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David Wheatley

1949 – 2009

British film director

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About David Wheatley

Lived 1949 – 2009 (aged 59). David Wheatley was a British film director, director and television director.

David Rogerson Wheatley (20 December 1949 – 5 April 2009) was a British film and television director.

His Royal College of Art graduation film was on the Belgian surrealist artist René Magritte, after his tutor Gavin Millar showed him a book on the artist. The film was screened as part of the BBC's arts' programmes Omnibus in 1979. From that year, he contributed films to the Omnibus and Arena series, before branching out into other areas in the mid 1980s.

He directed The Magic Toyshop (1987), a fantasy film based on the Angela Carter novel, which Carter adapted herself, and several social dramas set in the north of England. In the early 1990s he directed a series of Catherine Cookson adaptations for Tyne Tees which gained audiences of 14 million. He also directed episodes of Fat Friends and Dalziel and Pascoe.

Wheatley was married to Melanie Pringle for 10 years, and they had a son, Alexander. Later, he was in a relationship with film editor Camilla Tress, and they had a daughter, Francesca. He died after a long illness on 5 April 2009, aged 59.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
Royal College of Art
Also known as
David Rogerson Wheatley

People in David Wheatley's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped David Wheatley's

Frequently asked questions

Who was David Wheatley?

British film director (1949–2009)

When was David Wheatley born?

David Wheatley was born on 20 December 1949 in Sunderland.

When did David Wheatley die?

David Wheatley died on 5 April 2009.

What was David Wheatley's occupation?

David Wheatley was a film director, director and television director.

What nationality was David Wheatley?

David Wheatley was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: David Wheatley

· Wikidata: Q5241004

· DBpedia: David Wheatley (director)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). David Wheatley. https://biography.guide/david-wheatley/

MLA: "David Wheatley." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/david-wheatley/.

Chicago: "David Wheatley." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/david-wheatley/.

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