David Parfitt (born 8 July 1958) is an English film producer, actor, and co-founder of Trademark Films.[1] He won the Academy Award for Best Picture at the 71st Academy Awards for Shakespeare in Love (1998).[2]

David Parfitt
Born (1958-07-08) 8 July 1958 (age 66)
Sunderland, County Durham, England
EducationBarbara Speake Stage School, London
OccupationProducer
Years active1971–present

Early life

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Parfitt was born in Sunderland and educated at the Barbara Speake Stage School, an independent school in London.

Career

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He began his stage career with the Sunderland Empire Theatre Society in 1969 and later gained work on television, including playing Peter Harrison in the sitcoms ...And Mother Makes Three (1971–1973) and its sequel ...And Mother Makes Five (1974–1976) and appearing in Love in a Cold Climate (1980). In the BBC Radio 4 serial The Archers, he was the first actor in the role of Tim Beecham, an old friend of Nigel Pargetter.

Work as a producer

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Parfitt gave up acting in the late 1980s to concentrate on production. He co-founded the Renaissance Theatre Company with Kenneth Branagh in 1987, and was associate producer of Renaissance Film's first production, Henry V in 1989. Since then he has produced and associate-produced many British films, including Peter's Friends, Swan Song (1992), Much Ado About Nothing (1993), Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Twelfth Night (1996), The Wings of the Dove (1997), Gangs of New York (Production Consultant), I Capture the Castle, Chasing Liberty, A Bunch of Amateurs, My Week with Marilyn, Loving Vincent and Red Joan. Shakespeare in Love won the BAFTA Award for Best Film[3] as well as the Academy Award and The Madness of King George won the BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Film[4] in 1996.

He produced TV adaptations of Parade's End in 2012 and The Wipers Times in 2013 for the BBC, both of which were nominated for British Academy Television Awards.[5][6] His company has since produced The Wipers Times in theatres in the West End and throughout the UK.[7]

He also produced The Father (2020) and received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Picture,[8] as well as nominations for Best Film and Outstanding British Film at the BAFTA Film Awards.[9]

Other activities

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He was Chairman of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) from 2008 to 2010[10] and was Chair of Film London from 2010 to 2017.[11] Since 2018 he has been a governor of Dulwich College, where he was formerly a parent.[12]

Personal life

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He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Arts from the University of Sunderland in 1999. He lives in Brixton with his wife Liz and their three sons, Bill, Thomas and Max.

He is a supporter of Sunderland AFC.[13]

Filmography

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He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.

Film

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Year Film Credit
1989 Henry V Associate producer
1992 Peter's Friends Line producer
1993 Much Ado About Nothing
1994 Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Co-producer
The Madness of King George
1996 Twelfth Night
1997 The Wings of the Dove
1998 Shakespeare in Love
2003 I Capture the Castle
2004 Chasing Liberty
2008 Dean Spanley Executive producer
A Bunch of Amateurs
2011 My Week with Marilyn
2017 Loving Vincent Executive producer
2018 Red Joan
2020 The Father
As an actor
Year Film Role
1985 The Doctor and the Devils Billings
1987 Mister Corbett's Ghost Villager
1989 Henry V Messenger
Miscellaneous crew
Year Film Role
2002 Gangs of New York Production consultant
Thanks
Year Film Role
2003 The Republic of Love Many thanks

Television

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Year Title Notes
1989 Look Back in Anger Television film
2012 Parade's End
2013 The Wipers Times Television film
2014 Glyndebourne: The Untold History Documentary
TBA The War Rooms
As an actor
Year Title Role Notes
1971 Elizabeth R Philip's Son
1973 A Picture of Katherine Mansfield Pip
The Kids from 47A Starkey
1971−73 ...And Mother Makes Three Peter Harrison
1974−76 ...And Mother Makes Five Peter Redway
1977 Jackanory Playhouse Mark Armitage
Raffles Pageboy
The Peppermint Pig George
1978 Play for Love Peter
Touch and Go Charles
The Lost Boys Nico Television film
1978−80 Premiere Police Constable
Young Nifty
1980 Mackenzie Alan
Love in a Cold Climate Little Matt
1981 Honky Tonk Heroes David
Funny Man Tommy Green
1982 Stalky & Co. Beetle
1983 To the Lighthouse Andrew Ramsay Television film
1984 Moonfleet Boy with Gun
1987 Mister Corbett's Ghost Television film

References

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  1. ^ "David Parfitt". Variety. 17 December 2013.
  2. ^ "The 71st Academy Awards 1999". The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
  3. ^ "BAFTA Film in 1999". BAFTA.
  4. ^ "Alexander Korda Award for the outstanding British Film of the Year in 1996". BAFTA.
  5. ^ "Bafta TV awards 2013: full nominations". BBC News. 9 April 2013.
  6. ^ "Bafta TV awards 2014: This year's nominations". The Independent. 18 May 2014.
  7. ^ "The Wipers Times to return to the West End this autumn". London Theatre Guide. 19 February 2018.
  8. ^ Bisset, Jennifer. "Oscars 2021 results: The full list of winners, from Nomadland to Daniel Kaluuya". CNET. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  9. ^ "Bafta Film Awards 2021: The winners and nominees in full". BBC News. 9 March 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  10. ^ "The full list of BAFTA Chairs". BAFTA. 28 June 2012.
  11. ^ "David Parfitt named chair of Film London". Screen Daily.
  12. ^ "Dulwich College Governors". Dulwich College.
  13. ^ Ford, Coreena (5 February 2006). "Mogul's call for extras". ChronicleLive.
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