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{{Short description|English writer and theatre director (1938–2023)}}
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| birth_name = David Henry Benedictus
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1938|09|16|df=yes}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|1938|9|16|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[London]], England
| birth_place = [[London]], England
| death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
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| education = [[Eton College]]
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| alma_mater = [[Balliol College, Oxford]]<br>[[University of Iowa]]
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| spouse = [[Yvonne Antrobus]] (m. 1971, div. 2002)
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Yvonne Antrobus]]|1971|2002|end=divorced}}
| partner = <!-- or: | partners = -->
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| children = 4, including [[Jolyon Maugham]] and Jessica Campbell
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'''David Henry Benedictus''' (born 16 September 1938) is an English writer and theatre director, best known for his novels. His work includes the [[Winnie-the-Pooh]] novel ''[[Return to the Hundred Acre Wood]]'' (2009). It was the first such book in 81 years.
'''David Henry Benedictus''' (16 September 1938 – 4 October 2023) was an English writer and theatre director, best known for his novels. His work included the [[Winnie-the-Pooh]] novel ''[[Return to the Hundred Acre Wood]]'' (2009). It was the first such book in 81 years.


==Life==
==Life==
Born in 1938 to Henry Jules and Kathleen Constance (Ricardo) Benedictus, he was educated at [[Eton College]], [[Balliol College]], [[University of Oxford|Oxford]], and the [[University of Iowa]]. His first novel ''[[The Fourth of June]]'' was a best-seller and he adapted it for the London stage. His second novel, ''[[You're a Big Boy Now (novel)|You're a Big Boy Now]]'', was made into a [[You're a Big Boy Now|1966 feature film]] directed by [[Francis Ford Coppola]]. He was an assistant to [[Trevor Nunn]] at the [[Royal Shakespeare Company]]. He has also worked as a [[commissioning editor]] for Drama at [[Channel 4]], and ran the ''[[Book at Bedtime]]'' series for [[BBC Radio 4]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.egmont.co.uk/contributor.asp?contid=246|title=David Benedictus author profile|publisher=[[Egmont Publishing]]|accessdate=21 October 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717041359/http://www.egmont.co.uk/contributor.asp?contid=246|archive-date=17 July 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Born on 16 September 1938 to chartered accountant Henry Jules Benedictus and Kathleen Constance (née Ricardo).<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Benedictus, David Henry, (born 16 Sept. 1938), critic, book writer, director for stage, television and radio, teacher and stamp dealer|url=https://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/10.1093/ww/9780199540884.001.0001/ww-9780199540884-e-7207|access-date=2021-03-04|website=WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO|year=2007|language=en|doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u7207}}</ref> He was educated at [[Eton College]], [[Balliol College, Oxford]], and the [[University of Iowa]].<ref name=":0" /> His first novel ''[[The Fourth of June]]'' was a best-seller and he adapted it for the London stage. His second novel, ''[[You're a Big Boy Now (novel)|You're a Big Boy Now]]'', was made into a [[You're a Big Boy Now|1966 feature film]] directed by [[Francis Ford Coppola]]. He was an assistant to [[Trevor Nunn]] at the [[Royal Shakespeare Company]]. He has also worked as a [[commissioning editor]] for Drama at [[Channel 4]], and ran the ''[[Book at Bedtime]]'' series for [[BBC Radio 4]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.egmont.co.uk/contributor.asp?contid=246|title=David Benedictus author profile|publisher=[[Egmont Publishing]]|access-date=21 October 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717041359/http://www.egmont.co.uk/contributor.asp?contid=246|archive-date=17 July 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>

⚫
Benedictus previously wrote and produced audio readings of the ''Pooh'' stories, with [[Judi Dench]] as [[Kanga (Winnie-the-Pooh)|Kanga]] and [[Geoffrey Palmer (actor)|Geoffrey Palmer]] as [[Eeyore]].<ref name="guardian">{{cite news |url= https://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/oct/04/winnie-pooh-hundred-acre-wood |title= Pooh sequel returns Christopher Robin to Hundred Acre Wood |last=Kennedy |first=Maev |date=4 October 2009 |work= [[The Guardian]] |location =London |access-date=21 October 2009}}</ref> He sent the trustees of the [[A. A. Milne]] estate two sample stories of his sequel, and it took more than eight years for them to approve the project.<ref name="guardian"/>


⚫
At the time of the book's publication he admitted to nerves over its reception, saying, <blockquote>What's the worst thing that can happen, that I'll be torn apart by wild journalists? Happened before and I survived. At worst everyone will hate me and I'll just crawl under a bush and hide – I can live with that. Some people do hate the whole idea of a sequel, but it's not as if I'm doing any damage to the original, that will still be there. My hope is that people will finish reading a cracking story and just want more of them, and that's where I come in.<ref name="guardian"/></blockquote> Michael Brown, chairman of the Pooh Properties Trust, said Benedictus had a "wonderful feel" for the world of Pooh.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/05/books/05pooh.html?hpw |title=The Same Pooh Bear, but an Otter Has Arrived |last=Lee |first=Felicia |date=4 October 2009 |work=The New York Times |access-date=21 October 2009}}</ref> However, ''[[Publishers Weekly]]'' was cool on the book, describing it as "largely forgettable" and as missing "the charm of the first book".<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-525-42160-3 |title=Return to the Hundred Acre Wood |access-date=5 January 2015}}</ref>
⚫
He previously wrote and produced audio readings of the ''Pooh'' stories, with [[Judi Dench]] as [[Kanga (Winnie-the-Pooh)|Kanga]] and [[Geoffrey Palmer (actor)|Geoffrey Palmer]] as [[Eeyore]].<ref name="guardian">{{cite news |url= https://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/oct/04/winnie-pooh-hundred-acre-wood |title= Pooh sequel returns Christopher Robin to Hundred Acre Wood |last=Kennedy |first=Maev |date=4 October 2009 |work= [[The Guardian]] |location =London |accessdate=21 October 2009}}</ref> He sent the trustees of the [[A. A. Milne]] estate two sample stories of his sequel, and it took more than eight years for them to approve the project.<ref name="guardian"/>


⚫
Benedictus commented on his work in 1985, "Given peace of mind, financial independence, and a modicum of luck, I may produce a novel to be proud of one day."<ref>Kirkpatrick, D. L.; Vinson, James. ''Contemporary Novelists'' (1986), p. 93.</ref> In March, 2014, he moved to [[Hove]], a resort on the south coast of England, to be close to his extending family. He has four children, [[Jolyon Maugham]] KC, a barrister,<ref>{{cite news|last=Eleftheriou-Smith|first=Loulla-Mae|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/katie-hopkins-jo-maugham-etonian-father-qc-barrister-twitter-a7917621.html|title=Katie Hopkins' attempt to shame barrister on Twitter for having an Etonian father backfires|work=The Independent|date=29 August 2017|access-date=29 August 2017}}</ref> Leo a journalist and novelist (''The Afterparty'', his first novel, was published by Jonathan Cape), Chloe a psychodynamic psychotherapist, and Jessica Campbell, a theatre producer.
⚫
At the time of the book's publication he admitted to nerves over its reception, saying, <blockquote>What's the worst thing that can happen, that I'll be torn apart by wild journalists? Happened before and I survived. At worst everyone will hate me and I'll just crawl under a bush and hide – I can live with that. Some people do hate the whole idea of a sequel, but it's not as if I'm doing any damage to the original, that will still be there. My hope is that people will finish reading a cracking story and just want more of them, and that's where I come in.<ref name="guardian"/></blockquote> Michael Brown, chairman of the Pooh Properties Trust, said Benedictus had a "wonderful feel" for the world of Pooh.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/05/books/05pooh.html?hpw |title=The Same Pooh Bear, but an Otter Has Arrived |last=Lee |first=Felicia |date=4 October 2009 |work=The New York Times |accessdate=21 October 2009}}</ref> However, ''[[Publishers Weekly]]'' was cool on the book, describing it as "largely forgettable" and as missing "the charm of the first book".<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-525-42160-3 |title=Return to the Hundred Acre Wood |accessdate=5 January 2015}}</ref>


⚫
Benedictus published an [[autobiography]], ''Dropping Names'', in 2005. According to an interview Benedictus gave to the Israeli newspaper [[Yediot Aharonot]] in 2009, he said that a cousin had done research into his surname and found out that it was actually "[[Baruch (given name)|Baruch]]" (ברוך - having the same meaning as "Benedictus" in [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]]), as well as research into how his ancestors emigrated to Britain, which revealed that they have [[Ashkenazi Jews|Ashkenazi Jewish]] heritage.
⚫
Benedictus commented on his work in 1985, "Given peace of mind, financial independence, and a modicum of luck, I may produce a novel to be proud of one day."<ref>Kirkpatrick, D. L.; Vinson, James. ''Contemporary Novelists'' (1986), p. 93.</ref> In March, 2014, he moved to [[Hove]], a resort on the south coast of England, to be close to his extending family. He has four children, [[Jolyon Maugham]] QC, a barrister,<ref>{{cite news|last=Eleftheriou-Smith|first=Loulla-Mae|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/katie-hopkins-jo-maugham-etonian-father-qc-barrister-twitter-a7917621.html|title=Katie Hopkins' attempt to shame barrister on Twitter for having an Etonian father backfires|work=The Independent|date=29 August 2017|accessdate=29 August 2017}}</ref> Leo a journalist and novelist (''The Afterparty'', his first novel, was published by Jonathan Cape), Chloe a psychodynamic psychotherapist, and Jessica, a theatre producer.


Benedictus died suddenly on 4 October 2023, at the age of 85.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Harding |first1=Laura |title=Author and playwright David Benedictus dies aged 85 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/west-end-jolyon-maugham-cambridge-david-bbc-b2426553.html |access-date=9 October 2023 |publisher=The Independent |date=9 October 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=David Benedictus obituary |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/david-benedictus-obituary-0jvq7s7sm |access-date=12 October 2023 |publisher=The Times |date=12 October 2023}}</ref>
⚫
He published an [[autobiography]], ''Dropping Names'', in 2005. According to an interview Benedictus gave to the Israeli newspaper [[Yediot Aharonot]] in 2009, he said that a cousin had done research into his surname and found out that it was actually "[[Baruch (given name)|Baruch]]" (ברוך - having the same meaning as "Benedictus" in [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]]), as well as research into how his ancestors emigrated to Britain, which revealed that they have [[Ashkenazi Jews|Ashkenazi Jewish]] heritage.


==Bibliography==
==Bibliography==
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*''[[The Rabbi's Wife]]'' (1977)
*''[[The Rabbi's Wife]]'' (1977)
*''A Twentieth Century Man'' (1978)
*''A Twentieth Century Man'' (1978)
*''Lloyd George: A Novel'' (1981, from the screenplay of a [[The Life and Times of David Lloyd George|BBC miniseries]] by [[Elaine Morgan (writer)|Elaine Morgan]])
*''[https://archive.org/details/lloydgeorge0000bene Lloyd George: A Novel]'' (1981, from the screenplay of [[The Life and Times of David Lloyd George|a BBC miniseries]] by [[Elaine Morgan (writer)|Elaine Morgan]])
*''The Antique Collector's Guide'' (1981)
*''The Antique Collector's Guide'' (1981)
*''Whose Life is it Anyway?'' (1982, from the [[Whose Life Is It Anyway? (play)|play]] by [[Brian Clark (writer)|Brian Clark]])
*''Whose Life is it Anyway?'' (1982, from [[Whose Life Is It Anyway? (play)|the play]] by [[Brian Clark (writer)|Brian Clark]])
*''Local Hero'' (1983, from the [[Local Hero (1983 film)|screenplay]] by [[Bill Forsyth]])
*''Local Hero'' (1983, from [[Local Hero (1983 film)|the screenplay]] by [[Bill Forsyth]])
*''Essential Guide to London'' (1984)
*''Essential Guide to London'' (1984)
*''[[Floating Down to Camelot]]'' (1985)
*''[[Floating Down to Camelot]]'' (1985)
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Benedictus, David}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Benedictus, David}}
[[Category:1938 births]]
[[Category:1938 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:2023 deaths]]
⚫
[[Category:People educated at Eton College]]
[[Category:Alumni of Balliol College, Oxford]]
⚫
[[Category:University of Iowa alumni]]
[[Category:English Jews]]
[[Category:English Jews]]
[[Category:English children's writers]]
[[Category:English children's writers]]
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[[Category:21st-century English novelists]]
[[Category:21st-century English novelists]]
[[Category:English theatre directors]]
[[Category:English theatre directors]]
⚫
[[Category:People educated at Eton College]]
⚫
[[Category:University of Iowa alumni]]
[[Category:English male novelists]]
[[Category:English male novelists]]
[[Category:20th-century British male writers]]
[[Category:20th-century English male writers]]
[[Category:21st-century British male writers]]
[[Category:21st-century English male writers]]
[[Category:Alumni of Balliol College, Oxford]]
[[Category:Writers from London]]

Latest revision as of 08:15, 12 July 2024

David Benedictus
BornDavid Henry Benedictus
(1938-09-16)16 September 1938
London, England
Died4 October 2023(2023-10-04) (aged 85)
EducationEton College
Alma materBalliol College, Oxford
University of Iowa
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1971; div. 2002)​
Children4, including Jolyon Maugham and Jessica Campbell

David Henry Benedictus (16 September 1938 – 4 October 2023) was an English writer and theatre director, best known for his novels. His work included the Winnie-the-Pooh novel Return to the Hundred Acre Wood (2009). It was the first such book in 81 years.

Life

[edit]

Born on 16 September 1938 to chartered accountant Henry Jules Benedictus and Kathleen Constance (née Ricardo).[1] He was educated at Eton College, Balliol College, Oxford, and the University of Iowa.[1] His first novel The Fourth of June was a best-seller and he adapted it for the London stage. His second novel, You're a Big Boy Now, was made into a 1966 feature film directed by Francis Ford Coppola. He was an assistant to Trevor Nunn at the Royal Shakespeare Company. He has also worked as a commissioning editor for Drama at Channel 4, and ran the Book at Bedtime series for BBC Radio 4.[2]

Benedictus previously wrote and produced audio readings of the Pooh stories, with Judi Dench as Kanga and Geoffrey Palmer as Eeyore.[3] He sent the trustees of the A. A. Milne estate two sample stories of his sequel, and it took more than eight years for them to approve the project.[3]

At the time of the book's publication he admitted to nerves over its reception, saying,

What's the worst thing that can happen, that I'll be torn apart by wild journalists? Happened before and I survived. At worst everyone will hate me and I'll just crawl under a bush and hide – I can live with that. Some people do hate the whole idea of a sequel, but it's not as if I'm doing any damage to the original, that will still be there. My hope is that people will finish reading a cracking story and just want more of them, and that's where I come in.[3]

Michael Brown, chairman of the Pooh Properties Trust, said Benedictus had a "wonderful feel" for the world of Pooh.[4] However, Publishers Weekly was cool on the book, describing it as "largely forgettable" and as missing "the charm of the first book".[5]

Benedictus commented on his work in 1985, "Given peace of mind, financial independence, and a modicum of luck, I may produce a novel to be proud of one day."[6] In March, 2014, he moved to Hove, a resort on the south coast of England, to be close to his extending family. He has four children, Jolyon Maugham KC, a barrister,[7] Leo a journalist and novelist (The Afterparty, his first novel, was published by Jonathan Cape), Chloe a psychodynamic psychotherapist, and Jessica Campbell, a theatre producer.

Benedictus published an autobiography, Dropping Names, in 2005. According to an interview Benedictus gave to the Israeli newspaper Yediot Aharonot in 2009, he said that a cousin had done research into his surname and found out that it was actually "Baruch" (ברוך - having the same meaning as "Benedictus" in Hebrew), as well as research into how his ancestors emigrated to Britain, which revealed that they have Ashkenazi Jewish heritage.

Benedictus died suddenly on 4 October 2023, at the age of 85.[8][9]

Bibliography

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Benedictus, David Henry, (born 16 Sept. 1938), critic, book writer, director for stage, television and radio, teacher and stamp dealer". WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. 2007. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u7207. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  2. ^ "David Benedictus author profile". Egmont Publishing. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
  3. ^ a b c Kennedy, Maev (4 October 2009). "Pooh sequel returns Christopher Robin to Hundred Acre Wood". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
  4. ^ Lee, Felicia (4 October 2009). "The Same Pooh Bear, but an Otter Has Arrived". The New York Times. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
  5. ^ "Return to the Hundred Acre Wood". Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  6. ^ Kirkpatrick, D. L.; Vinson, James. Contemporary Novelists (1986), p. 93.
  7. ^ Eleftheriou-Smith, Loulla-Mae (29 August 2017). "Katie Hopkins' attempt to shame barrister on Twitter for having an Etonian father backfires". The Independent. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  8. ^ Harding, Laura (9 October 2023). "Author and playwright David Benedictus dies aged 85". The Independent. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  9. ^ "David Benedictus obituary". The Times. 12 October 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
[edit]
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