David Storey

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Lore & Background

Storey was born on 13 July 1933 in Wakefield, West Riding of Yorkshire, the son of a coal miner, Frank Richmond Story, and Lily (née Cartwright) Story. He was educated at QEGS Wakefield. He continued his education at London's Slade School of Fine Art, and supported himself there by playing rugby league for Leeds RLFC as a halfback for the 'A' team, with occasional appearances in the first. In 1956, Storey married Barbara Rudd Hamilton, with whom he had four children. Barbara Storey died in 2015. His plays include *The Restoration of Arnold Middleton*, *The Changing Room*, *Cromwell*, *Home*, and *Stages*. His novels include *Flight into Camden*, which won the 1961 John Llewellyn Rhys Prize and the 1963 Somerset Maugham Award; and *Saville*, which won the 1976 Booker Prize. He wrote the screenplay for *This Sporting Life* (1963), directed by Lindsay Anderson, adapted from his first novel of the same name, originally published in 1960, which won the 1960 Macmillan Fiction Award. The film was the beginning of a long professional association with Anderson, whose film version of Storey's play *In Celebration* was released as part of the American Film Theatre series in 1975. *Home* and *Early Days* (both starred Sir Ralph Richardson; *Home* also starred Sir John Gielgud) were made into television films. Storey's novel *Pasmore* was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. National Life Stories conducted an oral history interview (C464/67) with David Storey in 2008-2009 for its National Life Stories General collection held by the British Library. Storey died on 27 March 2017 in London at the age of 83 and was buried on the eastern side of Highgate Cemetery. The cause was Parkinson's disease and dementia. Survivors included his two sons, Jake and Sean; two daughters, Helen and Kate; a brother, Anthony; and six grandchildren.

Reader's Guide

David Storey's career is marked by his dual life as a professional rugby league player and a writer. He supported himself at the Slade School of Fine Art by playing for Leeds RLFC as a halfback, mostly for the 'A' team with occasional first-team appearances. His first novel, *This Sporting Life* (1960), won the Macmillan Fiction Award and was adapted into a 1963 film for which he wrote the screenplay, directed by Lindsay Anderson. That film began a long professional association with Anderson, who later directed a film version of Storey's play *In Celebration* in 1975. Storey won the Booker Prize in 1976 for his novel *Saville*. His novel *Flight into Camden* won the 1961 John Llewellyn Rhys Prize and the 1963 Somerset Maugham Award. Another novel, *Pasmore*, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. As a playwright, his works include *The Restoration of Arnold Middleton*, *The Changing Room*, *Cromwell*, *Home*, and *Stages*. *Home* and *Early Days* both starred Sir Ralph Richardson; *Home* also starred Sir John Gielgud, and both were made into television films. An oral history interview with Storey (C464/67) was conducted by National Life Stories in 2008-2009 and is held by the British Library.

Did You Know?

• Storey supported himself at the Slade School of Fine Art by playing rugby league for Leeds RLFC as a halfback for the 'A' team, with occasional first-team appearances.
• His first novel, *This Sporting Life*, won the Macmillan Fiction Award in 1960, and he wrote the screenplay for the 1963 film adaptation directed by Lindsay Anderson.
• Storey's novel *Pasmore* was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.
• Both *Home* and *Early Days* starred Sir Ralph Richardson; *Home* also starred Sir John Gielgud, and both were made into television films.
• The British Library holds an oral history interview with Storey (C464/67) conducted by National Life Stories in 2008-2009.