Michael White (producer)

Michael White (born 16 January 1936 in Glasgow, Scotland) is a prolific British theatrical impresario and film producer.

He was educated at the Sorbonne in Paris. After working as a Wall Street runner in New York City in the fifties, White took an interest in theatre, spending five years as assistant to Sir Peter Daubeny at the World Theatre in London.

At 26, White produced his first West End play, a production of Jack Gelber's The Connection.^[1] It was the start of a career that has since seen White produce 101 stage productions and 27 films over 50 years.

Famed for bringing the risqué to the stage his productions include Sleuth,^[2] The Doll's House, Oh! Calcutta!,^[3] Two Gentlemen of Verona, the original Theatre Upstairs production of the cult The Rocky Horror Show, and subsequently the film version The Rocky Horror Picture Show. He also produced the cult classic film Monty Python and the Holy Grail and is responsible for starting the popular TV show The Comic Strip Presents... with Peter Richardson.

White's life story is the subject of the upcoming documentary film Chalky, directed by Gracie Otto and due to premiere in 2013.^[4] White's autobiography, Empty Seats, was published in 1985.^[5]

Theatrical Productions

This list is incomplete, currently listing only Michael White's most notable theatre works.

Musicals

As producer:

• Oh! Calcutta! (1970, West End)
• Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1973, West End)
• The Rocky Horror Show (1973, West End)
• Two Gentlemen of Verona (1973, West End)
• A Chorus Line (1976, West End)
• Annie (1978, West End)
• She Loves Me (1994, West End revival)

Plays

As producer:

• Sleuth (1971, Broadway)

Filmography

As producer or executive producer:

• Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1974)
• The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
• Jabberwocky (1977)
• The Hound of the Baskervilles (1978)
• Going With The Wind (1981)
• My Dinner With Andre (1981)
• Polyester (1981)
• Shock Treatment (1981)
• Countryman (1982)
• Moonlighting (1982)
• Urgh! A Music War (1982)
• The Comic Strip Presents... (1982)
• Dead on Time (1983)
• Heat and Dust (1983)
• The Ploughman's Lunch (1983)
• Strangers Kiss (1983)
• The Supergrass (1985)
• High Season (1987)
• Eat the Rich (1987)
• White Mischief (1987)
• The Deceivers (1988)
• Nuns on the Run (1989)
• The Pope Must Die (1991)
• Robert's Movie (1994)
• Widows' Peak (1994)
• Enigma (2001)

Appearing as himself:

• Chalky (2013)

References

External links

• Michael White at the Internet Movie Database