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Michael Simon White (16 January 1936 – 7 March 2016) was a British theatricalimpresario andfilm producer. White was responsible for the productions of 101 stage shows and 27 theatrical films over the span of 50 years.
Michael White was born in Glasgow, Scotland, the son of Victor White, a merchant who ran a glove making business, and Doris (née Cohen), a property developer.[1] His parents were fromEastern EuropeanJewish backgrounds.[2] As White suffered fromasthma as a boy, his parents decided he would be educated as a boarder at theLyceum Alpinum Zuoz inSwitzerland from age 7, where he was the only boy who did not speak theFrench language. He then graduated from theSorbonne inParis.[3]
After working as aWall Street runner inNew York City in the 1950s, White took an interest in theatre, spending five years as assistant toSir Peter Daubeny for his World Theatre seasons inLondon.
White produced his firstWest End play, the London premiere ofJack Gelber'sThe Connection in 1961.[2][4] Known for bringing the risqué to the stage his productions includedSleuth,[5]Oh! Calcutta!,[6]Two Gentlemen of Verona and the original Theatre Upstairs production ofThe Rocky Horror Show.
Concurrently, White produced films, including the film version ofThe Rocky Horror Picture Show andMonty Python and the Holy Grail (both 1975). Later, he was responsible forThe Comic Strip Presents... withPeter Richardson, which began on the opening night ofChannel 4 in 1982.[2]
However, losses on films mounted, and he was declaredbankrupt in 2005 after suffering aheart attack at theMondrian Hotel inLos Angeles.[3]
White's autobiography,Empty Seats, was published in 1985.[7]
White's life story was the subject of the 2013 documentary filmThe Last Impresario, directed byGracie Otto. The film made its world premiere at theBFI London Film Festival in October 2013,[8][9] where it was positively received by critics.[10][11][12]
White was married twice. With his first wife, the 1960s model and designerSarah Hillsdon (1965-1972), he had three children. In 1985, he married Louise Moores, 26 years his junior, daughter of John Moores,[13] of the family that owned theLittlewoodspools, mail order and retail group;[14] they had a son.[3]
White died on 7 March 2016 ofheart failure, aged 80.[15]
This list is incomplete, currently listing only White's most notable theatre works:
As producer:
As producer:
As producer or executive producer:
Appearing as himself:
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