Deric Longden
Deric Francis Longden (29 November 1936 – 23 June 2013) was an English writer and autobiographer.
Deric Longden | |
|---|---|
| Born | Deric Francis Longden 29 November 1936 Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England |
| Died | 23 June 2013 (aged 76)[1] Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England |
| Occupation | Writer, screenwriter |
| Genre | Autobiography |
| Notable works | Wide-Eyed and Legless Lost For Words |
| Spouse |
|
| Children | 1 son, 1 daughter, 4 stepchildren |
Longden was born in Chesterfield, Derbyshire.[2] He married Diana Hill in 1958 and had two children.[2] After various jobs he took over a small women's lingerie factory, but began writing and broadcasting in the 1970s for programmes like Does He Take Sugar? and Woman's Hour on BBC Radio 4.[2] Most of his work was based on his own experience.[2] His wife Diana's illness, subsequently believed to be a form of chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis, forced him to sell the factory. Afterwards, he worked as a full-time writer, broadcaster and speaker.[2]
The bestselling Diana’s Story, published in 1989, was followed by Lost for Words, The Cat Who Came in from the Cold, I’m a Stranger Here Myself, Enough to Make a Cat Laugh, A Play On Words and Paws in the Proceedings.
Longden's first two books were adapted for television, the first retitled Wide-Eyed and Legless.[2] The second, Lost for Words, was screened in January 1999 and won the Emmy for best foreign drama and a BAFTA for Thora Hird as best actress.[2]
After the death of his first wife Diana in 1985, he married the partially-sighted novelist Aileen Armitage in 1990, who he had met in the mid-1980s. They later moved to Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.[2]
Longden died of cancer of the oesophagus on 23 June 2013.[1]
Works
- Diana's Story (1989) describes his life with his rapidly deteriorating wife, who was suffering from an illness that doctors at that time could not understand. The book was adapted for television in 1993 with the release of the TV film Wide-Eyed and Legless, known as The Wedding Gift outside of the UK, starring Julie Walters as Diana Longden, Jim Broadbent as Deric Longden, Sian Thomas as Aileen Armitage and Thora Hird as Deric's mother Annie Longden.[2] Longden co-wrote the script with Jack Rosenthal.[2]
- Lost For Words (1991) continues the story of Deric's life, focusing on his eccentric mother Annie Mary Longden (23 August 1910–1988) as she grapples with old-age, senile-dementia and the effects of several strokes. This was also made into a TV film of the same title in 1999, starring Thora Hird who reprised her role, whilst the other cast members were replaced. Pete Postlethwaite played Deric Longden and Penny Downie played Armitage.[2] Longden also wrote the script for this.[2] He has a cameo as a voice on an answerphone as does his wife.[3]
Longden's subsequent books describe his life with his partially-sighted second wife, novelist Aileen Armitage and their cats:
- The Cat Who Came in from the Cold (1991) introduces kitten Thermal.
- I'm a Stranger Here Myself' (1994) concerns Deric and Aileen's move to Huddersfield.
- Enough to Make a Cat Laugh (1996)
- A Play on Words (2000) describes the making of the TV movies of Diana's Story and Lost For Words, and Longden's reactions to seeing actors play himself and his mother. He wrote how Thora Hird's performance was so powerfully convincing that his memory ended up confusing the two.
- Paws in the Proceedings (2007)
References
- Kilcommons, Denis (25 June 2013). "Obituary:Deric Longden". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
- Staff writer (4 July 2013). "Deric Longden: Deric Longden, who has died aged 76, wrote books that brought a gentle and life-enhancing humour to the problems of living with disability". The Telegraph. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
- "Lost for Words (TV Movie 1999) - IMDb". IMDb.