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

    User Contributions:

    Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic:

    CAPTCHA


    forum