Stella Richman
Encyclopedia
Stella Richman was a British television producer.
Originally an actress, she had a bit part in the second episode of The Quatermass Experiment
in 1953, Richman was appointed script editor at Lew Grade
's Associated TeleVision
in 1960 working on single plays. Grade's sole condition was that her commissions did not gain disastrous ratings. According to Frederic Raphael
, "Richman proved, by her demanding eclecticism, that quality was not the enemy of popularity. Since there could (and can) be no rules for what the public liked, she assumed that, if she gave them the best work she could find, they would like that." In particular she was responsible for overseeing the Love Story anthology series in its early years. Moving to Associated Rediffusion around 1964, she became their Head of Series, and created a genre which critic Philip Purser
termed 'Our Story'. At the new London Weekend Television
she oversaw a six-part series of television plays, The Company of Five (1968), which featured a central group of five actors. The series featured works by Leon Griffiths
, Roy Minton
, Alun Owen
, Dennis Potter
(Shaggy Dog
), and C. P. Taylor
.
In 1970, as Director of Programming at LWT, she was the first woman to be appointed to the board of an ITV contractor. A longstanding acquaintance of actress Jean Marsh
, she commissioned the series Upstairs, Downstairs
which Marsh had co-created. Richman's period at LWT was short lived. Reportedly sacked by Rupert Murdoch
, then in effective control of the company, she went independent, renewing an association with David Frost
, and was responsible for projects such as Jennie, Lady Randolph Churchill (1974) starring Lee Remick
. For Thames
she oversaw Trevor Griffiths
serial Bill Brand (1976) and for ATV, Clayhanger, a 26 part dramatisation of the Arnold Bennett
cycle of novels.
Stella Richman married three times; her first husband was the actor Alec Clunes
. With her second husband Victor Brusa she established the White Elephant Club, a restaurant and drinking club of which she was chairwoman from 1960-68.
Originally an actress, she had a bit part in the second episode of The Quatermass Experiment
The Quatermass Experiment
The Quatermass Experiment is a British science-fiction serial broadcast by BBC Television in the summer of 1953 and re-staged by BBC Four in 2005. Set in the near future against the background of a British space programme, it tells the story of the first manned flight into space, overseen by...
in 1953, Richman was appointed script editor at Lew Grade
Lew Grade
Lew Grade, Baron Grade , born Lev Winogradsky, was an influential Russian-born English impresario and media mogul.-Early years:...
's Associated TeleVision
Associated TeleVision
Associated Television, often referred to as ATV, was a British television company, holder of various licences to broadcast on the ITV network from 24 September 1955 until 00:34 on 1 January 1982...
in 1960 working on single plays. Grade's sole condition was that her commissions did not gain disastrous ratings. According to Frederic Raphael
Frederic Raphael
Frederic Michael Raphael is an American-born, British-educated screenwriter, and also a prolific novelist and journalist.-Life and career:...
, "Richman proved, by her demanding eclecticism, that quality was not the enemy of popularity. Since there could (and can) be no rules for what the public liked, she assumed that, if she gave them the best work she could find, they would like that." In particular she was responsible for overseeing the Love Story anthology series in its early years. Moving to Associated Rediffusion around 1964, she became their Head of Series, and created a genre which critic Philip Purser
Philip Purser
Philip Purser is a British television critic and novelist.A contributor to the News Chronicle in the 1950s, he was television critic of The Sunday Telegraph from its launch in 1961 until he was sacked in 1987 by Peregrine Worsthorne, the then editor...
termed 'Our Story'. At the new London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television was the name of the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties including south Suffolk, middle and east Hampshire, Oxfordshire, south Bedfordshire, south Northamptonshire, parts of Herefordshire & Worcestershire, Warwickshire, east Dorset and...
she oversaw a six-part series of television plays, The Company of Five (1968), which featured a central group of five actors. The series featured works by Leon Griffiths
Leon Griffiths
Leon Griffiths was a British writer for TV and film. Griffiths is best known for being the creator of the ITV comedy-drama Minder. The inspiration for the show came from the stories he heard while frequenting North London drinking clubs.Griffiths was born in Sheffield, but grew up in Glasgow...
, Roy Minton
Roy Minton
Roy Minton is an English playwright best known for Scum and his other work with Alan Clarke. He is notable for having written over 30 one-off scripts for London Weekend Television, Rediffusion, BBC, ATV, Granada, Thames Television and Yorkshire Television, including Sling Your Hook, Horace, Funny...
, Alun Owen
Alun Owen
Alun Owen was a British screenwriter, predominantly active in television, but best remembered by a wider audience for writing the screenplay of The Beatles' debut feature film A Hard Day's Night ....
, Dennis Potter
Dennis Potter
Dennis Christopher George Potter was an English dramatist, best known for The Singing Detective. His widely acclaimed television dramas mixed fantasy and reality, the personal and the social. He was particularly fond of using themes and images from popular culture.-Biography:Dennis Potter was born...
(Shaggy Dog
Shaggy Dog (play)
Shaggy Dog, broadcast by ITV on 10 November 1968, is a black and white television play by Dennis Potter written for the London Weekend Television anthology series The Company of Five, specifically a group of five actors.-Synopsis:...
), and C. P. Taylor
Cecil Philip Taylor
Cecil Philip Taylor , usually credited as C. P. Taylor, was a British playwright. He wrote almost 80 plays during his 16 years as a professional playwright, including several for radio and television. He also made a number of documentary programmes for the BBC...
.
In 1970, as Director of Programming at LWT, she was the first woman to be appointed to the board of an ITV contractor. A longstanding acquaintance of actress Jean Marsh
Jean Marsh
Jean Lyndsey Torren Marsh is an English actress, occasional screenwriter, and co-creator of the television series Upstairs, Downstairs and The House of Eliott....
, she commissioned the series Upstairs, Downstairs
Upstairs, Downstairs
Upstairs, Downstairs is a British drama television series originally produced by London Weekend Television and revived by the BBC. It ran on ITV in 68 episodes divided into five series from 1971 to 1975, and a sixth series shown on the BBC on three consecutive nights, 26–28 December 2010.Set in a...
which Marsh had co-created. Richman's period at LWT was short lived. Reportedly sacked by Rupert Murdoch
Rupert Murdoch
Keith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG is an Australian-American business magnate. He is the founder and Chairman and CEO of , the world's second-largest media conglomerate....
, then in effective control of the company, she went independent, renewing an association with David Frost
David Frost
Sir David Frost is a British broadcaster.David Frost may also refer to:*David Frost , South African golfer*David Frost , classical record producer*David Frost *Dave Frost, baseball pitcher...
, and was responsible for projects such as Jennie, Lady Randolph Churchill (1974) starring Lee Remick
Lee Remick
Lee Ann Remick was an American film and television actress. Among her best-known films are Anatomy of a Murder , Days of Wine and Roses , and The Omen .-Early life:...
. For Thames
Thames Television
Thames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
she oversaw Trevor Griffiths
Trevor Griffiths
Trevor Griffiths is an English dramatist.Raised as a Roman Catholic, he attended Saint Bede's College, before being accepted into Manchester University in 1952 to read English...
serial Bill Brand (1976) and for ATV, Clayhanger, a 26 part dramatisation of the Arnold Bennett
Arnold Bennett
- Early life :Bennett was born in a modest house in Hanley in the Potteries district of Staffordshire. Hanley is one of a conurbation of six towns which joined together at the beginning of the twentieth century as Stoke-on-Trent. Enoch Bennett, his father, qualified as a solicitor in 1876, and the...
cycle of novels.
Stella Richman married three times; her first husband was the actor Alec Clunes
Alec Clunes
Alexander "Alec" Demoro Sherriff Clunes was an English actor and stage manager.Among the plays he presented were Christopher Fry's famous play The Lady's Not For Burning. He gave the actor and dramatist Sir Peter Ustinov his first break with his production The House of Regrets. His film career was...
. With her second husband Victor Brusa she established the White Elephant Club, a restaurant and drinking club of which she was chairwoman from 1960-68.