Ian Curteis

Ian Bayley Curteis (1 May 1935 – 24 November 2021) was a British dramatist and television director.

Life and career Curteis was born in London on 1 May 1935, and began his career as an actor, joining Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop in the mid-1950s, and later working in this profession in regional theatres, and as a stage director or producer. His career in television began as a script reader for both the BBC and Granada Television. Curteis joined the staff of the BBC as a trainee director in 1964. The Projected Man (1966), which he directed, is his only cinema film. Around the same time Curteis directed an episode of the BBC2 anthology series, Out of the Unknown, William Trevor's "Walk's End". Both projects had a problematic production; Curteis has disputed the claims of the producers of both.

Curteis divorced his first wife, Dorothy Curteis, and his second, the novelist Joanna Trollope. His third wife was Lady Deirdre (formerly Lady Grantley), daughter of William Hare, 5th Earl of Listowel; they married in 2001 in the chapel of Markenfield Hall, which had been restored to a great extent by her previous husband. This was the first wedding to be held there for some 400 years. The couple continued restoration projects which were expected to be ongoing until 2030.

He died on 24 November 2021, at the age of 86.

Filmography The Indian Tales of Rudyard Kipling: Watches of the Night (1964) director Pity About the Abbey (1965) director Out of the Unknown: Walk's End (1966) director The Projected Man (1966) director (feature film) ITV Saturday Night Theatre: The Haunting (1969) writer Thirty-Minute Theatre: A Distinct Chill (1971) writer The Onedin Line (1971) various episodes, writer Spy Trap (1972) writer Doomwatch: Flood (1972) writer The Edwardians (1972) writer The Regiment: Riot (1973) writer Sutherland's Law (1973) writer Barlow at Large 3 episodes (1974–75) writer Victorian Scandals: The Portland Millions (1976) writer Crown Court 6 episodes (1974–77) writer Philby, Burgess and Maclean (1977) writer The Cedar Tree (ATV, 1977) writer, 2 episodes People Like Us (1978) adaptation Churchill and the Generals (1979) writer Atom Spies (1979) writer Prince Regent (1979) writer Suez 1956 (1979) writer Miss Morison's Ghosts (1981) writer Lost Empires (1986) adaptation The Nightmare Years (1990) writer The Choir (1995) adaptation The Falklands Play (2002) writer