Mike Leigh Biography (1943-)

Born February 20, 1943, in Salford, Lancashire, England; son of Alfred Abraham (a doctor) and Phyllis Pauline (maiden name, Cousin) Leigh; married AlisonSteadman (an actress), September 15, 1973 (divorced, 2001); children: Toby, Leo. Addresses: Agent: Peters Fraser & Dunlop, The Chambers, 34-43Russell Street, London WC2B 5HA, England.; Contact: c/o Thin Man Films Limited, 9 Creek Street, Soho, London W1D 4DQ, England.

Nationality: British
Gender: Male
Occupation: Director, writer
Birth Details: February 20, 1943; Salford, Lancashire, United Kingdom

Famous Works

CREDITS
Film Director
Bleak Moments (also known as Loving Moments), Contemporary,1972
Four Days in July, BBC, 1984
High Hopes, Skouras, 1989
Life Is Sweet, October Films, 1991
"A Sense of History," Two Mikes Don't Make a Wright, October Films, 1992
Mike Leigh's Naked (also known as Naked), Fine Line, 1993
Secrets & Lies (also known as Secrets et mensonges), October Films, 1996
Career Girls, October Films, 1997
Topsy-Turvy, October Films, 1999
All or Nothing, United Artists, 2002
Cinema 16, Momac, 2003
Film Appearances
Himself, Welcome to Hollywood, Phaedra, 1998
Stage Director
(And set designer) Little Malcolm and His Struggle against the Eunuchs, Unity Theatre, London, 1965
The Box Play, Midlands Art Centre Theatre, Birmingham, England, 1965
My Parents Have Gone to Carlisle, Midlands Art Centre Theatre, 1966
The Last Crusade of the Five Little Nuns, Midlands Art Centre Theatre, 1966
NENAA, Royal Shakespeare Company, Studio Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, England, 1967
The Knack, Royal Shakespeare Company, Theatregoround, 1967
Individual Fruit Pies, East-15 Acting School, London, 1968
Down Here and Up There, Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, London, 1968
Big Basil, Manchester Youth Theatre, Manchester, England, 1968
Epilogue, Sedgely Park and De La Salle Colleges, Manchester, 1969
Glum Victoria and the Lad with Specs, Manchester Youth Theatre, 1969
Bleak Moments, Open Space Theatre, London, 1970
The Life of Galileo, Bermuda Arts Festival, 1970
A Rancid Pong, Basement Theatre, London, 1971
Wholesome Glory, Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, 1973
Dick Whittington and His Cat, Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, 1973
The Jaws of Death, Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Scotland, 1973
The Silent Majority, Bush Theatre, London, 1974
Babies Grow Old, Royal Shakespeare Company, The Other Place, London, 1974
Abigail's Party, Hampstead Theatre Club, London, 1977
Ecstasy, Hampstead Theatre Club, 1979
Goose-Pimples, Hampstead Theatre Club, then Garrick Theatre, London, both 1981
Smelling a Rat, Hampstead Theatre Club, 1988
Greek Tragedy, Edinburgh Festival, Edinburgh, Scotland, then Theatre Royal, Stratford-upon-Avon, later Sydney, Australia, all 1990
It's a Great Big Shame!, Theatre Royal, Stratford East, London, 1993
Television Director
Movies
Hard Labour (also known as Play for Today: Hard Labour), BBC, 1973
Nuts in May (also known as Play for Today: Nuts in May), BBC, 1976
Kiss of Death (also known as Play for Today: Kiss of Death), BBC, 1977
Abigail's Party (also known as Play for Today: Abigail's Party), BBC, 1977
Who's Who (also known as Play for Today: Who's Who), BBC, 1978
Grown-Ups (also known as BBC2 Playhouse: Grown-Ups), BBC, 1980
Home Sweet Home (also known as Play for Today: Home Sweet Home), BBC, 1981
Meantime, BBC, 1983
The Short and Curlies, BBC, 1987
A Sense of History, Channel 4, 1992

Specials
A Mug's Game, 1973
The Permissive Society, BBC, 1975
Knock for Knock, BBC, 1976
Episodic
"The Birth of the 2001 F.A. Cup Final Goalie," Five Minute Plays,1982
"Old Chums," Five Minute Plays, 1982
"Probation," Five Minute Plays, 1982
"A Light Snack," Five Minute Plays, 1982
"Afternoon," Five Minute Plays, 1982
Directed episodes of The Wednesday Play.
Television Appearances
Specials
Inside the Academy Awards, TNT, 1997
The Inside Reel: Digital Filmmaking, PBS, 2001
Episodic
Conversations in World Cinema, Sundance Channel, 2000
Breakfast, BBC, 2002
Radio Director
Director of the radio play Too Much of a Good Thing, banned from release, 1979.
WRITINGS
Screenplays
Bleak Moments (also known as Loving Moments; from the playby Leigh), Contemporary, 1972
Four Days in July, BBC, 1984
High Hopes, Skouras, 1989
Life Is Sweet, October Films, 1991
Mike Leigh's Naked (also known as Naked), Fine Line Features, 1993
Secrets & Lies (also known as Secrets et mensonges), October Films, 1996
Career Girls, October Films, 1997
Topsy-Turvy, October Films, 1999
All or Nothing, United Artists, 2002
Stage Plays
The Box Play, produced at Midlands Art Centre Theatre, Birmingham,England, 1965
My Parents Have Gone to Carlisle, produced at Midlands Art CentreTheatre, 1966
The Last Crusade of the Five Little Nuns, produced at Midlands ArtCentre Theatre, 1966
Waste Paper Guards, produced in Birmingham, 1966
NENAA, produced by Royal Shakespeare Company, Studio Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, England, 1967
Individual Fruit Pies, produced at East-15 Acting School, Loughton, England, 1968
Down Here and Up There, produced at Royal Court Theatre Upstairs,London, 1968
Big Basil, produced at Manchester Youth Theatre, Manchester, England, 1968
Epilogue, produced at Sedgely Park and De La Salle Colleges, Manchester, 1969
Glum Victoria and the Lad with Specs, produced at Manchester YouthTheatre, 1969
Bleak Moments, produced at Open Space Theatre, London, 1970
A Rancid Pong, produced at Basement Theatre, London, 1971
Wholesome Glory, produced at Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, 1973
Dick Whittington and His Cat, produced at Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, 1973
The Jaws of Death, produced at Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, 1973
The Silent Majority, produced at Bush Theatre, London, 1974
Babies Grow Old, produced by Royal Shakespeare Company, The OtherPlace, Stratford-upon-Avon, 1974
Abigail's Party, produced at Hampstead Theatre Club, London, 1977,published by Samuel French, 1979, published with Goose-Pimples, Penguin, 1983
Ecstasy, produced at Hampstead Theatre Club, 1979, published withSmelling a Rat, Nick Hern Books, 1989
Goose-Pimples, produced at Hampstead Theatre Club, then Garrick Theatre, London, both 1981, published by Samuel French, 1982, published with Abigail's Party, Penguin, 1983
Smelling a Rat, produced at Hampstead Theatre Club, 1988, published with Ecstacy, Nick Hern Books, 1989
Greek Tragedy, produced at Edinburgh Festival, then Theatre Royal,later Sydney, Australia, all 1990
It's a Great Big Shame!, produced at Theatre Royal, Stratford East, London, 1993
Television Movies
Hard Labour (also known as Play for Today: Hard Labour), BBC, 1973
Nuts in May (also known as Play for Today: Nuts in May), BBC, 1976
Kiss of Death (also known as Play for Today: Kiss of Death), BBC, 1977
Abigail's Party (also known as Play for Today: Abigail's Party), BBC, 1977
Who's Who (also known as Play for Today: Who's Who), BBC, 1978
Grown-Ups (also known as BBC2 Playhouse: Grown-Ups), BBC, 1980
Home Sweet Home (also known as Play for Today: Home Sweet Home), BBC, 1981
Meantime, BBC, 1983
The Short and Curlies, BBC, 1987
Television Specials
A Mug's Game, 1973
The Permissive Society, BBC, 1975
Knock for Knock, BBC, 1976
Television Episodes
"The Birth of the 2001 F.A. Cup Final Goalie," Five Minute Plays,1982
"Old Chums," Five Minute Plays, 1982
"Probation," Five Minute Plays, 1982
"A Light Snack," Five Minute Plays, 1982
"Afternoon," Five Minute Plays, 1982
Radio Plays
Too Much of a Good Thing, banned from release, 1979

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Books

Carney, Raymond, and Leonard Quart, The Films of Mike Leigh: Embracingthe World, Cambridge University Press, 2000
Clements, Paul, The Improvised Play: The Work of Mike Leigh, Methuen, 1983
Coveney, Michael, The World According to Mike Leigh, HarperCollins, 1996
International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, Volume 2: Directors, St. James Press, 1996
Mike Leigh, Interviews, University Press of Mississippi, 2000

Periodicals

Cineaste, fall, 1996, p. 53
Empire, 1993, pp. 54-56; October, 1997, pp. 156-160
Los Angeles Times, March 9, 1989
New Statesman and Society, April 23, 1993, p. 26
New York Times, February 19, 1989
Premiere, 1996, pp. 83-84
The Times, February 19, 2000, pp. 28-29, 31-32
Time, September 30, 1996, p. 66
Washington Post, April 7, 1989

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