David Parfitt
About
Biography
Filmography
Notes
"Doing the last Renaissance Tour has finally hit my acting ambitions on the head. It's impossible to carry out both functions well--acting and producing. You can't argue with an actor about an overtime payment and then go on stage with him. Producing has given me much more of a thrill and a sense of fulfillment." --David Parfitt quoted in the press notes for "Henry V"
Biography
David Parfitt's acting career began at the age of 12 when he landed the part of Peter Redway in the Thames Television series "And Mother Makes Three" (1971-73), a role he later reprised in "And Mother Makes Five" (1974-76). Cast in the original stage production of Julian Mitchell's "Another Country," which speculated on the private school experiences of future spies Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean, he met RADA phenom Kenneth Branagh. Though the two went their separate ways immediately afterwards, they eventually reteamed and in 1987 founded the Renaissance Theatre Company, responsible for a string of celebrated West End theatrical productions including "Hamlet," "As You Like It" and "King Lear," most of which featured Branagh.
The pair branched into films with Branagh's "Henry V" (1989), a project which began as an idea for a joint theater-television venture, and Parfitt, discovering that he far preferred producing duties, jettisoned his acting career. He worked exclusively on Branagh's features ("Peter's Friends" 1992, "Much Ado About Nothing" 1993 and "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein" 1994) before branching out as a producer for other directors, first for Nicholas Hytner acclaimed film version of Alan Bennett's "The Madness of King George III" (1995). Parfitt served as producer for two vehicles starring Helena Bonham Carter, Trevor Nunn's uneven adaptation of the Bard's "Twelfth Night" (1996) and Iain Softley superb rendering of Henry James' "The Wings of the Dove" (1997). He had his biggest success both artistically and financially with the romantic comedy "Shakespeare in Love" (1998), teaming Joseph Fiennes (as the playwright) and Gwyneth Paltrow (as his muse).
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Producer (Feature Film)
Music (Feature Film)
Film Production - Main (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Producer (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1971
Appeared as Philip's son in the British miniseries "Elizabeth R" (aired in the USA on PBS)
1984
Portrayed Andrew Ramsay in "To the Lighthouse", (aired in USA on PBS' "Great Perfromances")
1985
Acted in "The Doctor and the Devils", a feature based on a 1940s screenplay by Dylan Thomas
1987
Co-founded the Renaissance Theatre Company with Branagh and served as its managing director; pair later (with business partner Stephen Evans) formed Renaissance Films
1989
Produced stage revival of John Osborne's "Look Back in Anger", directed by Judi Dench and starring Branagh and then-wife Emma Thompson; play filmed for British TV by David Jones; aired in USA on Bravo in 1993
1989
First feature credit as producer (associate producer), Branagh's "Henry V"; also played Messenger
1992
Made debut as line producer on Branagh's "Peter's Friends", a British "Big Chill" starring the director
1992
Produced Branagh's Academy Award-nominated short "Swan Song"
1993
Produced "Much Ado About Nothing", directed by Branagh
1994
Served as co-producer on Branagh's "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein", co-starring Robert De Niro and Helena Bonham Carter
1995
First feature producing credit sans Branagh, Nicholas Hytner's "The Madness of King George III"
1996
Returned to Shakespeare as producer of "Twelfth Night", helmed by Trevor Nunn and starring Bonham Carter
1997
Produced Iain Softley's "The Wings of the Dove", starring Bonham Carter and adapted from the novel by Henry James
1998
Served as one of the producers of the acclaimed romantic comedy "Shakespeare in Love", directed by John Madden; cast included Colin Firth. marking their first feature collaboration
Videos
Trailer
Bibliography
Notes
"Doing the last Renaissance Tour has finally hit my acting ambitions on the head. It's impossible to carry out both functions well--acting and producing. You can't argue with an actor about an overtime payment and then go on stage with him. Producing has given me much more of a thrill and a sense of fulfillment." --David Parfitt quoted in the press notes for "Henry V"
