Tristram Powell

Tristram Powell
Born
Tristram Roger Dymoke Powell

(1940-04-25)25 April 1940
Oxford, Oxfordshire, England
Died1 March 2024(2024-03-01) (aged 83)
Occupation(s)Director, writer, producer
Years active1964–2024
SpouseVirginia Lucas
ChildrenGeorgia Somerset, Duchess of Beaufort
Parent(s)Anthony Powell
Lady Violet Pakenham

Tristram Roger Dymoke Powell[1] (25 April 1940 – 1 March 2024) was an English television and film director, producer and screenwriter. His credits included American Friends, episodes of series five and six of Foyle's War, and adaptations of the novels The Ghost Writer[2] and Falling.

Life and career

Tristram Powell was born in Oxford, the elder son of the novelist Anthony Powell and Lady Violet Powell (née Pakenham).[2] His godfather was Robert Wyndham Ketton-Cremer, the last squire of Felbrigg Hall and a noted biographer.[3] He was educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Oxford.[1]

Powell's father died in 2000, and he has recounted the story of his conversing with the doctor in attendance, who was also surnamed Powell, about his ancestry.[4] His mother, Lady Violet, died in 2002.[5]

Powell objected to the National Trust's 2017 short film about his godfather, Robert Wyndham Ketton-Cremer of Felbrigg Hall, in which the latter's private life as a homosexual was revealed. Powell said that the Trust had made the revelation for "commercial reasons" in a way he considered "exaggerated and mean-spirited".[6]

Powell's daughter Georgia married Henry Somerset, 12th Duke of Beaufort, in 2018.[7]

Tristram Powell died of leukaemia on 1 March 2024, at the age of 83.[8][9]

Filmography

Director

Year Film Notes
1968 Contrasts Episode: "A Writer and his Sword – A film about Japan's best-selling novelist, Yukio Mishima"
1978 The Lively Arts Episode: "A Haunted Man"
1981 No Country for Old Men (TV)
1984 The Ghost Writer (TV)
1985 Arena Episode: "From an Immigrant's Notebook"
1987–1993 Screen Two 5 episodes
1988 Number 27
Talking Heads Episode: "Soldiering On"
1991 American Friends
1992 The Old Devils Episodes: "Love, Lust and Litre Bottles", "Rhiannon's Boys", "Clapped-Out Casanovas"
1993 Selected Exits (TV)
1995 Tears Before Bedtime 4 episodes
1997 Drovers' Gold TV mini-series
1997–1999 Kavanagh QC Episodes: "Ancient History", "Previous Convictions", "End Game"
1998 Talking Heads 2 Episode: "Nights in the Gardens of Spain"
2000 Telling Tales
Without Motive 3 episodes
2001 Anybody's Nightmare (TV)
2003 Sparkling Cyanide (TV)
2005 Falling (TV)
2005–2006 Judge John Deed Episodes: "In Defence of Others", "My Daughter, Right or Wrong"
2005–2008 Trial & Retribution Episodes: "The Lovers: Part 1", "Curriculum Vitae: Part 1", "Tracks: Part 1"
2006 The Commander Episode: "Blacklight"
2007–2008 Foyle's War Episodes: "Casualties of War", "Plan of Attack", "All Clear"
2009 Law & Order: UK Episode: "Paradise"

References

  1. ^ a b 'Powell of The Chantry' pedigree, Burke's Peerage website
  2. ^ a b "Playhouse Off To Promising Start ". Record-Journal. 16 January 1984. Retrieved 20 December 2010.
  3. ^ Jay, Mike (Spring 2013). "Who Were the Dedicatees of Powell's Works?" (PDF). Anthony Powell Society Newsletter (50): 10. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  4. ^ Ferdinand Mount (June 2000). "The passing of Powell". Prospect magazine. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  5. ^ "Lady Violet Powell". The Telegraph. 15 January 2002. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  6. ^ Duffy, Nick (26 July 2017). "National Trust and Stephen Fry under fire for 'outing' historical figure". Pink News. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  7. ^ Janet Hughes (10 May 2018). "Gloucestershire's most eligible bachelor has been taken off the market". GloucestershireLive. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  8. ^ "Tristram Powell, brilliant director who flourished in the golden age of BBC arts coverage – obituary". The Telegraph. 8 March 2024. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  9. ^ "Tristram Powell obituary: TV director who excelled at drama and arts documentaries". The Times. 16 May 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2024.


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