James Runcie
Encyclopedia
The Hon. James Runcie is a British
novelist, documentary film-maker, television producer, theatre director, and Artistic Director
of the Bath Literature Festival
.
, the former Bishop of St Albans
and Archbishop of Canterbury
, and Rosalind Runcie
. He was educated at the Dragon School
in Oxford
, Marlborough College
, and Trinity Hall, Cambridge
. He gained a first class
degree in English from Cambridge University in 1981.
as a writer and director. His work included Miss Julie, The White Devil, Roderick Hudson, Men Should Weep, and A Private Grief.
More recently, James Runcie has produced Arts, Music, and History programmes for the BBC
. He is a freelance director of documentary films, and has produced documentaries such as J.K. Rowling: A Year in the Life for ITV
, My Father (on his father Robert Runcie
), and a six-part series How Buildings Learn
. He works freelance for the BBC
, ITV
, and Channel 4
. He has worked with presenters including David Starkey
, Griff Rhys Jones
, Andrew Motion
, Alain de Botton
, and Simon Schama
.
James Runcie filmed the documentary My Father a week before Robert Runcie
's death. It contains the last interview with the former Archbishop
.
In 2009, Runcie was appointed Artistic Director of the Bath Literature Festival
.
as she worked on completing the final novel in the Harry Potter
series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The programme featured intimate access to Rowling's daily life, and included deeply personal interviews about her childhood and her own struggles with her writing process. The film frequently shows Rowling in tears when she remembers her life before writing Harry Potter. It is particularly notable for documenting the moment Rowling finished writing the final book. The film received positive reactions amongst the online Harry Potter fan community. Runcie conducted his own interviews and narrated the film, however, when shown in the United States
, additional commentary was provided by Elizabeth Vargas
.
This film was aired on December 30, 2007 by ITV
, and included in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
DVD as supplement.
.
He also frequently writes lifestyle pieces on the subjects of family and literature for major UK newspapers.
award for his film Miss Pym's Day Out in 1992, and has also received Royal Television Society
nominations for How Buildings Learn and The Gentle Art of Making Enemies. Miss Pym's Day Out was also nominated for a BAFTA Huw Wheldon
Award for the Best Arts Programme in 1992.
He has won two BAFTA Scotland Radio Drama Awards for Watching Waiters and Mrs Lynch’s Maggot, and been nominated for a BAFTA award for the film Great Composers — Bach
.
in 1985. They have one daughter together, Charlotte Runcie, born in 1989, and James is also stepfather to Marilyn's daughter, Rosie Kellagher, born in 1978. Kellagher is a freelance theatre director.
Charlotte is a writer and poet who graduated with a first
in English from Queens' College, Cambridge University in 2011.
The family currently lives in Edinburgh
, Scotland
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
novelist, documentary film-maker, television producer, theatre director, and Artistic Director
Artistic director
An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre company, that handles the organization's artistic direction. He or she is generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogul, since the organization is generally a non-profit organization...
of the Bath Literature Festival
Bath Literature Festival
The Bath Literature Festival held annually in Bath, Somerset, England, has become an important date in the national literary calendar, playing host to an array of journalists, novelists, poets, politicians, actors, comedians, writers and biographers....
.
Early life
Runcie is the son of Robert RuncieRobert Runcie
Robert Alexander Kennedy Runcie, Baron Runcie, PC, MC was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1980 to 1991.-Early life:...
, the former Bishop of St Albans
Bishop of St Albans
The Bishop of St Albans is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of St Albans in the Province of Canterbury. The bishop is supported in his work by two suffragan bishops, the Bishop of Hertford and the Bishop of Bedford, and three archdeacons....
and Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, and Rosalind Runcie
Rosalind Runcie
Angela Rosalind "Lindy" Runcie, Baroness Runcie is a formerly well-known classical pianist and the widow of Robert Runcie, Archbishop of Canterbury.- Family and early life :...
. He was educated at the Dragon School
Dragon School
The Dragon School is a British coeducational, preparatory school in the city of Oxford, founded in 1877 as the Oxford Preparatory School, or OPS. It is primarily known as a boarding school, although it also takes day pupils...
in Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, Marlborough College
Marlborough College
Marlborough College is a British co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils, located in Marlborough, Wiltshire.Founded in 1843 for the education of the sons of Church of England clergy, the school now accepts both boys and girls of all beliefs. Currently there are just over 800...
, and Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trinity Hall is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the fifth-oldest college of the university, having been founded in 1350 by William Bateman, Bishop of Norwich.- Foundation :...
. He gained a first class
British undergraduate degree classification
The British undergraduate degree classification system is a grading scheme for undergraduate degrees in the United Kingdom...
degree in English from Cambridge University in 1981.
Work in media
From 1983–1985, Runcie worked in Radio Drama for BBC ScotlandBBC Scotland
BBC Scotland is a constituent part of the British Broadcasting Corporation, the publicly-funded broadcaster of the United Kingdom. It is, in effect, the national broadcaster for Scotland, having a considerable amount of autonomy from the BBC's London headquarters, and is run by the BBC Trust, who...
as a writer and director. His work included Miss Julie, The White Devil, Roderick Hudson, Men Should Weep, and A Private Grief.
More recently, James Runcie has produced Arts, Music, and History programmes for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. He is a freelance director of documentary films, and has produced documentaries such as J.K. Rowling: A Year in the Life for ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
, My Father (on his father Robert Runcie
Robert Runcie
Robert Alexander Kennedy Runcie, Baron Runcie, PC, MC was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1980 to 1991.-Early life:...
), and a six-part series How Buildings Learn
How Buildings Learn
How Buildings Learn: What Happens After They’re Built is an illustrated book on the evolution of buildings and how buildings adapt to changing requirements over long periods. It was written by Stewart Brand and published by Viking Press in 1994...
. He works freelance for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
, and Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
. He has worked with presenters including David Starkey
David Starkey
David Starkey, CBE, FSA is a British constitutional historian, and a radio and television presenter.He was born the only child of Quaker parents, and attended Kendal Grammar School before entering Cambridge through a scholarship. There he specialised in Tudor history, writing a thesis on King...
, Griff Rhys Jones
Griff Rhys Jones
Griffith "Griff" Rhys Jones is a Welsh comedian, writer, actor, television presenter and personality. Jones came to national attention in the early 1980s for his work in the BBC television comedy sketch shows Not the Nine O'Clock News and Alas Smith and Jones along with his comedy partner Mel Smith...
, Andrew Motion
Andrew Motion
Sir Andrew Motion, FRSL is an English poet, novelist and biographer, who presided as Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom from 1999 to 2009.- Life and career :...
, Alain de Botton
Alain de Botton
Alain de Botton is a Swiss writer, television presenter, and entrepreneur, resident in the UK.His books and television programs discuss various contemporary subjects and themes in a philosophical style, emphasizing philosophy's relevance to everyday life. In August 2008, he was a founding member...
, and Simon Schama
Simon Schama
Simon Michael Schama, CBE is a British historian and art historian. He is a University Professor of History and Art History at Columbia University. He is best known for writing and hosting the 15-part BBC documentary series A History of Britain...
.
James Runcie filmed the documentary My Father a week before Robert Runcie
Robert Runcie
Robert Alexander Kennedy Runcie, Baron Runcie, PC, MC was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1980 to 1991.-Early life:...
's death. It contains the last interview with the former Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
.
In 2009, Runcie was appointed Artistic Director of the Bath Literature Festival
Bath Literature Festival
The Bath Literature Festival held annually in Bath, Somerset, England, has become an important date in the national literary calendar, playing host to an array of journalists, novelists, poets, politicians, actors, comedians, writers and biographers....
.
J.K. Rowling: A Year in the Life
From October 2006 to October 2007, Runcie spent a year filming J. K. RowlingJ. K. Rowling
Joanne "Jo" Rowling, OBE , better known as J. K. Rowling, is the British author of the Harry Potter fantasy series...
as she worked on completing the final novel in the Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The programme featured intimate access to Rowling's daily life, and included deeply personal interviews about her childhood and her own struggles with her writing process. The film frequently shows Rowling in tears when she remembers her life before writing Harry Potter. It is particularly notable for documenting the moment Rowling finished writing the final book. The film received positive reactions amongst the online Harry Potter fan community. Runcie conducted his own interviews and narrated the film, however, when shown in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, additional commentary was provided by Elizabeth Vargas
Elizabeth Vargas
Elizabeth Vargas is an American television journalist who is anchor of ABC's television newsmagazine 20/20 and ABC News Specials. She was previously an anchor of World News Tonight.-Early years:...
.
This film was aired on December 30, 2007 by ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
, and included in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a 2009 fantasy film directed by David Yates and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the sixth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman and David Barron...
DVD as supplement.
Writing
Runcie has written four novels: Canvey Island, The Discovery of Chocolate, The Colour of Heaven, and East Fortune. He is published by BloomsburyBloomsbury
-Places:* Bloomsbury is an area in central London.* Bloomsbury , related local government unit* Bloomsbury, New Jersey, New Jersey, USA* Bloomsbury , listed on the NRHP in Maryland...
.
He also frequently writes lifestyle pieces on the subjects of family and literature for major UK newspapers.
Awards
Runcie won a Royal Television SocietyRoyal Television Society
The Royal Television Society is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present and future. It is the oldest television society in the world...
award for his film Miss Pym's Day Out in 1992, and has also received Royal Television Society
Royal Television Society
The Royal Television Society is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present and future. It is the oldest television society in the world...
nominations for How Buildings Learn and The Gentle Art of Making Enemies. Miss Pym's Day Out was also nominated for a BAFTA Huw Wheldon
Huw Wheldon
Sir Huw Pyrs Wheldon OBE MC was a BBC broadcaster and executive.Wheldon was born in Prestatyn, Wales and educated at Friars School, Bangor. His father, Sir Wynn Wheldon, was a prominent educationalist, who had been awarded the DSO for gallantry in the First World War...
Award for the Best Arts Programme in 1992.
He has won two BAFTA Scotland Radio Drama Awards for Watching Waiters and Mrs Lynch’s Maggot, and been nominated for a BAFTA award for the film Great Composers — Bach
Bạch
Bạch is a Vietnamese surname. The name is transliterated as Bai in Chinese and Baek, in Korean.Bach is the anglicized variation of the surname Bạch.-Notable people with the surname Bạch:* Bạch Liêu...
.
Personal life
Runcie married the Radio Drama producer Marilyn ImrieMarilyn Imrie
Marilyn Elsie Imrie is a Scottish radio drama director and producer.Marilyn Imrie has worked in drama and broadcasting in Scotland and England for over thirty years as a producer and director, for BBC, ITV and the independent companies Absolutely, Bona Broadcasting, CBL, CIM, Kindle and Sweet Talk...
in 1985. They have one daughter together, Charlotte Runcie, born in 1989, and James is also stepfather to Marilyn's daughter, Rosie Kellagher, born in 1978. Kellagher is a freelance theatre director.
Charlotte is a writer and poet who graduated with a first
British undergraduate degree classification
The British undergraduate degree classification system is a grading scheme for undergraduate degrees in the United Kingdom...
in English from Queens' College, Cambridge University in 2011.
The family currently lives in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
External links
- Biography from Bloomsbury Publishing
- Fantastic Fiction information