Priestley at Bradford Literature Festival

Posted in: News

Posted on: June 11, 2022

Steve Abbott, John Baxendale, Bill Lawrence, Lindsay Sutton

J B Priestley in Hollywood

Bradford-born novelist and playwright J.B. Priestley is well-known as the writer behind An Inspector Calls, yet his contribution to the golden age of cinema is often overlooked. Much of his work is uncredited and and is still being unearthed, for example The Princess Comes Across. His first credit is The Old Dark House, (screening at the Festival) from his novella Benighted.

To unreel this under-documented history is a star cast – esteemed Bradfordian Steve Abbott – producer of Brassed Off, A Fish called Wanda, and Michael Palin’s TV travel programmes; Bill Lawrence, former Head of Film at the National Science and Media Museum; and historian and JBP author John Baxendale. They will look at Priestley’s complicated relationship with Hollywood – one that spans unacknowledged screenwriter credits, his apparent conflicted feelings about working in mainstream cinema, and the iconic stars he might have rubbed shoulders with along the way.

How did these opportunities come about, and what did Hollywood see in one of Yorkshire’s most prolific writers? In this celebration of Priestley’s influence and legacy, we aim to find out.

More details at the Bradford Literature Festival website and book tickets online