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Leland is best known for directing ’Wish You Were Here’, ’Land Girls’ and TV series ’Band Of Brothers’.

Pierce Brosnan and Liam Neeson have heralded their collaborations with leading UK director, writer and actor David Leland who died on December 24, 2023 at the age of 82

Brosnan thanked the filmmaker, best known for directing Wish You Were Here and The Land Girls, for giving him his first professional acting role in Tennessee William’s stage production of The Red Devil Battery Sign.

“It was the thrill of my young lifetime to be cast as McCabe, working with David and Tennessee. David will...

Following The Film Stage’s collective top 50 films of 2023, as part of our year-end coverage, our contributors are sharing their personal top 10 lists.

In 2023, I wanted to laugh. Perhaps more than I realized, because when I finally calculated my top-rated films that came out this year, a great portion of my selections turned out to be either straight-up comedies or gripping comedy-dramas. 2023 was the year I embraced funny and moving movie coming-of-age stories probably more than any other, but to me, that genre isn’t only limited to what happens when 11-year-old girls experience their period for the first time or when Elvis Presley decides to take a child bride. For example, Paul Giamatti’s acidic classics teacher experiences something like a middle-aged puberty when he’s forced to care for an abandoned prep school kid during Christmas break in The Holdovers. In Beau is Afraid, we watch a stunted...

David Leland, a director of stage and screen whose filmmaking CV includes films such as Wish You Were Here, Personal Services and Land Girls, has died. He was 82.

Born in 1941 in Cambridge, Leland initially trained as an actor at the Central Speech of School and Drama and had many stage credits before moving into direction at the Crucible Theatre. That began his collaboration with Alan Clarke in 1981. He wrote Made In Britain, which Clarke directed and featured the first screen role of Tim Roth. In 1986, Leland and director Neil Jordan co-wrote the screenplay for Mona Lisa, which starred Bob Hoskins.

Leland then wrote Personal Services, which was directed by Terry Jones and followed the true-life story of Cynthia Payne, who ran a private brothel.

Payne was also the subject of Leland's next film his directorial debut, Wish You Were Here, which chronicled her teenage years, starring Emily Lloyd.

While his next two films,...

Emmy winning “Band of Brothers” director David Leland, who was also a prolific writer with over five decades in the industry, died Sunday at age 82.

The news came from his longtime agency Cassaroto Ramsay & Associates on Wednesday.

“Our beloved client writer/director, David Leland has passed away. We will miss his incredible talent and warm spirit so very much,” the agency said. “Our thoughts are with his family at this time.”

Leland, born in England at the height of World War II, trained as an actor and stage manager before establishing himself as a screenwriter and director. Among his most popular films are the 1983 cult classic “Made in Britain,” 1986’s Golden-Globe and Oscar-nominated “Mona Lisa” with Bob Hoskins and 1987’s “Wish You Were Here.”

Leland was renowned for writing two films about British suburban madam Cynthia Payne, 1987’s “Personal Services” and Cannes Film Festival hit “Wish You Were Here,” the...

The British film-maker also wrote the landmark TV play Made in Britain, starring Tim Roth, and won an Emmy award for Band of Brothers

David Leland, the director behind popular 1980s hit Wish You Were Here and writer on a string of acclaimed British films including Made in Britain, Mona Lisa and Personal Services, has died aged 82. His agency Casarotto Ramsay and Associates said in a statement that Leland died on Sunday surrounded by his family. They added: “He is survived by his wife, Sabrina, his four daughters, his son and his six grandchildren … all of whom he loved almost as much as Arsenal football club.”

Born in 1941, Leland initially trained as an actor at the Central School of Speech of Drama, before becoming part of the breakaway that led to the creation of the Drama Centre in 1963. He secured small roles in 1970s films such as John Mackenzie’s directorial debut One Brief Summer,...

David Leland, the veteran British theater, film and TV writer and director best known for his 1987 debut movie Wish You Were Here, has died. He was 82.

Leland’s death on Christmas Eve was announced by his longtime publicist, Casarotto Ramsay & Associates.

Born on April 20, 1941, Leland initially trained as an actor at the Central Speech of School and Drama and had many stage credits before moving into direction at the Crucible Theatre.

Leland worked with such British talent as Michael Palin and Terry Jones and directed the world premiere of Their Finest Hours. Pierce Brosnan got his first opportunity to act on stage in the British premiere of Tennessee Williams’ The Red Devil Battery Sign at The Round House, which Leland directed.

“David Leland holds a mighty place in my heart,” Brosnan said in a statement. “I was just out of Drama Center where David was also an alumni. It...

British director and actor David Leland has died aged 82, according to his long-time agency, Cassaroto Ramsay & Associates

The theater, film and TV star passed away on Christmas Eve (December 24), surrounded by his family.

Leland’s career spanned over five decades. He is known for writing two films about British suburban madam Cynthia Payne, the BAFTA-nominated Personal Services in 1987 and the Cannes Film Festival hit Wish You Were Here.

The former was directed by Terry Jones and starred Julie Walters, while Leland directed the latter himself, with Emily Lloyd starring.

Leland won the BAFTA for Best Original Screenplay for Wish You Were Here and the film won the Fipresci prize at Cannes.

He is also noted for serving as co-showrunner of Showtime series The Borgias and for giving Pierce Brosnan his first stage opportunity in the British premiere of Tennessee Williams’ The Red Devil Battery Sign at The Round House, which Leland directed.

Bill Gavin, the former Goldcrest executive and general manager of Australia’s Hoyts Theatres, has died at the age of 83 at his home in Auckland, New Zealand, after a short illness.

Gavin moved to the UK in the early 1960s after securing a contract to cover New Zealand’s then highly successful Formula One drivers, going on to write a biography of UK driver Jim Clark. He segued initially into the music business and established Gto Films to promote glam rock acts, the company then branched into distribution and worked on the UK release of Weir’s classic Picnic At Hanging Rock and the original version of Swept Away.

In 1978 he moved to Australia to become general manager of Hoyts Theatres and spearheaded the company’s entry into distribution. His down under success distributing the first Muppet Movie caught the eye of Lew Grade, who invited him to join Itc Films’ sales team in London.

Tony Sokol Jan 22, 2020

Monty Python creator, writer and director Terry Jones threw away punchlines to refresh comedy.

Screenwriter, director, and author Terry Jones, a founding member of Monty Python, died at the age of 77, according to Variety. He had been suffering from frontotemporal dementia, which his son Bill revealed publicly in September 2016. The disease left the comedian unable to speak.

"Over the past few days his wife, children, extended family and many close friends have been constantly with Terry as he gently slipped away at his home in North London," Jones' family said in a statement. "We have all lost a kind, funny, warm, creative and truly loving man whose uncompromising individuality, relentless intellect and extraordinary humour has given pleasure to countless millions across six decades."

Terence Graham Parry Jones was born in North Wales on Feb. 1, 1942. He met his long-term collaborator Michael Palin while studying English at Oxford University.

From anime to pitch-black thrillers, here's our pick of the underappreciated movies of 1987...

Sometimes, the challenge with these lists isn't just what to put in, but what to leave out. We loved Princess Bride, but with a decent showing at the box office and a huge cult following, isn't it a bit too popular to be described as underappreciated? Likewise Joe Dante's Innerspace, a fabulously geeky, comic reworking of the 60s sci-fi flick, Fantastic Voyage.

What we've gone for instead is a mix of genre fare, dramas and animated films that may have garnered a cult following since, but didn't do well either critically or financially at the time of release. Some of the movies on our list just about made their money back, but none made anything close to the sort of returns enjoyed by the likes of 1987's biggest films - Three Men And A Baby, Fatal Attraction...

“The Voice” is adding yet another music superstar to their already stacked roster – Taylor Swift. NBC confirmed Friday that Swift would be joining the series as a key adviser in Season 7. The Grammy-winner will serve as a mentor to all artists on each of the four teams on the talent competition show. Also read: Taylor Swift's Personal Services Company Sued for Allegedly Bailing on Chauffeur Bills Swift's appearances will air Oct. 27, 28 and Nov. 3 during the Knockout Rounds of this season. She advised performers on vocal technique, stage presence and the importance of adapting songs to fit their own...

We're dusting off the old scripts and giving them an update for our O2 show – who wants to end up like poor Neil Diamond, booed for trying too much new material?

I'm still trying to find out how I feel after the press conference announcing the Monty Python reunion at London's O2 Arena. Of course, I'm excited about getting back together again – it's not every day you have a reunion after 30 or more years – but there's a little worry at the back of my mind. Will it go off Ok? Can I remember the words? Of course we are all going to make a lot of money out of it, but is the O2 too big for our little TV show?

I was bowled over about how we've suddenly become famous! At the the press conference we had journalists from the Us, Spain, Germany, Norway, and Australia. Wow! The front page of the Sun!

Michael Palin and Terry Jones recall the hilarity on the set of their 1983 classic – and reveal what Mr Creosote's vomit was made of

Michael Palin, actor

Having done The Holy Grail and Life of Brian, we found ourselves with a much bigger budget for The Meaning of Life. This meant we could spend an entire week on things like the sketch with Mr Creosote [the monstrously fat diner]. The sheer amount of minestrone used in the vomiting sequence was only possible because we were with Universal. That part was filmed at Seymour leisure centre in Paddington. On the morning after the final scene, in which Mr Creosote explodes and thousands of gallons of vomit get hurled against the walls, the room was all cleaned up immaculately – and, within 12 hours, two people were married in there. I wonder if they ever knew what had happened hours before.

The sketches drew on what we were feeling at the time.

Feature Simon Brew 28 Jun 2013 - 07:11

Ever watched a big movie, and stopped with a jolt when a star of a British sitcom pops up? Us too...

This feature is all the fault of the late Richard Marner. As the incompetent Colonel in 'Allo 'Allo, he built a performance that was indelible in our eyes. Thus, when he turned up in a big Hollywood thriller as the President of Russia, we unsuccessfully stifled a guffaw. A big guffaw.

And it got us thinking: what other times has a British sitcom star appeared out of the blue in a big movie, causing a sedentary double take from the comfort of our local Odeon? Glad you asked.

Two things. Firstly, this isn't designed to be a complete list, and also, we've covered films made after the actor or actress confirmed rose to prominence in a sitcom. Oh, and another thing: none of...

Most celebrity websites offer little more than a few photos, cuttings and the occasional message from the star. Not so at vincentgallo.com. Take the merchandising section, fronted by a picture of Gallo dressed in a sailor suit and grabbing his crotch. Among the usual CDs, T-shirts and posters, you can buy such rarities as a Charles Manson artwork (given to Gallo by Johnny Ramone on his 33rd birthday) or the helmet he used when he once raced motorbikes professionally. There's even a section marked "Personal Services". Yes, for $50,000, Gallo has made himself "available to all women – all women who can afford me, that is". You too can spend an evening with Vincent.