James Brabazon
Television Productions

James Brabazon has been involved in many televisions productions, in a number of capacities:

As writer
As producer
As story-editor
As director

As Writer

MATRIARCH
Four-hour mini-series on the life of Rose Kennedy for Fries Entertainment Inc. and CBS Network Television, U.S.A.

TRADE WIND
Based on the novel by M.M. Kaye, as a six-hour mini-series for the Geoff Reeve Company and CBS Network television.

KIM
Adapted from Rudyard Kipling, as 3-hour TV special for London Films and CBS Network television.
[from Memorable TV]

CATHERINE THE GREAT
Drama for the electronic studio, for Channel 4.

I MEASURED THE SKIES
The story of Johannes Kepler, adapted from Arthur Koestler's The Sleepwalkers, for the BBC.

This Kepler... powerfully conveyed the beauty of a mind dedicated to truth. If that sounds too solemn, I have misled you, for it was at times very funny. A thrilling and touching thing by James Brabazon.
GUARDIAN
James Brabazon pinned down mathematician astronomer Kepler... in this beautifully written, splendidly directed seventy-five minute play.
DAILY MIRROR

NOTES FOR A LOVE-SONG

...a fine piece of writing and playing in the hard-realism school.
DAILY MAIL

NIGHT TRAIN TO CARDIFF

THE THOUGHT OF TOMORROW

As Producer

THE HOUSE OF CARADUS
6-part television series about the auctioneering and antiques business, for Granada Television.
[from IMDB]

One of the twenty drama programmes the public would most like to see repeated
EVENING NEWS Survey

SECRET ORCHARDS
Play on film, adapted from the book by William Trevor, directed by Richard Loncraine. For Granada Television.
[from Memorable TV]

There were no weak links in James Brabazon's production.
TIMES
Dramatised biography of rare and haunting quality.
DAILY TELEGRAPH

PEOPLE LIKE US
13-part television serial for London Weekend Television, adapted from THE DREAMING SUBURB, by R. F. Delderfield.
[from Memorable TV]

CHILDHOOD
6 one-hour plays for Granada, later sold to American PBS and fronted by Ingrid Bergman. Directors included Michael Apted, Mike Newell, John Irvin.

...the most absorbing series I saw last month - a series of dramas called CHILDHOOD from Granada TV, each detailing in frightening perspective a segment of this uneasy world as seen through the eyes of a child.
CECIL SMITH, LOS ANGELES TIMES
Granada must have another set of award-winners on their hands.
FINANCIAL TIMES
This series has become compulsive Sunday viewing.
DAILY EXPRESS
THERE IS A HAPPY LAND was the most sensitive, accurate, perfectly detailed, almost miraculously acted study of childhood days I have ever seen.
DAILY MIRROR
What can be singled out for praise in this superb reconstruction?
TIMES
... very young children are as good as their producer and director who, in this case, were evidently very good indeed.
GUARDIAN
A GREAT DAY FOR BONZO ... was one of the best television dramas for many a long year...
EVENING NEWS

THE SPOILS OF WAR
Series by John Finch, episodes 8-20, for Granada Television.

As Story Editor

Responsible for THEATRE 625, major drama series at opening of BBC2. Commissioned and edited over 100 productions, including new plays, classics, and adaptations from the theatre and from novels. Authors included Harold Pinter, John Osborne, Arthur Miller, T S. Eliot, Shakespeare.

Outstanding productions included:

TALKING TO A STRANGER
A quartet of plays by John Hopkins.
[from IMDB]

The first authentic masterpiece written directly for television.
OBSERVER

VOYAGE AROUND MY FATHER

By John Mortimer. Winner of the SFTA award for the year's best television play. (Subsequently made into a stage play and thence back to television in 1982.)

THE SIX WIVES OF HENRY VIII
By various authors. Winner of numerous awards. Networked in the U.S.A. Seen and praised all over the world.

FIFTY-FIVE COLUMNS
Adapted from the Hindi by Rani Dubey, who also co-wrote and starred.

Simple Indian love tale shone like a gem... A compulsive piece of TV theatre with an atmosphere utterly different from anything we have seen for a long time.
DAILY EXPRESS

As Director

THREE HALF-HOUR PLAYS for BBC2, produced by Innes Lloyd.




Website produced and managed by Helena Seth-Smith
Last updated: November 2010