Leigh, Mike 1943–

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LEIGH, Mike 1943–

PERSONAL

Born February 20, 1943, in Salford, Lancashire, England; son of Alfred Abraham (a doctor) and Phyllis Pauline (maiden name, Cousin) Leigh; married Alison Steadman (an actress), September 15, 1973 (divorced, 2001); children: Toby, Leo. Education: Attended Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, 1960–62, Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts, 1963–64, London School of Film Technique, 1963–64, and Central School of Art and Design, 1964–65.

Addresses: Agent— Peters Fraser & Dunlop, The Chambers, 34–43 Russell Street, London WC2B 5HA, England. Contact— c/o Thin Man Films Limited, 9 Creek Street, Soho, London W1D 4DQ, England.

Career: Director and writer. Dramagraph (production company), London, England, cofounder, 1965; Midlands Art Centre for Young People, Birmingham, England, associate director, 1965–66; Victoria Theatre, Stoke–on–Trent, England, actor, 1966; Royal Shakespeare Company, assistant director, 1967–68; De La Salle College, lecturer, 1968–69; Sedgely Park College, Manchester, England, lecturer, 1968–69; London Film School, London, lecturer, 1970–73; Imagine Productions, cofounder, 1982; Thin Man Films, principal. Arts Council of Great Britain, member of Drama Panel, 1975–77, member of Director's Working Party and Specialist Allocation Board, 1976–87; National Council for Drama Training, member of Accreditation Panel, 1978—; Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA), member of general advisory council, 1980–82. Appeared in television commercials for McDonald's in the U.K., 1994.

Awards, Honors: Golden Leopard Award, best film, Locarno International Film Festival, and Golden Hugo Award, Chicago Film Festival, both 1972, for Bleak Moments; George Devine Award, 1973; Evening Standard Award, and London Critics Choice Award, best comedy, 1981, both for Goose–Pimples; Evening Standard Award, 1982; People's Prize, Berlin Film Festival, 1984, for Meantime; Film Award nomination, best short film, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, 1988, for The Short and Curlies; FIPRESCI Award, Venice Film Festival, Critics Award, Venice Film Festival, 1988, Stars de Demain Coup de Coeur, and Peter Sellers Comedy Award, Evening Standard, 1989, all for High Hopes; honorary M.A. degree, University of Salford, 1991; Independent Spirit Award nomination and Bodil Festival Award, best foreign film, 1992, both for Life Is Sweet; decorated Officer, Order of the British Empire, 1993; Film Award nomination (with Simon Channing–Williams), best short film, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, 1993, for "A Sense of History," Two Mikes Don't Make a Wright ; Cannes Film Festival Award, best director, Audience Award, international competition, Clermont–Ferrand International Short Film Festival, Golden Palm Award nomination, Cannes Film Festival, Metro Media Award, Toronto International Film Festival, 1993, Alexander Korda Award nomination, best British film, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Independent Spirit Award nomination, best foreign film, 1994, all for Naked; Michael Balcon Award, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, 1996; Lifetime Achievement Award, Empire Awards, 1996; Golden Palm Award and Prize of the Ecumenical Jury, both Cannes Film Festival, European Film Award nomination, best film, Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award, best director, Boston Society of Film Critics Award, best director, 1996, Academy Award nominations, best director and best writing—screenplay written directly for the screen, Alexander Korda Award (with Channing–Williams), best British film, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Film Award, best screenplay—original, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Film Award nominations, best film (with Channing–Williams) and David Lean Award for Direction, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Cesar Award nomination, best foreign film, Independent Spirit Award, best foreign film, Humanitas Prize, feature film category, Writers Guild of America Screen Award nomination, best screenplay written directly for the screen, Directors Guild of America Award nomination, outstanding directorial achievement, Critics Award, best foreign film, French Syndicate of Cinema Critics, Golden Satellite Award nomination, best director of a motion picture, Goya Award, best European film, Guild Film Award–Silver, foreign film, Guild of German Art House Cinemas, Humanitas Prize, feature film category, Silver Ribbon, best director, Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists, ALFS Award, British director of the year, London Critics Circle Film Awards, 1997, Silver Condor Award, best foreign film, Argentinian Film Critics Association Awards, 1998, all for Secrets & Lies; Golden Spike Award nomination, Valladolid International Film Festival, Silver Spike and Youth Jury Award–Special Mention, Vallodolid International Film Festival, 1997, for Career Girls; officer, Ordre des Arts et Lettres, 1998; Special Award (with Dick Pope), best duo: director–cinematographer, Camerimage, 1999; Dilys Powell Award, London Critics Circle Film Awards, 2000; Golden Lion Award nomination, Venice Film Festival, 1999, Academy Award nomination, best writing, Alexander Korda Award nomination, best British Film, and Film Award, best screenplay, both British Academy of Film and Television Arts, British Independent Film Award nomination, best director, Chicago Film Critics Association Award nomination, best screenplay, Independent Spirit Award nomination, best foreign film, 2000, Evening Standard New York Film Critics Circle Award, best director, 1999, Panorama Jury Award, Sarajevo Film Festival, National Society of Film Critics Award, best director, 2000, ALFS Award nominations, British director of the year and British screenwriter of the year, London Critics Circle Film Awards, 2001, all for Topsy–Turvy; Dilys Powell Award, London Critics Circle Film Awards, 2001; Golden Palm Award nomination, Cannes Film Festival, European Film Award nomination, best director, 2002, Golden Satellite Award nomination, best screenplay, 2003, all for All or Nothing.

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.

Television Director; Specials:

A Mug's Game, 1973.

The Permissive Society, BBC, 1975.

Knock for Knock, BBC, 1976.

Television Director; 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.

Television Appearances; 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 play by 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 Centre Theatre, 1966.

The Last Crusade of the Five Little Nuns, produced at Midlands Art Centre 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 Youth Theatre, 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 Other Place, 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 with Smelling 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.