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David Puttnam

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For the American flying Ace ofWorld War I,seeDavid Putnam.For the footballer, seeDave Puttnam.

The Right Honourable
The Lord Puttnam
CBEHonFRSAHonFRPSMRIA
Official portrait, 2020
Chancellor of theOpen University
In office
3 October 2007 – 12 March 2014
Preceded byThe Baroness Boothroyd
Succeeded byThe Baroness Lane-Fox of Soho
Chancellor of theUniversity of Sunderland
In office
1997–2007
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded bySteve Cram
Member of the House of Lords
Lord Temporal
In office
27 October 1997 – 27 October 2021
Life Peerage
Personal details
Born
David Terence Puttnam

(1941-02-25)25 February 1941(age 83)
Southgate,Middlesex,England
Political partyLabour
Spouse
Patricia Mary Jones
​
(m.1961)​
Children2
OccupationFilm producer and educator
Websitewww.davidputtnam

David Terence Puttnam, Baron Puttnam,CBE,HonFRSA,HonFRPS,MRIA(/ˈpʌtnəm/;born 25 February 1941) is a British-Irish film producer, educator, environmentalist and former member of theHouse of Lords.His productions includeChariots of Fire,which won theAcademy Award for Best Picture,The Mission,The Killing Fields,Local Hero,Midnight ExpressandMemphis Belle.In 1982, he received theBAFTAfor Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema, and in 2006 he was awarded theBAFTA Fellowshipfor lifetime achievement from theBritish Academy of Film and Television Arts.

Between 1997 and 2021, Puttnam sat on theLabourbenches in theHouse of Lords.In 2019 he was appointed chair to the select committee on democracy and digital technologies. The committee published its findings in itsDigital Technology & the Resurrection of Trustreport in June 2020.

Early life[edit]

David Terence Puttnam was born inSouthgate, London,England, the son of Marie Beatrix, a housewife ofJewishorigin,[1]and Leonard Arthur Puttnam, a photographer.[2]Educated atMinchenden Grammar Schoolin London, Puttnam had an early career in advertising, including five formative years atCollett Dickenson Pearce,and as agent acting for the photographersDavid BaileyandBrian Duffy.[citation needed]

Film career[edit]

Sandy Lieberson[edit]

Puttnam turned to film production in the late 1960s, working withSanford Lieberson's production companyGoodtimes Enterprises.The first feature he produced wasMelody(1971), based on a script byAlan Parkerand which was a minor hit.

Puttnam and Lieberson produced the documentariesPeacemaking 1919(1971),Glastonbury Fayre(1972), andBringing It All Back Home(1972). Their second film,The Pied Piper(1972), directed byJacques Demywas not a success, butThat'll Be the Day(1973) withDavid Essexproved a hit.

Puttnam and Lieberson went on to produceThe Final Programme(1973), a science fiction film, and made some more documentaries, these beingDouble Headed Eagle: Hitler's Rise to Power 1918–1933(1973) andSwastika(1974).

Puttnam and Lieberson executive-produced theKen RussellbiopicMahler(1974), and did a sequel toThat'll Be The Day,entitledStardust(1974) and directed byMichael Apted.

There were more documentaries:Radio Wonderful(1974),Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?(1975),James Dean: The First American Teenager(1975) andThe Memory of Justice(1976).

A second film with Russell,Lisztomania(1975), was a box office disaster and led to the end of the Puttnam-Lieberson partnership.

Puttnam had a box office success withBugsy Malone(1976), a musical he executive-produced, written and directed by Alan Parker, and produced byAlan Marshall.It was the last film Puttnam would make under the 'Goodtimes' banner. He went on to set up a new company, Enigma Films.[3]

Enigma Films[edit]

Puttnam producedThe Duellists(1977), the directorial debut ofRidley Scott;and with Marshall once more, he producedMidnight Express(1978), directed by Parker from a script byOliver Stone,and which was a notable box office success.

Puttnam made his first film in America,Foxes(1980), itself the directorial debut ofAdrian Lyne.It was a box office flop.

Puttnam's next film was his most successful yet.Chariots of Fire(1981), the first feature directed byHugh Hudson,became a massive hit and won theAcademy Award for Best Picture.It was produced in association withGoldcrest Pictures.

Puttnam set up a television company, Enigma TV, and made a series of television films in association with Goldcrest, which carried Puttnam's name as executive producer. Six were made as a series calledFirst Lovefor the fledglingChannel Four:P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang(1982), directed by Apted;Experience Preferred... But Not Essential(1982);Secrets(1983);Those Glory Glory Days(1983);Sharma and Beyond(1983); andArthur's Hallowed Ground(1984). Other films produced for television wereForever Young(1983);Red Monarch(1983); andWinter Flight(1984).

Puttnam continued to produce feature films. He had another success withLocal Hero(1983), written and directed byBill Forsyth;and also produced the acclaimedCal(1984) directed byPat O'Connor,andThe Killing Fields(1984), directed byRoland Joffe.

Puttnam continued to executive produce television movies such asThe Frog Prince(1985),Mr. Love(1985),Defence of the Realm(1986), andKnights & Emeralds(1986). He also producedThe Mission(1986), directed by Joffe from a script byRobert Bolt,which won thePalme d'Orat theCannes Film Festivalin 1986.

Columbia Pictures[edit]

Puttnam was chairman and CEO ofColumbia Picturesfrom June 1986 until September 1987.[4]There he oversaw a development of the $270-million film package that had a number of 15–18 films for the first two years, and a number of 15 films for the next two years, and handled in such acquisitions, likeThe Big Easy,fromKings Road Productions,andSpike Lee's low budget featureSchool Daze,and made a decision to drop big-budget films in favor of smaller features, a move that did not sit well withCoca-Colaand Hollywood, and decided to let deals with existing contracts expire.[5][6][7]

Post-Columbia producing work[edit]

Puttnam returned to producing individual films withMemphis Belle(1990),Meeting Venus(1991),A Dangerous Man: Lawrence After Arabia(1992),Being Human(1994),War of the Buttons(1994),The Confessional(1994), andMy Life So Far(1995). He also executive-producedThe Josephine Baker Story(1991),Without Warning: The James Brady Story(1992), andThe Burning Season(1994).

Puttnam returned to the field of film production in 2015 to oversee pre-production ofDon’t Trust, Don’t Fear, Don’t Beg,Ben Stewart's account of the Arctic 30 incident. He stepped away from the role in 2019[8]when he was appointed to chair the House of Lords Special Committee ‘Democracy and Digital Technology’.

Puttnam is the President of the Film Distributors’ Association; Chair of the TSL Advisory Board;[9] Chair of Nord Anglia International School,[10]Dublin; Life President, National Film & Television School,[11]a UNICEF Ambassador,[12]and Adjunct Professor of Film Studies and Digital Humanities at University College Cork.[13]

Politics[edit]

In 1997, Puttnam entered theHouse of Lordsas alife peer[14]and was granted Letters Patent to becomeBaron Puttnam,of Queensgate in theRoyal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.[15]In 1998, Puttnam was named in a list of the biggest private financial donors to theLabour Party.[16]In 2002, he chaired the joint scrutiny committee on theCommunications Bill,which recommended an amendment to prevent ownership of British terrestrial television stations by companies with a significant share of the newspaper market. This was widely interpreted as being aimed at stoppingRupert Murdoch'sNews Corporationfrom buyingChannel Five.When the government opposed the amendment, Puttnam brokered a compromise – the introduction of a 'public interest' test, to be applied by the new regulatorOfcombut without explicit restrictions.

From 2004 to 2005, Puttnam chaired theHansard SocietyCommission on Communication of Parliamentary Democracy, the final report of which urged all political parties to commit to a renewal of parliamentary life in an attempt to reinvigorate representative democracy.[17][18]In 2007, he chaired theJoint Parliamentary Committee on the Draft Climate Change Bill.

From 2012 to 2017, Puttnam was thePrime Ministerial Trade Envoyto Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar (Burma).[19]During the same period, Puttnam – who lives inSkibbereen,County Cork – was named Ireland'sDigital Championby Communications MinisterPat Rabbitte,TD.[20]

Lord Puttnam on 10 July 2006 at theUniversity of SunderlandSchool of Computing and Technology Awards Ceremony.

In August 2014, Puttnam was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter toThe GuardianopposingScottish independencein the run-up to September'sreferendum on that issue.[21]

In June 2019, Puttnam chaired the special House of Lords Democracy and Digital Technologies Committee,[22]set up to investigate the impact of digital technologies on democracy and oversaw the publication of its findings in June 2020. The report,Digital Technology & the Resurrection of Trust,made 45 recommendations to government to address the spread of misinformation and disinformation and the consequential erosion of public trust. And that the media has a duty to “balance freedom of expression with wider moral and social responsibilities.”

Puttnam announced his retirement from the House of Lords in October 2021,[23]as he delivered theShirley WilliamsLecture, detailing his reasons for leaving in his speech.[24]

Atticus Education[edit]

Puttnam founded Atticus Education in 2012.[25]Atticus delivers interactive seminars on film and a variety of other subjects to educational institutions around the world.

Association with education[edit]

For 10 years, Puttnam was chairman of theNational Film and Television Schoolwhose alumni included people such asNick Park;and in 2017, he succeededRichard Attenboroughas Life President. Puttnam foundedSkillset,which trains young people to become members of the film and television industries. From 2002 to 2009, he was UK president ofUNICEFand remains an ambassador.[26]

Puttnam was the first Chancellor of theUniversity of Sunderlandfrom 1997 until 13 July 2007. He was appointed an Honorary Doctor of Education during the School ofEducation and Lifelong Learning's Academic Awards Ceremonies and upon his retirement, he was granted the Freedom of the City of Sunderland.[27]In 1998, he founded the National Teaching Awards and became its first chairman. He was the founding chairman of the General Teaching Council from 2000 to 2002, was appointed as Chancellor of theOpen Universityfrom 2006 to 2017,[28]and was also the Chairman of NESTA (TheNational Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts) from 1998 until 2003. He was also on the board of directors of learning technologies companyPromethean.[29]

Puttnam is the patron of Schools North East, an organisation set up in 2007 to represent all schools in the North East of England. He is also a patron of the Shakespeare Schools Festival (now Shakespeare Schools Foundation), a charity that enables school children across the UK to perform Shakespeare in professional theatres.

In 2012 he foundedAtticus Educationdelivering interactive seminars on film, media and screen to students at universities all over the world.

From May 2014 until 2018, Puttnam was Chair of the Academic Board forPearson College,[30]part ofPearson PLC,the firstFTSE 100company to offer degrees in the UK. In March 2015, Puttnam was made a freeman at the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead, in recognition of his service as chairman at the Sage Gateshead.

Puttnam was a member of the Commonwealth of Learning's Board of Governors until January 2020[31]and stood down as Chair of Film London Executive Task Force in 2022.[32]As well as being Chair of Atticus Education,[33]today he holds a number of positions including President of the Film Distributors’ Association, Chair of the NAE Education Advisory Board, leading on the Groups Digital Transformation, Life President of the National Film & Television School,, UNICEF Ambassador, Member of the Advisory Board of Accenture (Ireland), Adjunct Professor of Film Studies and Digital Humanities at University College Cork, Adjunct Professor of the School of Media & Communications at RMIT University (Australia), Patron of the Dublin Bid World Summit on Media for Children 2020/2023 and International Ambassador, WWF. He is a member of the ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) Parliamentary Network.

In October 2022 Lord Puttnam was awarded a fellowship by adult education provider,City Lit,[34]for his contribution to the world of film and media.

Awards[edit]

In 1982, Puttnam received theBAFTAMichael BalconAward for his outstanding contribution to theBritish Film Industry.

In 1983, Puttnam was appointedCBE.[35]In 1995, Puttnam was appointed as aKnight Bachelor.[36]

In February 2006, he was awarded theBAFTA Fellowship.He made the occasion notable by delivering a particularly moving homage to his late father, who had died before he could see his son receive the Best Picture Oscar forChariots of Fire.Puttnam also congratulated contemporary filmmakers for making films with integrity: the lack of such films being produced had been the reason for his retirement from the film industry in the late 1990s.[37]

Puttnam is the recipient of over 50 honorary degrees and fellowships from the UK and overseas: he received an Honorary Doctorate fromHeriot-Watt Universityin 2001,[38]and fromTrinity College Dublinin 2016;[39]he was awarded theRoyal Photographic Society's President's Medal and Honorary Fellowship (HonFRPS) in recognition of a sustained, significant contribution to the art of photography in 2003;[40]and, in May 2006, he was made anHonorary Fellow of the Royal Societyof Arts.

On 12 July 2007, Puttnam was given the freedom of theCity of Sunderland.[41]In 2008, he received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science fromNottingham Trent Universityin recognition of his extraordinary contribution to the cultural landscape of the UK, in both economic and creative terms, and for his notable support for the Nottingham City-based GameCity Festival.[42]He was elected to theRoyal Irish Academyin 2017.

Puttnam suffers fromME,debilitating him on occasions.[43]

In 2009, in partnership withSir Michael Barber,Puttnam releasedWe Are the People We've Been Waiting For,an education documentary featuring high-profile figures discussing their own experiences of education.[44]

All in all, Puttnam's films have won 10 Oscars, 31 BAFTAs, 13 Golden Globes, nine Emmys, four David di Donatellos in Italy and the Palme d'Or at Cannes.[45]

Coat of arms of David Puttnam
Crest
A harp standing on a closed book fesswise Proper bound Gules.
Escutcheon
Or within an orle of roses a gateway composed of a central arch between two lesse arches and surmounted by a segmental pediment Gules.
Supporters
Dexter, a curlew Proper gorged with a plain collar Argent charged with square billets Sable; sinister, a stork Proper gorged with a plain collar Argent charged with square billets sable.
Motto
Servio Ut Vivam[46]

Other interests[edit]

Puttnam was deputy Chairman of Channel 4 Television from 2006 to 2012. He is president of the Film Distributors' Association (FDA) and chair of the TSL Advisory Board.

Puttnam co-authored (with Neil Watson)Movies and Money,published in January 2000 by Vintage Books.

When Puttnam became the chairman ofProfero,a London-baseddigital marketingagency in April 2007, he explained the move saying: "My experience over the past forty-odd (some very odd) years has encompassed marketing, entertainment and social issues, a fascinating mix that is integral to the daily lives of consumers and citizens. A business that can combine and magnify these dynamics can only create incredible value for their clients and, as a by-product, themselves. To me Profero is in just such a position, and it's now my job to help them realise their potential."[47]

Puttnam, who had producedIan Charleson's star-making filmChariots of Fire,contributed a chapter to the 1990 book,For Ian Charleson: A Tribute.[48]

On 19 August 2007, Puttnam gave the oration at the annualMichael Collinscommemoration inBéal na Bláth,County Cork.[49]

He has also preached atDurham Cathedralat the feast of the cathedral's commemoration of its founders and benefactors.[50]

Philanthropy[edit]

Puttnam is patron of the Irish education charityCamara Education[51]andCFS/MEcharityAction for ME.[52]

Personal life[edit]

On 21 June 2022, Puttnam announced via Twitter that he and his wife, Patricia ( "Patsy" ), had obtained Irish citizenship.[53]The couple have lived inSkibbereen,County Cork, since 1998.

Filmography[edit]

Selected filmography as producer[edit]

Some films made or bought while head of Columbia (1986–1988)[edit]

Puttnamgreenlitand "picked up" a number of films while head of the studio, only some of which had been released by the time he left the position. They included:[54]

References[edit]

  1. ^"Lord David Puttnam reveals the secrets of the trade".The Jerusalem Post.Retrieved14 July2014.
  2. ^"David Puttnam Biography (1941–)".filmreference.Retrieved21 January2022.
  3. ^"DueDil".App.duedil.Retrieved31 October2021.
  4. ^Aljean Harmetz (2 February 1989)."In Re: Columbia Pictures And Puttnam's Orphans".The New York Times.Retrieved28 December2014.
  5. ^Prince, Stephen (2000)A New Pot of Gold: Hollywood Under the Electronic Rainbow, 1980–1989(pp. 54–58).University of California Press,Berkeley/Los Angeles, California.ISBN0-520-23266-6
  6. ^"Columbia Letting Multipic Pacts With Jewinson, Others Expire".Variety.1 April 1987. p. 37.
  7. ^Tusher, Will (8 April 1987). "Col Sets $270-Mil Package Of In-House Pics, Acquisitions As Part of David Puttman's Initial Program".Variety.pp. 3, 26.
  8. ^Dalton, Ben."David Puttnam exits 'Arctic 30' production role to chair UK democracy committee".Screen.
  9. ^"FDA – What We do".Launchingfilms/com.
  10. ^"Lord David Puttnam to Chair School Advisory Board".Nordangliaeducation.
  11. ^Ritman, Alex (8 July 2017)."David Puttnam Named Life President of U.K.'s National Film and TV School".The Hollywood Reporter.
  12. ^"Lord David Puttnam, Unicef UK Ambassador – Unicef UK".Archived fromthe originalon 2 July 2019.Retrieved2 July2019.
  13. ^"Puttnam delivers film studies lecture".University College Cork.
  14. ^"No. 54851".The London Gazette.1 August 1997. p. 8910.
  15. ^"No. 54934".The London Gazette.30 October 1997. p. 12205.
  16. ^"'Luvvies' for Labour ".BBC News.30 August 1998.Retrieved1 May2010.
  17. ^White, Michael (24 May 2005)."Puttnam urges parliament to modernise".The Guardian.London.
  18. ^"House of Commons Library – Standard Note – The Puttnam (Hansard Society) Commission: Members Only? Parliament in the Public Eye"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 25 February 2009.Retrieved31 October2021.
  19. ^"David Cameron: We must push in 'global trade race'".BBC News.12 November 2012.Retrieved19 January2014.
  20. ^Kennedy, John (17 December 2012)."Oscar-winning producer Lord David Puttnam named Ireland's Digital Champion".siliconrepublic.Retrieved19 January2014.
  21. ^"Celebrities' open letter to Scotland – full text and list of signatories".The Guardian.London. 7 August 2014.Retrieved26 August2014.
  22. ^"Democracy under threat from 'pandemic of misinformation' online, say Lords Committee".UK Parliament.Retrieved18 September2020.
  23. ^"David Puttnam hits out at government as he quits House of Lords".the Guardian.16 October 2021.Retrieved10 June2022.
  24. ^"Power & Fear: The Two Tyrannies".davidputtnam.
  25. ^"Atticus".Official Website of David Puttnam.
  26. ^"Lord David Puttnam: UNICEF UK ambassador".Unicef.org.uk.Archived fromthe originalon 4 October 2013.Retrieved19 January2014.
  27. ^"David Puttnam-Policy Advisory Council".Ippr.org.Archived fromthe originalon 12 April 2013.Retrieved10 April2013.
  28. ^"Lord David Puttnam".Open University. Archived fromthe originalon 27 September 2013.Retrieved10 April2013.
  29. ^"Lord Puttnam, Promethean from 2006–2015, Senior Independent Director".PrometheanWorld.Archived fromthe originalon 9 February 2015.
  30. ^"Chair of the Academic Board".Pearson College.Retrieved28 December2014.
  31. ^"Current Members of COL's Board of Governors".Col.org.
  32. ^"Chair of Film London Executive Task Force Announced".Film London.Retrieved10 June2022.
  33. ^"Atticus".Official Website of David Puttnam | Atticus Education.Retrieved10 June2022.
  34. ^"Lord David Puttnam CBE| City Lit | City Lit".citylit.ac.uk.Retrieved18 November2022.
  35. ^"No. 49212".The London Gazette(7th supplement). 30 December 1982. p. 9.
  36. ^"No. 53893".The London Gazette(2nd supplement). 30 December 1994. p. 2.
  37. ^"Brokeback emerges as Bafta winner".BBC News.19 February 2006.Retrieved8 October2006.
  38. ^"Heriot-Watt University".Www1.hw.ac.uk.Archived fromthe originalon 13 April 2016.Retrieved30 March2016.
  39. ^"Registrar: Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin, Ireland".Tcd.ie.Retrieved7 January2020.
  40. ^Royal Photographic Society's Centenary AwardArchived1 December 2012 at theWayback MachineAccessed 13 August 2012.
  41. ^"Freedom of city for film producer".BBC News.12 July 2007.Retrieved1 May2010.
  42. ^"Lord David Puttnam – Honorary graduates – Your Alumni Association – Alumni – Nottingham Trent University".Ntualumni.org.uk.Retrieved19 January2014.
  43. ^"Puttnam tells of 16 years with ME".The Guardian.London.Retrieved19 January2014.
  44. ^""We Are the People We've Been Waiting for".Archived fromthe originalon 20 November 2009.Retrieved27 November2009."
  45. ^"2012–Lord David Puttnam of Queensgate CBE, FRSA".Cardiff University. Archived fromthe originalon 15 June 2013.Retrieved5 April2013.
  46. ^Debrett's Peerage.2000.
  47. ^"Lord Puttnam becomes chairman of Profero".MAD.16 April 2007. Archived fromthe originalon 6 January 2009.Retrieved13 October2008.
  48. ^Ian McKellen, Alan Bates, Hugh Hudson, et al.For Ian Charleson: A Tribute.London: Constable and Company, 1990. pp. 7–11.
  49. ^"Michael Collins was a peace icon, says Puttnam".The Daily Telegraph.London.Retrieved25 August2014.
  50. ^"Home".Durhamcathedral.co.uk.Retrieved31 October2021.
  51. ^"Lord Puttnam announced as Patron of Camara Education: Camara".Camara.org.Archived fromthe originalon 13 November 2013.Retrieved19 January2014.
  52. ^"Introduction".Action for ME.Archived fromthe originalon 4 December 2014.Retrieved15 February2014.
  53. ^@DPuttnam (21 June 2022)."Patsy and I would like to say a heartfelt thank for all the warm welcomes we have received. Ireland has been our…"(Tweet) – viaTwitter.
  54. ^Alexander Walker,Icons in the Fire: The Rise and Fall of Practically Everyone in the British Film Industry 1984–2000,Orion Books, 2005 p60-62

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]

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