Brian Sibley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brian Sibley
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Sibley in 2014
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| Born | Brian David Sibley 14 July 1949 Wandsworth, London, England |
| Occupation | Writer and broadcaster |
| Education | Chislehurst Secondary School for Boys |
| Period | 1974–present |
| Notable works | BBC Radio adaptation of The Lord of the Rings |
| Notable awards | Sony Radio Award (1985) |
| Spouse | David Weeks |
| Relatives | Frank Sibley (uncle) |
Brian David Sibley (born on July 14, 1949) is a famous English writer. He has created over 100 hours of radio plays. He has also written and hosted hundreds of radio shows.
One of his most well-known works is the 1981 radio version of The Lord of the Rings. Brian Sibley is also known for writing many "making of" books. These include books about the Harry Potter movies. He also wrote about The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film series.
Contents
Brian Sibley's Early Life
Brian Sibley was born in Wandsworth, London. His father, Eric George Sibley, was an architectural draughtsman. His mother was Doris Alice Sibley.
When he was five, his family moved to Chislehurst, Kent. He went to St Nicholas Church of England Primary School. Later, he attended Chislehurst Secondary School for Boys. There, he earned good grades in English and Art.
Brian Sibley first dreamed of being an actor, cartoonist, or animator. After school, he worked in different office jobs. He worked for the London Borough of Bromley. Then he worked for a shipping company in London. In his free time, he started sending scripts to the BBC. When his company was taken over, he decided to become a full-time writer.
Brian Sibley's Career
Brian Sibley has had a long and exciting career. He is known for his work in radio and for his many books.
Radio Writing and Broadcasting
Brian Sibley's first radio show was Three Cheers for Pooh. It was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1976. This show celebrated 50 years since Winnie-the-Pooh was first published.
In 1981, he helped write the radio adaptation of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. He also adapted C. S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia. For his plays based on Mervyn Peake's books, he won a Sony Radio Award in 1985.
Other major radio plays he adapted include:
- John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress
- Tolkien's Tales from the Perilous Realm
- Roald Dahl's Danny, the Champion of the World
- Lucy M. Boston's The Children of Green Knowe
- T H White's The Once and Future King
- Richard Adams's Watership Down
Brian Sibley also wrote his own original radio plays. He was a regular host for BBC Radio 4's arts show Kaleidoscope. He also hosted the BBC World Service arts magazine, Meridian. He presented the Radio 4 film show, Talking Pictures.
He has created many radio features and documentaries. These shows covered topics like Sherlock Holmes, Peter Pan, Winnie-the-Pooh, and Alice in Wonderland. He also made shows about the lives of famous people. These include Harry Houdini, Jim Henson, Roald Dahl, Ray Bradbury, and Julie Andrews.
Gillian Reynolds, a radio critic, called him a "magician of the airwaves." This means she thought he was amazing at creating radio shows.
Books and Publications
Brian Sibley has written many books. Many of them are about popular movies and stories.
His books include:
- The Disney Studio Story
- Mickey Mouse: His Life and Times
- The Land of Narnia
- Shadowlands: The True Story of C. S. Lewis and Joy Davidman
- The Thomas the Tank Engine Man, a biography of Wilbert Vere Awdry
- Cracking Animation: The Aardman book of 3-D Film-making (with Peter Lord)
- Chicken Run: Hatching the Movie
- Three Cheers for Pooh
- The Maps of Tolkien's Middle-earth (with artist John Howe)
He also wrote a children's book called The Frightful Food Feud. He has edited other books, like The Pooh Sketchbook.
Brian Sibley wrote The Lord of the Rings: The Making of the Movie Trilogy. He then wrote the official biography of the films' director, Peter Jackson: A Filmmaker's Journey.
Other books he has written include:
- Movie guides for The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
- Harry Potter Film Wizardry
- The Golden Compass: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion
- Mary Poppins: Anything Can Happen if You Let It
In 2016, he wrote a new story for a Winnie-the-Pooh 90th birthday collection. His story introduced a new character, Penguin. This character was inspired by an old photo of A. A. Milne and his son.
His Christmas book, Joseph and the Three Gifts, was published in 2019. It was called "a little masterpiece."
Brian Sibley has also recorded audio commentaries for DVDs. These include Around the World in 80 Days and Fantasia. He has appeared on bonus features for many Disney Blu-rays and DVDs. These include Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Pinocchio.
In 2022, he edited J.R.R.Tolkien's The Fall of Númenor. This book won the Tolkien Society's 'Best Book of 2023' award.
Brian Sibley's Personal Life
Brian Sibley was the President of The Lewis Carroll Society from 2014 to 2024. He then became the Society's Chair. He is also an honorary member of The Children's Books History Society. He is a member of The Magic Circle. He is also an honorary member of the Tolkien Society. The Tolkien Society gave him an Outstanding Contribution Award in 2022.
Brian Sibley's Discography
CDs
- E. T. A. Hoffmann: The Nutcracker and the Mouse King. BBC Audio.
- C. S. Lewis: The Complete Chronicles of Narnia. BBC Audio.
- A. A. Milne: Enchanted Places: The Complete Fraser-Simson Settings of A. A. Milne. EM Records.
- Mervyn Peake and Maeve Gilmore: The History of Titus Groan. BBC Audio.
- J. R. R. Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings: The Collector's Edition. BBC Audio.
- J. R. R. Tolkien: Tales from the Perilous Realm. BBC Audio.
- P. L. Travers: Mary Poppins. BBC Audio.
- Jeff Wayne: Spartacus. Columbia.
DVDs
- 101 Dalmatians Platinum Edition (as interviewee).
- Animal Farm (1955) (as commentator).
- Around the World in Eighty Days (1957) (as commentator).
- The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story (as interviewee).
- Fantasia (1940) Platinum Edition (as commentator).
- Guerrilla Distribution (as cameo performer).
- The Jungle Book (1967) Platinum Edition (as interviewee).
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 2-Disc Theatrical Edition (as interviewee).
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 4-Disc Extended Edition (as interviewee).
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers 4-Disc Extended Edition (as interviewee).
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 4-Disc Extended Edition (as interviewee).
- Mary Poppins 2-Disc 40th Anniversary Special Edition (as interviewee).
- The Narnia Code (as interviewee).
- Pinocchio (1940) Platinum Edition (as interviewee).
- Ringers: Lord of the Fans (as contributor).
- Sleeping Beauty (1959) Platinum Edition (as interviewee).
- Wallace and Gromit: The Wrong Trousers (as co-screenwriter)
- Walt Disney Treasures: The Chronological Donald (as interviewee).
- Walt Disney Treasures: Dr Syn (as interviewee).
Blu-rays
- Alice in Wonderland (1951) 60th Anniversary Edition (as interviewee).
- Beauty and the Beast (1991) Diamond Edition (as interviewee).
- Fantasia (1940) 2-Movie Collection (as interviewee).
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) Diamond Edition (as interviewee).
