Paul Weiland
Paul Weiland OBE | |
---|---|
Born | England | 11 July 1953
Nationality | English |
Occupation(s) | Writer, director |
Years active | 1987–present |
Spouse | Caroline Weiland |
Children | 4, including Hannah Weiland |
Paul Weiland
Early years
Weiland grew up in the Southgate section of London, England and attended De Bohun's school.[1] He left school at age 17 and worked as a messenger before becoming a copywriter.[2][3]
Career
Television commercials
Weiland began his directing career making British television commercials.[2] Weiland has made more than 500 commercials.[2] Weiland's most successful advertising campaign was a series of television commercials for Walkers crisps. The commercials have featured celebrities, including English football striker Gary Lineker, boxer Lennox Lewis and Victoria Beckham. The commercials became enormously popular in Britain, leading Weiland to then say, "A friend said to me the other day that they've become like little Woody Allen films – people want to appear in them. Lennox Lewis obviously didn't need the money but felt that he wanted to be more approachable to the British public. He was interesting, did a good job, as did David Seaman and Victoria Beckham."[3]
Weiland is the owner of The Paul Weiland Film Company and has become a multimillionaire with his work on television commercials.[1] In the 1990s, his company won the top British TV Awards prize for five consecutive years.[1]
Leonard Part 6
In 1987, Weiland made his debut as a feature film director with
His direction of Leonard Part 6 resulted in Weiland's being nominated for the
"It was a terrible mistake. ... When anyone gets into that position (Bill Cosby's position of power in the 1980s), they are surrounded by sycophants and no one tells them the truth. But Cosby just wasn't funny. I couldn't tell him directly. I'd say it feels slow, and he'd say 'You worry about construction, let me worry about funny'."[5]
"Cosby attributed most of the movie's problems to first-time director Weiland, whom he felt was too young and inexperienced. Cosby himself was producer and writer of the story".[6]
Mr. Bean
Between 1991 and 1992, Weiland directed several episodes of the Mr. Bean television series starring Rowan Atkinson. In 2005, The Times wrote: "The director Paul Weiland made millions laugh with the television comedy series Mr Bean and Alas Smith and Jones."[2]
City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold
In 1994, Weiland returned to feature films as the director of City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold starring Billy Crystal, Daniel Stern, Jon Lovitz and Jack Palance. The film was a sequel to the popular 1991 film City Slickers. In the film, Billy Crystal's character discovers a treasure map and sets off with Lovitz and Stern to find the treasure of gold in the Arizona desert.
Blackadder: Back & Forth
In 2001, Weiland renewed his partnership with Rowan Atkinson, directing him in the British television film, Blackadder: Back & Forth. The film is a time travel comedy in which Atkinson's character, Lord Blackadder, travels in a time machine to the Jurassic period, Sherwood Forest, and the Battle of Waterloo. Miranda Richardson, Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, Colin Firth and Kate Moss also appear in the film.
Weiland was nominated for a
Sixty-Six
Weiland's 2006 feature film
The film received generally positive reviews. The Guardian of London wrote that, "Despite the whimsical voice-over and gloopy, sentimental tone, it's a hard film to dislike and boasts a wonderfully lugubrious performance from Eddie Marsan as the round-shouldered schlub of a dad."[7]
Made of Honor
Weiland also holds the distinction of directing the last screen appearance of Sydney Pollack, in the 2008 feature Made of Honor.
Awards
Weiland has won a
Personal life
Weiland is married, and he and his wife, Caroline, have four children: Maxwell, Hannah, Bella and Joseph.
Filmography
Weiland's film directing credits include:
- Leonard Part 6 (1987)
- Bernard and the Genie (1991)
- City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold (1994)
- Roseanna's Grave (1997)
- Blackadder: Back & Forth (1999, short film)
- Sixty Six (2006)
- Made of Honor (2008)
References
- ^ a b c John Walsh (1 November 2006). "Forty years of hurt ; For one boy, the 1966 World Cup triumph was a personal disaster. Paul Weiland tells John Walsh why he had to recreate that moment on film". The Independent.
- ^ a b c d e f Simon de Bruxelles (31 August 2005). "Leylandii are no laughing matter for film director". The Times (London).
- ^ a b c Marcus Scriven (5 February 2003). "A crisp talent for selling millions; He's made 500 commercials. But could Paul Weiland's series for Walkers be the most successful ever?". Evening Standard (London).
- ^ a b Kevin Thomas (18 December 1987). "Cosby's 'Leonard' a Super-Inane Superspy". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Simon Hattenstone (22 September 1994). "Through slick and thin Paul Weiland, adman turned Hollywood film-maker, talks about stars, egos and his latest movie, City Slickers II". The Guardian.
- ^ New York Times (24 January 1988)
- ^ "Film reviews: Sixty Six 2/5 Director: Paul Weiland". The Guardian. 3 November 2006.
External links
- Paul Weiland at IMDb