Andrew Davies (writer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Andrew Davies
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Davies in 2019
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| Born | Andrew Wynford Davies 20 September 1936 Rhiwbina, Cardiff, Wales |
| Occupation | Writer (TV and print) |
| Alma mater | University College London |
| Period | c. 1964–present (as a writer) |
| Genre | Audio and screenplays, novels |
| Notable works |
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| Notable awards | Guardian Prize 1979 BAFTA Fellow 2002 |
| Spouse |
Diana Huntley
(m. 1960) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Thomas Duggan (Grandson) |
Andrew Wynford Davies (born 20 September 1936) is a famous Welsh screenwriter and novelist. He is well-known for turning classic books into popular TV shows. Some of his most famous adaptations include Pride and Prejudice, Bleak House, and War & Peace. He also created original TV series like A Very Peculiar Practice. In 2002, he was honored as a BAFTA Fellow for his amazing work in television.
Contents
Andrew Davies' Early Life and Education
Andrew Davies was born in Rhiwbina, a town in Cardiff, Wales. He went to Whitchurch Grammar School in Cardiff. Later, he studied English at University College London, finishing in 1957.
After university, he worked as a teacher. He taught at St Clement Danes Grammar School in London from 1958 to 1961. Then, he taught at Woodberry Down Comprehensive School in Hackney until 1963. He also lectured in English at Coventry College of Education and the University of Warwick.
In 1960, Andrew Davies started writing for radio shows. His first radio play was in 1964. That same year, he married Diana Huntley. They have a son and a daughter. Today, he lives in Kenilworth, Warwickshire.
Andrew Davies: A Prolific Writer
Andrew Davies' first TV play, Who's Going to Take Me On?, was shown in 1967. He wrote many early plays while still working in education. These plays often appeared in TV series that showed different stories, like Thirty Minute Theatre and Play for Today.
His first TV series based on a book was To Serve Them All My Days in 1980. He also created A Very Peculiar Practice (1986–88), a comedy-drama about a university. This show was inspired by his own time working in education.
Adapting Classic Literature for TV
Andrew Davies is especially famous for adapting classic books into TV shows. He has brought many beloved stories to life on screen. These include:
- The Signalman (1976), a short story by Charles Dickens.
- Pride and Prejudice (1995), starring Colin Firth. This version is very popular.
- Vanity Fair (1998).
- Bleak House (2005).
- Sense and Sensibility (2008).
- Middlemarch (1994).
Other Notable Works
Davies also helped create the sitcom Game On for BBC2. He co-wrote the first two series. He adapted Michael Dobbs's political thriller House of Cards. This show was so popular that Dobbs wrote two more books, which Davies also adapted. Davies won his first Emmy award for his writing on House of Cards.
He also worked on the screenplays for the first two Bridget Jones movies. These films were based on novels by Helen Fielding.
Writing for Children
Andrew Davies has written many books and TV shows for children. His first novel for kids was Conrad's War, published in 1978. This book won the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize. This award celebrates the best children's book by an author who hasn't won it before.
He also wrote:
- Alfonso Bonzo (both a book and a TV series).
- The adventures of Marmalade Atkins (a TV series and many books).
- Stories like Dark Towers and Badger Girl for BBC TV's Look and Read programs, which were made for schools.
Recent Works
In 2008, his adaptations of Affinity by Sarah Waters and Brideshead Revisited (a film) were released. He also adapted Charles Dickens' Little Dorrit for a BBC series. Little Dorrit won seven Emmy awards, and Davies received his second Emmy for his writing.
He wrote the series Mr Selfridge for ITV, which starred Jeremy Piven. This show ran for four series from 2013 to 2016.
In 2016, his six-part adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's War & Peace was shown on BBC One. After its success, the BBC announced that Davies would write a six-part adaptation of Victor Hugo's Les Misérables. In 2017, it was announced that he would also adapt Vikram Seth's A Suitable Boy into an eight-part series.
In 2018, he shared that he is adapting John Updike's Rabbit, Run for television.
Andrew Davies' Filmography
Andrew Davies has written for many TV shows, films, and plays. Here are some of his works:
Television Series and Serials
- Eleanor Marx (1977)
- The Legend of King Arthur (1979)
- To Serve Them All My Days (1980–81)
- Dark Towers (Look and Read, 1981)
- Educating Marmalade (1982)
- Diana (1984)
- Badger Girl (Look and Read, 1984)
- Danger: Marmalade at Work (1984)
- A Very Peculiar Practice (1986–88)
- Mother Love (1989)
- House of Cards (1990)
- The Old Devils (1992)
- Anglo-Saxon Attitudes (1992)
- The Boot Street Band (1993–94)
- To Play the King (1993)
- Middlemarch (1994)
- Game On (with Bernadette Davis, 1995–98)
- Pride and Prejudice (1995)
- The Final Cut (1995)
- Wilderness (with Bernadette Davis, 1996)
- The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders (1996)
- Bill's New Frock (Book Box, 1998)
- Vanity Fair (1998)
- Wives and Daughters (1999)
- Take a Girl Like You (2000)
- The Way We Live Now (2001)
- Daniel Deronda (2002)
- Doctor Zhivago (2002)
- Tipping the Velvet (2002)
- He Knew He Was Right (2004)
- Bleak House (2005)
- The Line of Beauty (2006)
- The Diary of a Nobody (2007)
- Fanny Hill (2007)
- Sense and Sensibility (2008)
- Little Dorrit (2008)
- South Riding (2011)
- Mr Selfridge (2013–16)
- Quirke (2014)
- War & Peace (2016)
- Les Misérables (2018–19)
- Sanditon (2019)
- A Suitable Boy (2020)
Television Plays
- Who's Going to Take Me On? (The Wednesday Play, 1965)
- Is That Your Body, Boy? (Thirty-Minute Theatre, 1970)
- No Good Unless It Hurts (Sporting Scenes, 1973)
- The Water Maiden (Bedtime Stories, 1974)
- Grace (Centre Play, 1975)
- The Imp of the Perverse (Centre Play, 1975)
- A Martyr to the System (BBC2 Playhouse, 1976)
- The Signalman (A Ghost Story for Christmas, 1976)
- Velvet Glove (1977)
- Fearless Frank (BBC2 Play of the Week, 1978)
- Renoir My Father (BBC2 Play of the Week, 1978)
- After the Gold Rush (Scene, 1980)
- Bavarian Night (Play for Today, 1981)
- Marmalade Atkins in Space (Theatre Box, 1981)
- Heartattack Hotel (1983)
- Baby I Love You (Scene, 1985)
- Pythons on the Mountain (Summer Season, 1985)
- Time After Time (Screen Two, 1986)
- Inappropriate Behaviour (Screen Two, 1987)
- Lucky Sunil (Screen Two, 1988)
- A Private Life (Screen Two, 1989)
- Ball Trap on the Cote Sauvage (Screen One, 1989)
- Filipina Dreamgirls (Screen One, 1991)
- A Very Polish Practice (Screen One, 1992)
- Anna Lee (1993)
- Harnessing Peacocks (1993)
- A Few Short Journeys of the Heart (Stages, 1994)
- Emma (1996)
- Getting Hurt (Obsessions, 1998)
- A Rather English Marriage (1998)
- Othello (2001)
- Boudica (2003)
- Falling (2005)
- The Chatterley Affair (2006)
- Northanger Abbey (The Jane Austen Season, 2007)
- A Room with a View (2007)
- Affinity (2008)
- Sleep with Me (2009)
- A Poet in New York (2014)
Feature Films
- Consuming Passions (1988)
- Circle of Friends (1995)
- The Tailor of Panama (2001)
- Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)
- Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004)
- Brideshead Revisited (2008)
- The Three Musketeers (2011)
Andrew Davies' Books
Andrew Davies has written many books, including novels and children's books.
Children's Books
- Conrad's War (Blackie and Son, 1978) — This book won the Guardian Prize.
- Marmalade and Rufus (republished in 1982 as Marmalade Atkins' Dreadful Deeds; Mammoth, 1979)
- The Legend of King Arthur (Armada, 1979) — This was a book version of Davies' TV series.
- The Fantastic Feats of Doctor Boox
- Marmalade Atkins in Space (Abelard-Schuman, 1981)
- Educating Marmalade (Hamlyn, 1983)
- Danger! Marmalade at Work (Penguin, 1984)
- Marmalade Hits the Big Time (Thames/Magnet, 1984)
- Alfonso Bonzo (Methuen, 1986)
Novels for Adults
- A Very Peculiar Practice (Coronet, 1986) — This book was based on the first TV series.
- A Very Peculiar Practice: The New Frontier (Methuen, 1988) — This was based on the second TV series.
- Getting Hurt (Methuen, 1989)
- Dirty Faxes (Methuen, 1990) — A collection of linked short stories.
- B. Monkey (Lime Tree, 1992) — This book was later made into a film in 1998.
Stage Plays
- Diary of a Desperate Woman (1979)
- Rose (1980)
- Prin (1990)
Picture Books for Children
Andrew and Diana Davies have also written picture books for younger children.
- Poonam's Pets (Methuen Children's, 1990), illustrated by Paul Dowling.
- Raj In Charge (Hamish Hamilton, 1994), illustrated by Debi Gliori.
