Mike Leigh

Personal Information
Mike Leigh was born in 1943 in Salford. He trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, at Camberwell and Central Art Schools, and at the London Film School. His first feature film was Bleak Moments (1971); this was followed by the full-length television films, Hard Labour (1973), Nuts in May (1975), The Kiss of Death (1976), Who’s Who (1978), Grown-Ups (1980), Home Sweet Home (1982), Meantime (1983), and Four Days In July (1984), which was shot entirely on location in Belfast. His later feature films are High Hopes (1988), Life Is Sweet (1990), Naked (1992), Secrets and Lies (1996), Career Girls (1997), Topsy- Turvy (1999), All Or Nothing (2002), and most recently ‘Vera Drake’ (2004). Secrets & Lies and Topsy- Turvy had nine Oscar nominations between them, Topsy-Turvy winning two. In 1994, Naked won Best Director and Best Actor at Cannes, where two years later Secrets & Lies won the Palme d’Or and Best Actress. Vera Drake won The Golden Lion and the Best Actress at Venice in 2004, as well as six BIFA’s, 3 BAFTA’s including Best Director, and three Oscar nominations Mike Leigh has also written and directed over twenty stage plays, the best known of which is Abigail’s Party, which he also directed for television, and which was recently revived at Hampstead Theatre, where it was originally performed in 1977. In Autumn 2005, Mike Leigh’s latest play Two Thousand Years has been enjoying a successful run at the National Theatre in London, while next door, the National Film Theatre has presented a complete retrospective of Mike Leigh’s films.
 
Credits

Author
Production Theatre Opened Credit
1 Two Thousand Years Theatre Row / Theatre Three (previously Acorn Theater) 01/31/2008 Author
2 Abigail's Party Theatre Row / Theatre Three (previously Acorn Theater) 12/01/2005 Playwright
3 Smelling a Rat Samuel Beckett Theatre 05/19/2002 Playwright
4 Goose-pimples Judith Anderson Theatre 12/18/1997 Playwright
5 Ecstasy John Houseman Theatre 04/20/1995 Playwright
Awards
Award Production Function
1 NOMINATED 2006 Lucille Lortel Award, Outstanding Revival Abigail's Party Playwright