indian c ...

, Leland was closely involved in the former Beatle's memorial,

Concert for George The Concert for George was held at the Royal Albert Hall in London on 29 November 2002 as a memorial to George Harrison on the first anniversary of his death. The event was organised by Harrison's widow, Olivia, and his son, Dhani, and arrang ...

, and directed a cinematic documentary of the night to be put on general release, the DVD of which went platinum. The documentary also won a

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...

. His also directed the

Dino De Laurentiis Agostino "Dino" De Laurentiis (; 8 August 1919 – 10 November 2010) was an Italian-American film producer. Along with Carlo Ponti, he was one of the producers who brought Italian cinema to the international scene at the end of World War II. He ...

produced '' Virgin Territory'', released in 2007. David Leland is married to Sabrina Canale (whom he met in Italy during the shooting of "Virgin Territory") and has four children from his previous marriages: Chloë (seen in ''Wish You Were Here''), Abigail (seen in ''Wish You Were Here''), Rosie, and Grace (seen in ''The Land Girls'').

Filmography

Actor

*''

Big Breadwinner Hog ''Big Breadwinner Hog'' is a British television thriller serial devised by Robin Chapman, produced by Granada TV and transmitted in eight parts, starting at 9.00pm on 11 April 1969 on the ITV network. Overview The series focussed on the ruth ...

'' (television series) (1969) as Grange *'' 1917'' (1970) as Felix *''

Scars of Dracula ''Scars of Dracula'' is a 1970 British horror film directed by Roy Ward Baker for Hammer Films. It stars Christopher Lee as Count Dracula, along with Dennis Waterman, Jenny Hanley, Patrick Troughton, and Michael Gwynn. Although disparaged by som ...

'' (1970) as 1st Policeman *''

One Brief Summer ''One Brief Summer'' is a 1970 British drama film directed by John Mackenzie. It stars Felicity Gibson and Clifford Evans. It was made at Twickenham Studios. Cast * Felicity Gibson as Susan Long * Clifford Evans as Mark Stevens * Jennifer H ...

'' (1970) as Peter *''

The Pied Piper The Pied Piper of Hamelin (german: der Rattenfänger von Hameln, also known as the Pan Piper or the Rat-Catcher of Hamelin) is the title character of a legend from the town of Hamelin (Hameln), Lower Saxony, Germany. The legend dates back t ...

'' (1972) as Officer *''

Gawain and the Green Knight ''Sir Gawain and the Green Knight'' is a late 14th-century chivalric romance in Middle English. The author is unknown; the title was given centuries later. It is one of the best-known Arthurian stories, with its plot combining two types of f ...

'' (1973) as Humphrey *'' Time Bandits'' (1981) as Puppeteer *''

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' (sometimes referred to as ''HG2G'', ''HHGTTG'', ''H2G2'', or ''tHGttG'') is a comedy science fiction franchise created by Douglas Adams. Originally a 1978 radio comedy broadcast on BBC Radio 4, it ...

'' (1981) (television series; episode #4) as

Majikthise This page is a list of characters in ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'', by Douglas Adams. The descriptions of the characters are accompanied by information on details about appearances and references to the characters. Main characters ...

*''

The Missionary ''The Missionary'' is a 1982 British comedy film directed by Richard Loncraine, and starring Michael Palin and Maggie Smith. It was produced by George Harrison, Denis O'Brien, Palin (who also wrote the screenplay) and Neville C. Thompson. Plot ...

'' (1982) as Long Haired Man at Gin Palace *'' The Jewel in the Crown'' (1984) (television series; season 1, episode #10: ''An Evening at the Maharanee's'') as Captain Purvis *'' Personal Services'' (1987) as Mr. Pilkington *'' When Saturday Comes'' (1996) as Priest

Screenwriter

*''

'' (Director:

) *'' R.H.I.N.O.; Really Here in Name Only'' (Director:

Jane Howell Jane Howell (15 Aug 1935) is an English theatre and television director. She is known for directing six television plays of the BBC Television Shakespeare series in the 1980s: ''The Winter's Tale'' (1981), ''Henry VI, Part 1'' (1983), ''Henry VI ...

) *''

Birth of a Nation ''The Birth of a Nation'', originally called ''The Clansman'', is a 1915 American silent epic drama film directed by D. W. Griffith and starring Lillian Gish. The screenplay is adapted from Thomas Dixon Jr.'s 1905 novel and play ''The Clans ...

'' (Director: Mike Newell) *'' Flying Into the Wind'' (Director: Edward Bennett) *''

'' (Director:

) *'' Personal Services'' (Director:

) *''

The White River Kid ''The White River Kid'' (also titled ''White River'' and ''The Conmen'') is a 1999 American comedy film directed by Arne Glimcher and starring Bob Hoskins, Antonio Banderas and Ellen Barkin. It is based on the novel ''The Little Brothers of St. M ...

'' (Director: Arne Glimcher) *'' The Borgias'' (TV series, also executive producer and episode director; creator:

)

Director

;Films *''

'' (1987) *'' Checking Out'' (1988) *''

'' (1990) *''

'' (1998) *''

'' (2003) *'' Virgin Territory'' a.k.a. ''Mediaeval Pie'' (2007) ;Television *'' Band of Brothers'' (part No. 6 "Bastogne") (2001) *'' The Borgias'' (episode 9; also writer and executive producer of the series; 2012)

Awards and nominations

*2005

for best long form music video (''Concert for George'') *2002

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

for best 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 The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI, short for Fédération Internationale de la PRESse CInématographique) is an association of national organizations of professional film critics and film journalists from around the world fo ...

Award International Cannes Film Festival (''Wish You Were Here'') *1987 Peter Sellers Award for Comedy (

Evening Standard British Film Awards The Evening Standard British Film Awards were established in 1973 by London's ''Evening Standard'' newspaper. The Standard Awards is the only ceremony "dedicated to British and Irish talent," judged by a panel of "top UK critics." Each ceremony ...

) (''Wish You Were Here'' and ''Personal Services'') *1986

Nomination (''Mona Lisa'') *1986

Nomination (''Mona Lisa'')

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Leland, David 1947 births Best Original Screenplay BAFTA Award winners Primetime Emmy Award winners English film directors English screenwriters English male screenwriters Living people Grammy Award winners Alumni of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama People from Cambridge Alumni of the Drama Centre London