Peter Ansorge

Biography and credits: In 1975 Peter began his career in film and television by joining the BBC's English Regions Drama Department in Birmingham as a script editor and producer. Under David Rose's innovative regime, he worked on Mike Leigh's early success NUTS IN MAY, David Hare's LICKING HITLER and Alan Bleasdale's BOYS FROM THE BLACKSTUFF. LICKING HITLER won the 1978 Bafta for best drama. In Birmingham, Peter devised and produced the UK's first black soap opera EMPIRE ROAD (1980) written by Michael Abbensetts and starring Norman Beaton. He also produced COME TO MECCA, based on Farrukh Dhondy's collections of short stories. It was Dhondy's first writing for film. The directors were John McGrath, Horace Ove, Jon Amiel and Franco Rosso.

In 1982 Peter followed David Rose to the UK's new broadcaster Channel 4 where he became a commissioning editor for fiction and helped to create the Film On 4 strand with Rose and Karin Bamborough. Originally devised to prolong the life of the single fiction TV film, Channel 4's unique relationship with independent producers led to a raft of iconic British theatrical releases such as MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE, LETTER TO BREHZNEV, WISH YOU WERE HERE and FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL.

Subsequently, under Michael Grade's era at Channel 4, Peter became Head of Drama for television series and serials. His award-winning commissions included A VERY BRITISH COUP (1988), TRAFFIK (Simon Moore's television serial on which the Oscar-winning movie Traffic is based) , Alan Bleasdale's GBH (described as the UK's 'best-ever television drama' by the Observer newspaper) and JAKE'S PROGRESS. These critical and audience lauded shows were followed by Armistead Maupin's TALES OF THE CITY (1993), Jimmy McGovern's HEARTS AND MINDS (1994), Paula Milne's THE POLITICIAN'S WIFE (1995) and Dennis Potter's LIPSTICK ON YOUR COLLAR and COLD LAZARUS. His final commission at C4 was Hugh Whitemore's award-winning adaptation of Anthony Powell's DANCE TO THE MUSIC OF TIME, starring Simon Russell Beale.

After leaving Channel 4 in 1998, Peter produced SECOND SIGHT, written by Paula Milne and starring Clive Owen, for the BBC. He then developed and produced screenplays for the BBC by Paula Milne, Caryl Phillips and Farrukh Dhondy. In 2004 he became executive producer for Inspired Movies. He developed and produced RED MERCURY, starring Stockard Channing, Juliet Stevenson and Pete Postlethwaite, which was released in 2005.

He also developed EXTREME CITIES (2007), written by Glen Wilhide, which has been acquired by Will Smith's Overbrook Company in Los Angeles with Roger Donaldson attached to direct.

Peter's stage play FAMILIAR THINGS (2007) has been optioned by David Aukin Productions with Alan Rickman and Juliet Stephenson to play the leads.