David Bernard Wood OBE (born 21 February 1944) is an English actor, author, composer, director, magician and producer. ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...

'' called him "the National Children's Dramatist". In 1979, he joined

Bernard Cribbins Bernard Joseph Cribbins (29 December 1928 – 27 July 2022) was an English actor and singer whose career spanned over seven decades. During the 1960s, Cribbins became known in the UK for his successful novelty records " The Hole in the Groun ...

Maurice Denham William Maurice Denham OBE (23 December 1909 – 24 July 2002) was an English character actor who appeared in over 100 films and television programmes in his long career. Family Denham was born on 23 December 1909 in Beckenham, Kent, the son ...

, and

Jan Francis Janet Stephanie Francis (born 5 August 1947) is an English actress. She appeared as Penny Warrender in the 1980s romantic comedy ''Just Good Friends''. Early life Francis was born at the former Charing Cross Hospital London. She is the eldes ...

in a reading of ''

The Hobbit ''The Hobbit, or There and Back Again'' is a children's fantasy novel by English author J. R. R. Tolkien. It was published in 1937 to wide critical acclaim, being nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded a prize from the '' ...

'' for the BBC Television show '' Jackanory.

Early life

Wood was born on 21 February 1944 in

Sutton Sutton (''south settlement'' or ''south town'' in Old English) may refer to: Places United Kingdom England In alphabetical order by county: * Sutton, Bedfordshire * Sutton, Berkshire, a List of United Kingdom locations: Stu-Sz#Su, location * S ...

Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...

. He was educated at Chichester High School for Boys and

Worcester College, Oxford Worcester College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. The college was founded in 1714 by the benefaction of Sir Thomas Cookes, 2nd Baronet (1648–1701) of Norgrove, Worcestershire, whose coat of arms w ...

Stage work

Along with John Gould, he founded the

Whirligig Theatre Whirligig Theatre is a British theatre company based in London. It presents full-length musicals and plays in London and on tour. Whirligig was founded in 1979 by David Wood and John Gould. Its first production was the musical, ''The Plotters of ...

, a touring children's theatre company. His most famous story, ''

The Gingerbread Man The Gingerbread Man (also known as The Gingerbread Boy) is a fairy tale about a gingerbread man's escape from various pursuers until his eventual demise between the jaws of a fox. "The Gingerbread Boy" first appeared in print in the May 1875, is ...

'' (1976), has been all across the world since its premiere at the Towngate Theatre in

Basildon Basildon ( ) is the largest town in the borough of Basildon, within the county of Essex, England. It has a population of 107,123. In 1931 the parish had a population of 1159. It lies east of Central London, south of the city of Chelmsford and ...

. Wood,

FilmFair FilmFair was a British production company and animation studio that produced children's television series, animated cartoons, educational films, and television advertisements. The company made numerous stop motion films using puppets, clay anima ...

, and

Central Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...

adapted the musical into an animated

children's television series Children's television series (or children's television shows) are television programs designed for children, normally scheduled for broadcast during the morning and afternoon when children are awake. They can sometimes run during the early evenin ...

. The adaptation, also called ''

'', aired on

ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...

in 1992. He was appointed Officer of the

Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...

(OBE) in the 2004 Queen's Birthday Honours List, for his services to literature and drama. From 1966-70, he was married to actress

Sheila Ruskin Sheila Ruskin (born 28 March 1946) is an English actress. She played Vipsania in the BBC adaptation of ''I, Claudius'' (1976), Kassia in the '' Doctor Who'' serial '' The Keeper of Traken'' (1981) and Alta One in the ''Blake's 7'' episode "Redem ...

Film career

Among his film roles are Johnny in

Lindsay Anderson Lindsay Gordon Anderson (17 April 1923 – 30 August 1994) was a British feature-film, theatre and documentary director, film critic, and leading-light of the Free Cinema movement and of the British New Wave. He is most widely remembered for h ...

's '' If....'' (1968) and Thompson in '' Aces High'' (1976). He appeared as the character Bingo Little in the original London cast of the

Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948), is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 21 musicals, ...

and Alan Ayckbourn musical ''

Jeeves Jeeves (born Reginald Jeeves, nicknamed Reggie) is a fictional character in a series of comedic short stories and novels by English author P. G. Wodehouse. Jeeves is the highly competent valet of a wealthy and idle young Londoner named Bertie W ...

'' in 1975. He wrote the

screenplay ''ScreenPlay'' is a television drama anthology series broadcast on BBC2 between 9 July 1986 and 27 October 1993. Background After single-play anthology series went off the air, the BBC introduced several showcases for made-for-television, fe ...

for the 1974 adaptation of

Arthur Ransome Arthur Michell Ransome (18 January 1884 – 3 June 1967) was an English author and journalist. He is best known for writing and illustrating the ''Swallows and Amazons'' series of children's books about the school-holiday adventures of childre ...

's ''

Swallows and Amazons ''Swallows and Amazons'' is a children's adventure novel by English author Arthur Ransome and first published on 21 July 1930 by Jonathan Cape. Set in the summer of 1929 in the Lake District, the book introduces the main characters of John, S ...

'', released by Anglo EMI.

Plays

''(incomplete list)'' Original works: * ''The Plotters Of Cabbage Patch Corner'' (1970) * ''Flibberty and the Penguin'' (1971) * ''The Papertown Paperchase'' (1972) * ''Hijack Over Hygenia'' (1973) * ''

'' (1976), a

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

inspired by the 19th-century fairy tale "

" * ''Nutcracker Sweet'' (1977) *''

The Ideal Gnome Expedition ''The Ideal Gnome Expedition'' (sometimes called ''Chish 'n' Fips'') is a British musical play, with book, music and lyrics by children's playwright David Wood (actor), David Wood. It was first staged in 1980, and has since been adapted as a TV se ...

'' (1980) * ''The Selfish Shellfish'' (1983) * ''The See-Saw Tree'' (1986) Adaptations of

Roald Dahl Roald Dahl (13 September 1916 – 23 November 1990) was a British novelist, short-story writer, poet, screenwriter, and wartime fighter ace of Norwegian descent. His books have sold more than 250 million copies worldwide. Dahl has be ...

's books for children: * ''The BFG'' (1991), adapted from ''

The BFG ''The BFG'' (short for ''The Big Friendly Giant'') is a 1982 children's book written by British novelist Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake. It is an expansion of a short story from Dahl's 1975 book '' Danny, the Champion of the World ...

'' (1982) * ''The Witches'' (1992), adapted from '' The Witches'' (1983) * ''The Twits'' (1999), adapted from ''

The Twits ''The Twits'' is a humorous children's book written by Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake. It was written in 1979, and first published by Jonathan Cape in 1980. The story features The Twits (Mr. and Mrs. Twit), a spiteful, idle unke ...

'' (1979) * '' Fantastic Mr Fox'' (2001), adapted from '' Fantastic Mr Fox'' (1970) * ''James And The Giant Peach'' (2001), adapted from ''

James And The Giant Peach ''James and the Giant Peach'' is a popular children's novel written in 1961 by British author Roald Dahl. The first edition, published by Alfred Knopf, featured illustrations by Nancy Ekholm Burkert. There have been re-illustrated versions of ...

'' (1961) * ''Danny The Champion Of The World'' (2004), adapted from '' Danny the Champion of the World'' (1975) * ''George's Marvellous Medicine'' (2009), adapted from ''

George's Marvellous Medicine ''George's Marvellous Medicine'' (known as ''George's Marvelous Medicine'' in the US) is a book written by Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake. First published by Jonathan Cape in 1981, it features George Kranky, an eight-year-old boy w ...

'' (1981) * ''The Magic Finger'' (2013), adapted from '' The Magic Finger'' (1962) Other adaptations of English authors of children's literature: * ''The Owl and the Pussycat went to See....'' (1968) co-written with

, based on the nonsense poetry of

Edward Lear Edward Lear (12 May 1812 – 29 January 1888) was an English artist, illustrator, musician, author and poet, who is known mostly for his literary nonsense in poetry and prose and especially his limerick (poetry), limericks, a form he popularised. ...

* ''Meg and Mog'' (1981), adapted from Helen Nicoll's books about her characters

Meg and Mog Meg and Mog is a series of children's books written by Helen Nicoll and illustrated by Jan Pieńkowski. First published in the 1970s, the books are about Meg, a witch whose spells always seem to go wrong, her striped cat Mog, and their friend O ...

* ''Noddy'' (1993), adapted from

Enid Blyton Enid Mary Blyton (11 August 1897 – 28 November 1968) was an English children's writer, whose books have been worldwide bestsellers since the 1930s, selling more than 600 million copies. Her books are still enormously popular and have b ...

's books about her character Noddy * ''Rupert Bear'' (1993), adapted from

Mary Tourtel Mary Tourtel (born Mary Caldwell on 28 January 187415 March 1948) was a British artist and creator of the comic strip Rupert Bear. Her works have sold 50 million copies internationally. Early life Mary Tourtel was born Mary Caldwell, 28 January ...

's comic strip ''

Rupert Bear Rupert Bear is a British children's comic strip character and franchise created by artist Mary Tourtel and first appearing in the ''Daily Express'' newspaper on 8 November 1920. Rupert's initial purpose was to win sales from the rival ''Da ...

'' (1920) * ''Babe, the Sheep-Pig'' (1997), adapted from

Dick King-Smith Ronald Gordon King-Smith OBE (27 March 1922 – 4 January 2011), was an English writer of children's books, primarily using the pen name Dick King-Smith. He is best known for ''The Sheep-Pig'' (1983). It was adapted as the movie ''Babe'' (1995 ...

's ''

The Sheep-Pig ''The Sheep-Pig'', or ''Babe, the Gallant Pig'' in the US, is a children's novel by Dick King-Smith, first published by Gollancz in 1983 with illustrations by Mary Rayner. Set in rural England, where King-Smith spent twenty years as a farmer, i ...

'' (1983) * ''Spot's Birthday Party'' (2000), adapted from the ''

Spot Spot or SPOT may refer to: Places * Spot, North Carolina, a community in the United States * The Spot, New South Wales, a locality in Sydney, Australia * South Pole Traverse, sometimes called the South Pole Overland Traverse People * Spot (prod ...

'' books by

Eric Hill Eric Hill (7 September 1927 – 6 June 2014) was an English author and illustrator of children's picture books. He was best known for his puppy character named Spot. His works have been widely praised for their contributions to child literacy ...

(1980) * ''Tom's Midnight Garden'' (2000). adapted from ''

Tom's Midnight Garden ''Tom's Midnight Garden'' is a children's fantasy novel by Philippa Pearce. It was first published in 1958 by Oxford University Press with illustrations by Susan Einzig. It has been reissued in print many times and also adapted for radio, tele ...

'' by

Philippa Pearce Ann Philippa Pearce OBE (22 January 1920 – 21 December 2006) was an English author of children's books. Best known of them is the time-slip novel ''Tom's Midnight Garden'', which won the 1958 Carnegie Medal from the Library Association, as ...

(1958) * ''The Tiger Who Came To Tea'' (2008), adapted from

Judith Kerr Anna Judith Gertrud Helene Kerr (surname pronounced ; 14 June 1923 – 22 May 2019) was a German-born British writer and illustrator whose books sold more than 10 million copies around the world.

's ''

The Tiger Who Came To Tea ''The Tiger Who Came to Tea'' is a short children's story, first published by William Collins, Sons in 1968, written and illustrated by Judith Kerr. The book concerns a girl called Sophie, her mother, and an anthropomorphised tiger who invites hi ...

'' (1968) * ''Guess How Much I Love You'' (2010), adapted from

Sam McBratney Samuel McBratney (1 March 1943 – 18 September 2020Something About The Author, vol. 164, ed. Lisa Kumar, Cengage Gale, 2006, p. 150) was a writer from Northern Ireland. He wrote more than fifty books for children and young adults, and is best ...

's ''

Guess How Much I Love You ''Guess How Much I Love You'' is a British children's book written by Sam McBratney and illustrated by Anita Jeram, published in 1994, in the United Kingdom by Walker Books and in 1995, in the United States by its subsidiary Candlewick Press. T ...

'' (1994) * ''Goodnight Mister Tom'' (2011), adapted from

Michelle Magorian Michelle Magorian (born 6 November 1947) is an English author of children's books. She is best known for her first novel, '' Goodnight Mister Tom'', which won the 1982 Guardian Prize for British children's books and has been adapted several ti ...

's ''

Goodnight Mister Tom ''Goodnight Mister Tom'' is a children's novel by English author Michelle Magorian, published by Kestrel in 1981. Harper & Row published an American edition the same year. Set during World War II, it features a boy abused at home in London wh ...

'' (1981) Adaptations of adult literature: * ''The Go-Between'' (2011; West End 2016),

Lyn Gardner Lyn Gardner is a British theatre critic, children's writer and journalist who contributes reviews and articles to ''The Stage,'' '' Stagedoor'' and has written for ''The Guardian''. Theatre critic and educator A graduate in drama and English from ...

The Go-Between – review
''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'', 19 September 2011 adapted from

L.P. Hartley Leslie Poles Hartley (30 December 1895 – 13 December 1972) was a British novelist and short story writer. Although his first fiction was published in 1924, his career was slow to take off. His best-known novels are the '' Eustace and Hilda'' ...

's ''

The Go-Between ''The Go-Between'' is a novel by L. P. Hartley published in 1953. His best-known work, it has been adapted several times for stage and screen. The book gives a critical view of society at the end of the Victorian era through the eyes of a naïv ...

'' (1953)

Filmography

Notes

References

Biography from his official website
*

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Wood, David 1944 births Living people 20th-century English male actors 21st-century English male actors Alumni of Worcester College, Oxford English children's writers English dramatists and playwrights English male dramatists and playwrights English male film actors English male television actors Male actors from London Officers of the Order of the British Empire People from the London Borough of Sutton

Early life

Stage work

Film career

Plays

Filmography

Notes

References

Further reading

External links