Alan Bennett (born 9 May 1934) is an English actor, author, playwright and screenwriter. He has received numerous

awards and honours An award, sometimes called a distinction, is given to a recipient as a token of recognition of excellence in a certain field. When the token is a medal, ribbon or other item designed for wearing, it is known as a decoration. An award may be d ...

including four

BAFTA Awards The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTAs or BAFTA Awards, is an annual film award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best Cinema of the United Kingdom, British and Worl ...

, four

Laurence Olivier Awards The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply The Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognize excellence in professional theatre in London. The awards were originally known as the Society of West End Theatre Aw ...

, and two

Tony Awards The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cere ...

. In 2005 he received the

Society of London Theatre Special Award The Laurence Olivier Award for Society of London Theatre Special Award is an annual award presented by the Society of London Theatre in recognition of achievements in commercial British theatre. The awards were established as the Society of West E ...

. Bennett was born in

Leeds Leeds is a city in West Yorkshire, England. It is the largest settlement in Yorkshire and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds Metropolitan Borough, which is the second most populous district in the United Kingdom. It is built aro ...

and attended

Oxford University The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second-oldest continuously operating u ...

. He taught

medieval history In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...

at the university for several years. His work in the satirical revue ''

Beyond the Fringe ''Beyond the Fringe'' was a British comedy Play (theatre), stage revue written and performed by Alan Bennett, Peter Cook, Jonathan Miller, and Dudley Moore. It debuted at the 1960 Edinburgh Festival and went on to play in London's West End the ...

'' at the 1960

Edinburgh Festival __NOTOC__ This is a list of Arts festival, arts and cultural festivals regularly taking place in Edinburgh, Scotland. The city has become known for its festivals since the establishment in 1947 of the Edinburgh International Festival and the ...

brought him instant fame and later a

Special Tony Award The Special Tony Award category includes the Lifetime Achievement Tony Award and the Special Tony Award. These are non-competitive honorary awards, and the titles have changed over the years. The Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre ...

. He turned to writing full time and gained acclaim with his plays at the

Royal National Theatre The National Theatre (NT), officially the Royal National Theatre and sometimes referred to in international contexts as the National Theatre of Great Britain, is a performing arts venue and associated theatre company located in London, England, ...

. The following plays were adapted into films: ''

The Madness of King George ''The Madness of King George'' is a 1994 British biographical comedy drama film directed by Nicholas Hytner and adapted by Alan Bennett from his own 1991 play '' The Madness of George III''. It tells the true story of George III of Great Brita ...

'' (1994), ''

The History Boys ''The History Boys'' is a play by British playwright Alan Bennett. The play premiered at the Royal National Theatre in London's West End on 18 May 2004. Its Broadway debut was on 23 April 2006 at the Broadhurst Theatre where 185 performances w ...

'' (2006), and '' The Lady in the Van'' (2015).

Early life

Bennett was born on 9 May 1934 in

Armley Armley is a district in the west of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It starts less than from Leeds city centre. Like much of Leeds, Armley grew in the Industrial Revolution and had several mills, one of which now houses the Leeds Industrial ...

, West Riding of Yorkshire. The younger son of a

Co-op A cooperative (also known as co-operative, coöperative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democr ...

butcher, Walter, and his wife, Lilian Mary (née Peel), Bennett attended Christ Church, Upper Armley, Church of England School (in the same class as

Barbara Taylor Bradford Barbara Taylor Bradford (10 May 1933 – 24 November 2024) was a British Americans, British-American best-selling novelist. Her debut novel, ''A Woman of Substance (novel), A Woman of Substance'', was published in 1979 and sold over 30 mi ...

), and then

Leeds Modern School Leeds Modern School was a school in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. History Leeds Modern School was founded on 14 July 1845 in Rossington Street as the Mathematical and Commercial School. This building in the centre of Leeds became council of ...

(now

Lawnswood School Lawnswood School is a mixed secondary school and sixth form located in the Lawnswood area of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The school was founded in 1972 and had its first comprehensive intake in 1974. Its predecessors were the Lee ...

). He has an older brother. Bennett learned Russian at the

Joint Services School for Linguists The Joint Services School for Linguists (JSSL) was founded in 1951 by the British armed services to provide language training, principally in Russian, and largely to selected conscripts undergoing National Service. The school closed with the endi ...

during his

national service National service is a system of compulsory or voluntary government service, usually military service. Conscription is mandatory national service. The term ''national service'' comes from the United Kingdom's National Service (Armed Forces) Act ...

before applying for a

scholarship A scholarship is a form of Student financial aid, financial aid awarded to students for further education. Generally, scholarships are awarded based on a set of criteria such as academic merit, Multiculturalism, diversity and inclusion, athleti ...

at Oxford University. He was accepted by

Exeter College, Oxford Exeter College (in full: The Rector and Scholars of Exeter College in the University of Oxford) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, and the fourth-oldest college of the university. The college was founde ...

, and graduated with a first-class degree in history. While at Oxford he performed comedy with a number of eventually successful actors in the

Oxford Revue The Oxford Revue is a comedy group primarily featuring students from Oxford University and Oxford Brookes University, England. Beginning in 1953, The Oxford Revue has produced many prominent comedians, actors and satirists—as is the case with ...

. He remained at the university for several years, working as a junior lecturer of

Medieval History In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...

Magdalen College Magdalen College ( ) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. It was founded in 1458 by Bishop of Winchester William of Waynflete. It is one of the wealthiest Oxford colleges, as of 2022, and one of the strongest academically, se ...

, before deciding, in 1960, that he was not suited to being an academic.

Career

Early career

In August 1960, Bennett – along with

Dudley Moore Dudley Stuart John Moore (19 April 193527 March 2002) was an English actor, comedian, musician and composer. He first came to prominence in the UK as a leading figure in the British satire boom of the 1960s. He was one of the four writer-perf ...

Jonathan Miller Sir Jonathan Wolfe Miller CBE (21 July 1934 – 27 November 2019) was an English theatre and opera director, actor, author, television presenter, comedian and physician. After training in medicine and specialising in neurology in the late 19 ...

and

Peter Cook Peter Edward Cook (17 November 1937 – 9 January 1995) was an English comedian, actor, satirist, playwright and screenwriter. He was the leading figure of the British satire boom of the 1960s, and he was associated with the anti-establishmen ...

– gained fame after an appearance at the

in the satirical revue ''

'', with the show continuing in London and New York. He also appeared in '' My Father Knew Lloyd George''. His television comedy sketch series ''

On the Margin ''On the Margin'' was a British satirical comedy sketch show written and performed by Alan Bennett and a regular cast including John Sergeant, Virginia Stride, Madge Hindle and Yvonne Gilan. Guest performers included John Fortune and Jonathan ...

'' (1966) was erased; the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

re-used expensive videotape rather than keep it in the archives. However, in 2014 it was announced that audio copies of the entire series had been found. Bennett's first stage play, '' Forty Years On,'' directed by

Patrick Garland Patrick Ewart Garland (10 April 1935 – 19 April 2013) was a British director, writer and actor. Career Garland was educated at St Mary's College, Southampton, and St Edmund Hall, Oxford where he studied English and was Literary Editor of Is ...

and starring

John Gielgud Sir Arthur John Gielgud ( ; 14 April 1904 – 21 May 2000) was an English actor and theatre director whose career spanned eight decades. With Ralph Richardson and Laurence Olivier, he was one of the trinity of actors who dominated the Britis ...

, was produced in 1968. His second play, '' Getting On'', also directed by Garland and starring

Kenneth More Kenneth Gilbert More (20 September 1914 – 12 July 1982) was an English actor. Initially achieving fame in the comedy ''Genevieve (film), Genevieve'' (1953), he appeared in many roles as a carefree, happy-go-lucky gent. Films from this period ...

, opened in 1971. Many television, stage and radio plays followed, with screenplays, short stories, novellas, a large body of non-fictional prose, and broadcasting and many appearances as an actor. Despite a long history with both the National Theatre and the BBC, Bennett never writes on commission, saying "I don't work on commission, I just do it

on spec ''On Spec'' is a digest-sized, perfect-bound, Canadian quarterly magazine publishing stories and poetry in science fiction, fantasy, and allied genres broadly grouped under the "speculative fiction" umbrella. History and profile Based in Edmo ...

. If people don't want it then it's too bad." Bennett's many works for television include his first play for the medium, ''A Day Out'' in 1972, ''A Little Outing'' in 1977, ''Intensive Care'' in 1982, ''An Englishman Abroad'' in 1983, and ''

A Question of Attribution ''A Question of Attribution'' is a 1988 one-act stage play, written by Alan Bennett. It focuses on the British art expert and former Soviet agent, Sir Anthony Blunt. It was premiered at the National Theatre, London, on 1 December 1988, directe ...

'' in 1991. But perhaps his most famous screen work is the 1988 ''

Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American Rock music, rock band formed in New York City in 1975.Talking Heads

'' series of monologues for television which were later performed at the

Comedy Theatre The Harold Pinter Theatre, known as the Comedy Theatre until 2011,

in London in 1992. A second set of six ''Talking Heads'' followed a decade later.

1980s

Bennett wrote the play '' Enjoy'' in 1980. It barely scraped a run of seven weeks at the

Vaudeville Theatre The Vaudeville Theatre is a West End theatre on the Strand in the City of Westminster. Opening in 1870, the theatre staged mostly vaudeville shows and musical revues in its early days. The theatre was rebuilt twice, although each new buildin ...

, in spite of the stellar cast of

Joan Plowright Joan Ann Olivier, Baroness Olivier (; 28 October 1929 – 16 January 2025), commonly known as Dame Joan Plowright, was an English actress whose career spanned over six decades. She received several accolades including two Golden Globe Awards, an ...

Colin Blakely Colin George Edward BlakelyClarke, Frances (2009)"Blakely, Colin George Edward" ''Dictionary of Irish Biography''. Retrirved 3 October 2024. (23 September 1930 – 7 May 1987) was a Northern Irish stage and screen actor. He was nominated for a ...

Susan Littler Susan Littler (31 December 1947 – 11 July 1982) was an English actress who appeared in many television and stage productions in the 1970s and early 1980s, before her death from cancer. A versatile and respected actress, Littler is perhaps ...

, Philip Sayer, Liz Smith (who replaced

Joan Hickson Joan Bogle Hickson (5 August 1906 – 17 October 1998) was an English actress of theatre, film and television. She was known for her role as Agatha Christie's Miss Marple in the television series '' Miss Marple''. She also narrated a number of ...

during rehearsals) and, in his first West End role,

Marc Sinden Marcus Andrew Sinden (born 9 May 1954) is an English actor, director and producer. Sinden has worked in film and theatre (mainly in London's West End) as both actor and producer and directed the documentary series '' Great West End Theatres'' ...

. It was directed by

Ronald Eyre Ronald Eyre (13 April 1929 – 8 April 1992) was an English theatre director, actor and writer. Biography Eyre was born at Mapplewell, near Barnsley, Yorkshire and he taught at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Blackburn and Giggleswick Scho ...

. A new production of ''Enjoy'' attracted very favourable notices during its 2008 UK tour and moved to the West End of London in January 2009. The West End show took more than £1 million in advance ticket sales and even extended the run to cope with demand. The production starred

Alison Steadman Alison Steadman (born 26 August 1946) is an English actress. She received the 1977 Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actress for ''Abigail's Party'', the 1991 National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress for the Mike Leigh film ...

David Troughton David Troughton (born 9 June 1950) is an English actor. He is known for his Shakespearean roles on the British stage and for his many roles on British television, including Dr Bob Buzzard in ''A Very Peculiar Practice'' and Ricky Hanson in ''Ne ...

, Richard Glaves, Carol Macready and

Josie Walker Josie Walker (born 1970) is an actress born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. She was brought up in England. Career Musicals * ''The Phantom of the Opera'' (Manchester, 1992; London, 1996) * ''Cats'' (English tour, 1995) * ''The Beautiful Game'' (Lo ...

1990s

Bennett wrote '' The Lady in the Van'' based on his experiences with an eccentric woman called

Miss Shepherd Margaret Mary Fairchild (4 January 1911 – 28 April 1989), also known as Mary Teresa Sheppard, Miss Shepherd and M T Sheppard, was a British homeless woman. Her life was depicted in the 2015 film '' The Lady in the Van'' by Alan Bennett in wh ...

, who lived on Bennett's driveway in a series of dilapidated vans for more than fifteen years. It was first published in 1989 as an essay in the ''

London Review of Books The ''London Review of Books'' (''LRB'') is a British literary magazine published bimonthly that features articles and essays on fiction and non-fiction subjects, which are usually structured as book reviews. History The ''London Review of Book ...

''. In 1990 he published it in book form. In 1999 he adapted it into a stage play, which starred

Maggie Smith Dame Margaret Natalie Smith (28 December 1934 – 27 September 2024) was a British actress. Known for her wit in both comedic and dramatic roles, she had List of Maggie Smith performances, an extensive career on stage and screen for over seve ...

and was directed by

Nicholas Hytner Sir Nicholas Robert Hytner ( ; born 7 May 1956) is an English theatre director, film director, and film producer. He was previously the Artistic Director of London's National Theatre. His major successes as director include ''Miss Saigon'', '' ...

. The stage play includes two characters named Alan Bennett. On 21 February 2009 it was broadcast as a radio play on BBC Radio 4, with Maggie Smith reprising her role and Alan Bennett playing himself. He adapted the story again for a 2015 film, with Maggie Smith reprising her role again, and Nicholas Hytner directing again. In the film

Alex Jennings Alex Michael Jennings (born 10 May 1957) is an English actor of the stage and screen who has worked extensively with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal National Theatre. For his work on the London stage, Jennings has received three O ...

plays the two versions of Bennett, although Alan Bennett appears in a cameo at the very end of the film. Bennett adapted his 1991 play ''

The Madness of George III ''The Madness of George III'' is a 1991 play by Alan Bennett. It is a fictionalised biographical study of the latter half of the reign of George III of the United Kingdom, his battle with mental illness, and the inability of his court to handle ...

'' for the cinema. Entitled ''

'' (1994), the film received four

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

nominations: for Bennett's writing and the performances of

Nigel Hawthorne Sir Nigel Barnard Hawthorne (5 April 1929 – 26 December 2001) was an English actor. He is known for his stage acting and his portrayal of Sir Humphrey Appleby, the permanent secretary in the 1980s sitcom ''Yes Minister'' and the Cabinet Secre ...

and

Helen Mirren Dame Helen Mirren (; born Ilyena Lydia Vasilievna Mironov; 26 July 1945) is an English actor. With a career spanning over six decades of Helen Mirren on screen and stage, screen and stage, List of awards and nominations received by Helen Mirre ...

. It won the award for best art direction. In 1995 Bennett wrote and hosted the three-part BBC documentary series '' The Abbey'', directed by

Jonathan Stedall Jonathan Hugh Pemberton Stedall (20 January 1938 – 21 October 2022) was an English television producer and documentary filmmaker known for his collaborations with John Betjeman, Malcolm Muggeridge and Alan Bennett. Early life Stedall was bo ...

. The programme provides a personal tribute to, and tour of,

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London, England. Since 1066, it has been the location of the coronations of 40 English and British m ...

21st century

Bennett's critically acclaimed ''

'' won three

Laurence Olivier Award The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply The Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognize excellence in West End theatre, professional theatre in London. The awards were originally known as the Society of We ...

s in 2005, for Best New Play, Best Actor (

Richard Griffiths Richard Thomas Griffiths (31 July 1947 – 28 March 2013) was an English actor. He was known for his portrayals of Vernon Dursley in the ''Harry Potter'' films (2001–2011), Uncle Monty in '' Withnail and I'' (1987), and Henry Crabbe in '' P ...

), and Best Direction (

), having previously won

Critics' Circle Theatre Awards The Critics' Circle Theatre Awards, known as the Drama Theatre Awards until 1990, are British theatrical awards presented annually for the closing year's theatrical achievements. The winners, from theatre throughout the United Kingdom, are selec ...

and

Evening Standard Awards The ''Evening Standard'' Theatre Awards, established in 1955, are the oldest theatrical awards ceremony in the United Kingdom. They are presented annually for outstanding achievements in London Theatre, and are organised by the ''Evening Standa ...

for Best Actor and Best Play. Bennett also received the Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre. ''The History Boys'' won six

on Broadway, including best play, best performance by a leading actor in a play (Richard Griffiths), best performance by a featured actress in a play (

Frances de la Tour Frances J. de Lautour (born 30 July 1944), better known as Frances de la Tour, is a British actress. A Tony Award winner and three-time Olivier Award winner, she is also known for her roles in the television sitcom ''Rising Damp'' and in ''Harr ...

) and best direction of a play (Nicholas Hytner). A film version of ''

'' was released in the UK in October 2006. In his 2005 prose collection ''Untold Stories'', Bennett wrote of the mental illness that his mother and other family members suffered. At the National Theatre in late 2009

directed Bennett's play ''

The Habit of Art ''The Habit of Art'' is a 2009 play by English playwright Alan Bennett, centred on a fictional meeting between W. H. Auden and Benjamin Britten while Britten is composing the opera '' Death in Venice''. It premiered on 5 November 2009 at the Lyt ...

'', about the relationship between the poet

W. H. Auden Wystan Hugh Auden (; 21 February 1907 – 29 September 1973) was a British-American poet. Auden's poetry is noted for its stylistic and technical achievement, its engagement with politics, morals, love, and religion, and its variety in tone, ...

and the composer

Benjamin Britten Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten of Aldeburgh (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, o ...

. Bennett's play ''

People The term "the people" refers to the public or Common people, common mass of people of a polity. As such it is a concept of human rights law, international law as well as constitutional law, particularly used for claims of popular sovereignty. I ...

'' opened at the National Theatre in October 2012. In December that year, '' Cocktail Sticks'', an autobiographical play by Bennett, premièred at the National Theatre as part of a double bill with the monologue ''Hymn''. The production was directed by Bennett's long-term collaborator Nicholas Hytner. It was well-received, and transferred to the

Duchess Theatre The Duchess Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster, London, located in Catherine Street near Aldwych. The theatre opened on 25 November 1929 and is one of the smallest West End theatres with a proscenium arch. It has 494 ...

in the

West End of London The West End of London (commonly referred to as the West End) is a district of Central London, Central London, England, in the London Borough of Camden, London Boroughs of Camden and the City of Westminster. It is west of the City of London an ...

, being subsequently adapted for radio broadcast by

BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. The station replaced the BBC Home Service on 30 September 1967 and broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes from the BBC's headquarters at Broadcasti ...

. In July 2018, '' Allelujah!'', a comic drama by Bennett about a

National Health Service The National Health Service (NHS) is the term for the publicly funded health care, publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom: the National Health Service (England), NHS Scotland, NHS Wales, and Health and Social Care (Northern ...

hospital threatened with closure, opened at London's

Bridge Theatre The Bridge Theatre is a commercial theatre near Tower Bridge in London that opened in October 2017. It was developed by Nick Starr and Nicholas Hytner as the home of the London Theatre Company, which they founded following their tenancy as execu ...

to critical acclaim.

Personal life

Bennett lived for 40 years on Gloucester Crescent in

Camden Town Camden Town () is an area in the London Borough of Camden, around north-northwest of Charing Cross. Historically in Middlesex, it is identified in the London Plan as one of 34 major centres in Greater London. Laid out as a residential distri ...

, London, and in 2006 moved a few minutes' walk away to

Primrose Hill Primrose Hill is a Grade II listed public park located north of Regent's Park in London, England, first opened to the public in 1842.Mills, A., ''Dictionary of London Place Names'', (2001) It was named after the natural hill in the centre of t ...

with his partner Rupert Thomas, the former editor of ''

The World of Interiors ''The World of Interiors'' is a magazine published by Condé Nast with a total readership of 152,000. The glossy monthly magazine covers interior design. History The magazine began as ''Interiors'' in November 1981. It was founded in London, E ...

'' magazine. Bennett also had a long-term relationship with his former housekeeper, Anne Davies, until her death in 2009. Bennett is an agnostic. He was raised

Anglican Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...

and gradually "left it

he church He or HE may refer to: Language * He (letter), the fifth letter of the Semitic abjads * He (pronoun), a pronoun in Modern English * He (kana), one of the Japanese kana (へ in hiragana and ヘ in katakana) * Ge (Cyrillic), a Cyrillic letter call ...

over the years". In 1988, Bennett declined the award of

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(CBE) and in 1996 declined a

knighthood A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

. In September 2005, Bennett revealed that, in 1997, he had undergone treatment for

colorectal cancer Colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is the development of cancer from the Colon (anatomy), colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine). Signs and symptoms may include Lower gastrointestinal ...

and described the illness as a "bore". His chances of survival were given as being "much less" than 50 per cent and surgeons had told him they removed a "rock-bun" sized tumour. He began ''Untold Stories'' (published 2005) thinking it would be published posthumously, but his cancer went into remission. In the autobiographical sketches which form a large part of the book Bennett says of himself "I am homosexual", but also mentions "flings" with women. Previously Bennett had referred to questions about his sexuality as like asking a man who has just crawled across the

Sahara The Sahara (, ) is a desert spanning across North Africa. With an area of , it is the largest hot desert in the world and the list of deserts by area, third-largest desert overall, smaller only than the deserts of Antarctica and the northern Ar ...

desert to choose between

Perrier Perrier ( , also , ) is a French brand of bottled water marketed as coming from its source in Vergèze, located in the Gard '' département''. Perrier was part of the Perrier Vittel Group SA, which became Nestlé Waters France after the acqu ...

or Malvern mineral water. In October 2008, Bennett announced that he was donating his entire archive of working papers, unpublished manuscripts, diaries and books to the

Bodleian Library The Bodleian Library () is the main research library of the University of Oxford. Founded in 1602 by Sir Thomas Bodley, it is one of the oldest libraries in Europe. With over 13 million printed items, it is the second-largest library in ...

, stating that it was a gesture of thanks repaying a debt he felt he owed to the British welfare state that had given him educational opportunities which his humble family background would otherwise never have afforded. In September 2015, Bennett endorsed

Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Bernard Corbyn (; born 26 May 1949) is a British politician who has been Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for Islington North (UK Parliament constituency), Islington North since 1983. Now an Independent ...

's campaign in the Labour Party leadership election. The following month, after Corbyn's election victory, Bennett said: "I approve of him. If only because it brings Labour back to what they ought to be thinking about." Following the death of

in 2019, Bennett became the only surviving member of the original ''Beyond the Fringe'' quartet which had also included

and

. For many years Bennett has owned a cottage in

Clapham Clapham () is a district in south London, south west London, England, lying mostly within the London Borough of Lambeth, but with some areas (including Clapham Common) extending into the neighbouring London Borough of Wandsworth. History Ea ...

in the Yorkshire Dales.

Work

Selected credits

Film

Theatre

Bibliography

* ''House Arrest: Pandemic Diaries'', London: Faber, 2022

Awards and honours

Bennett was made an Honorary Fellow of

, in 1987. He was also awarded a

D.Litt Doctor of Letters (D.Litt., Litt.D., Latin: ' or '), also termed Doctor of Literature in some countries, is a terminal degree in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. In the United States, at universities such as Drew University, the degree ...

by the

University of Leeds The University of Leeds is a public research university in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It was established in 1874 as the Yorkshire College of Science. In 1884, it merged with the Leeds School of Medicine (established 1831) and was renamed Y ...

in 1990 and an honorary doctorate from

Kingston University Kingston University London is a Public university, public research university located within the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, in South London, South West London, England. Its roots go back to the Kingston Technical Institute, founded ...

in 1996. In 1998 he refused an honorary doctorate from Oxford University, in protest at its acceptance of funding for a chair from press baron

Rupert Murdoch Keith Rupert Murdoch ( ; born 11 March 1931) is an Australian - American retired business magnate, investor, and media mogul. Through his company News Corp, he is the owner of hundreds of List of assets owned by News Corp, local, national, a ...

. He also declined a

CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

in 1988 and a knighthood in 1996. He has stated that, although he is not a republican, he would never wish to be knighted, saying it would be a bit like having to wear a suit for the rest of his life. In December 2011, Bennett returned to

, nearly 60 years after he left, to unveil the renamed Alan Bennett Library. He said he "loosely" based ''The History Boys'' on his experiences at the school and his admission to Oxford. Lawnswood School dedicated its library to the writer after he emerged as a vocal campaigner against public library cuts. Plans to shut local libraries were "wrong and very short-sighted", Bennett said, adding: "We're impoverishing young people."

In popular culture

* In the film for television ''

Not Only But Always ''Not Only But Always'' is a British TV movie, originally screened on the Channel 4 network in the UK on 30 December 2004. Description Written and directed by playwright Terry Johnson, the film tells the story of the working and personal relat ...

'', about the careers of

and

, Bennett is portrayed by Alan Cox. * Along with the other members of ''

'', Bennett is portrayed in the play '' Pete and Dud: Come Again'', by Chris Bartlett and

Nick Awde Nick Awde Hill (born 29 December 1961) is a British writer, artist, singer-songwriter and critic. He lives in London and Brussels. Personal life The son of the international lawyer who formulated laws integral to global shipping of container ...

. * Bennett voices himself in the episode " Brian's Play" of the animated series ''

Family Guy ''Family Guy'' is an American animated sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series premiered on January 31, 1999, following Super Bowl XXXIII, with the rest of the first season airing from April 11, 1999. Th ...

''. * Bennett was portrayed by

Harry Enfield Henry Richard Enfield (born 30 May 1961) is an English comedian. He is known in particular for his television work, including '' Harry Enfield's Television Programme'', '' Harry Enfield & Chums'' and '' Harry & Paul'', across which he created ...

Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Dzhugashvili; 5 March 1953) was a Soviet politician and revolutionary who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until Death and state funeral of Joseph Stalin, his death in 1953. He held power as General Secret ...

, in an episode of "Talking Heads of State", in BBC Two's 2014 satirical '' Harry and Paul's Story of the Twos''. * Bennett is portrayed by

Reece Dinsdale Reece Dinsdale (born 6 August 1959) is an English actor and director. His credits include '' Threads'' (1984), '' A Private Function'' (1984), '' Winter Flight'' (1984), ''Home to Roost'' (1985—1990), ''Haggard'' (1990), '' ID'' (1994), ''H ...

in a 2014 production of ''Untold Stories'' at the

West Yorkshire Playhouse Leeds Playhouse is a theatre in the city centre of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It opened in 1990 in the Quarry Hill area of the city as the West Yorkshire Playhouse, successor to the original Leeds Playhouse, and was rebranded in June 2018 ...

. * Bennett is portrayed by British actor

in the 2015 comedy-drama film '' The Lady in the Van''. He appears as himself briefly at the end of the film. * In the season 2 episode "Mystery Man" of the Netflix show ''

The Crown The Crown is a political concept used in Commonwealth realms. Depending on the context used, it generally refers to the entirety of the State (polity), state (or in federal realms, the relevant level of government in that state), the executive ...

'', Bennett is portrayed by British actor Seb Carrington. * In

Stewart Lee Stewart Graham Lee (born 5 April 1968) is an English comedian. His stand-up routine is characterised by repetition, internal reference, and deadpan delivery. Lee began his career in 1989 and formed the comedy duo Lee and Herring with Richard ...

's 2022 comedy special "Tornado", Bennett appears as himself at the very end. In the appearance, Bennett states that

Erving Goffman Erving Goffman (11 June 1922 – 19 November 1982) was a Canadian-born American sociologist, social psychologist, and writer, considered by some "the most influential American sociologist of the twentieth century". In 2007, '' The Time ...

would have enjoyed the special. This refers to a review of Lee's comedy that Bennett wrote for ''

The London Review of Books The ''London Review of Books'' (''LRB'') is a British literary magazine published bimonthly that features articles and essays on fiction and non-fiction subjects, which are usually structured as book reviews. History The ''London Review of Boo ...

'' in 2017 and acts as a callback to a previous joke in the special.

References

Mark Lawson Mark Gerard Lawson is an English journalist, broadcaster and author. Specialising in culture and the arts, he is best known for presenting the flagship BBC Radio 4 arts programme '' Front Row'' between 1998 and 2014. He is also a '' Guardian'' ...

. (Video, 1 hr)
BBC Interview
Radio 4 ''Front Row'' archive. (Audio, 1 hr)
Portraits at the National Portrait Gallery
(3 pages) * *
"Curtain re-opens on Bennett play"
BBC News, 29 January 2009 – Video interview with Alan Bennett *
Alan Bennett
at

Macmillan Books Macmillan Publishers (occasionally known as the Macmillan Group; formally Macmillan Publishers Ltd in the United Kingdom and Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC in the United States) is a British publishing company traditionally considered to be on ...

Alan Bennett's Talking Heads BBC Radio 4 "The Reunion"
(Audio, 42 min) * Archival material at {{DEFAULTSORT:Bennett, Alan 1934 births 20th-century British military personnel 20th-century English diarists 20th-century English dramatists and playwrights 20th-century English LGBTQ people 20th-century English male actors 20th-century English memoirists 20th-century English screenwriters 21st-century English diarists 21st-century English dramatists and playwrights 21st-century English LGBTQ people 21st-century English male actors 21st-century English memoirists 21st-century English screenwriters Alumni of Exeter College, Oxford Audiobook narrators BAFTA winners (people) Best Entertainment Performance BAFTA Award (television) winners Bisexual dramatists and playwrights Bisexual screenwriters British Book Award winners English agnostics English bisexual male actors English LGBTQ dramatists and playwrights English LGBTQ screenwriters English male dramatists and playwrights English male film actors English male radio actors English male screenwriters English male stage actors English male television actors English male television writers English male voice actors English monarchists English radio personalities English satirists English television writers Fellows of Exeter College, Oxford Laurence Olivier Award winners LGBTQ people from Yorkshire Living people Male actors from Leeds Military personnel from Leeds People educated at Leeds Modern School People from Armley Special Tony Award recipients Tony Award winners Writers from Leeds