Pen Densham (born 14 October 1947) is a British-Canadian film and television producer, writer, and director, known for writing and producing films such as Robin Hood: Prince of ThievesKasindorf, Jeanie. "Million Dollar Babies: How a Bunch of Hollywood Screenwriters Struck It Rich." New York Magazine. 23.24 (18 Jun 1990): 40–50. and television revivals of The Outer Limits and The Twilight Zone, as well as writing, producing and directing MGM's Moll Flanders.
Early life Born in Ruislip, Middlesex, England in October 1947 to Raymond Densham who worked in the British film industry, Pen left school at age 15 and was hired by British TV to photograph The Rolling Stones to sell to national magazines. At 19 he moved to Canada where he directed commercials and documentaries, working with Marshall McLuhan.
Densham went on to found Insight Productions in Toronto with John Watson. The company gained recognition for documentaries such as Life Times Nine, one of two Insight films that earned Academy Award nominations. In total, Densham and Watson received over 70 international awards for their works including medals from the Queen of the United Kingdom for their contribution to the Arts of Canada. The first drama Densham wrote and directed, If Wishes Were Horses, won 14 awards, was reviewed by TV guide as "The best film of any length shown on Canadian TV", and brought Densham's work to the attention of Norman Jewison. Jewison, with Telefilm Canada, sponsored Densham to move to Hollywood.
Career
Trilogy Entertainment Group In Hollywood Densham and Watson founded Trilogy Entertainment Group.Parke, Catherine N. "Adaptation of Defoe's Moll Flanders." In Eighteenth-Century Fiction on Screen. Edited by Robert Mayer. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2002. 58. They were employed as creative consultants on films such as Rocky II and Footloose. In 1988 Densham directed Trilogy's first studio feature, The Kiss,Puchalski, Steven. Slimetime: A Guide to Sleazy, Mindless Movies. Manchester, UK: Critical Vision, 2002. 174. for Tri-Star. In 1990 Densham re-envisioned the Robin Hood story, creating a new characterization and adding new concepts. Densham and Watson sold their spec script for Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and produced the film for Morgan Creek Productions and Warner Brothers. The film became one of Warner Brothers' largest grossing movies ever, spinning off games, toy lines and the No. 1 music single from Bryan Adams, "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You". In the same year they were producers on Backdraft with Ron Howard directing for Imagine Entertainment and Universal Pictures. Backdraft generated one of the longest-lasting attractions at the Universal Studios Tour.
Inspired by the loss of his mother, Densham wrote and directed a personal version of Moll Flanders for MGM and Spelling Entertainment, based loosely on the novel by Daniel Defoe, starring Morgan Freeman and Robin Wright. Densham also wrote and directed Houdini, an $8 million TNT feature for television starring Johnathon Schaech, Mark Ruffalo and Emile Hirsch. In 1992, Trilogy Entertainment Group jumped into its television foray by signing it with RHI Entertainment, with potential off-net syndication rights handled by Columbia Pictures Television.
In television Densham wrote and supervised the re-franchising of The Outer Limits science fiction anthology series, which he executive-produced with his partners for its award-winning seven-year-run on American television. In the process Densham earned the unique distinction of being named number eight in the 50 Most Powerful People in Science Fiction list compiled by Cinefantastique magazine. In 2003 he re-introduced The Twilight Zone fantasy anthology series to American audiences on UPN.
Emergence as an author
Densham became a published author with his book about screenplay writing and selling creativity in Hollywood, Riding the Alligator: Strategies for a Career in Screenplay Writing (And Not Getting Eaten), published by Michael Wiese Books in January 2011. The title comes from the cover photo of Densham at the age of four astride a live seven-foot alligator in one of his parents' theatrical short films. Written with the goal of supporting emerging creative people finding their own voice and path through the Hollywood industry as well as artistic endeavors in general, the book includes supportive essays by professional screenwriters Shane Black, Nia Vardalos, Andrea Berloff, Eric Roth, John Watson, Robin Swicord, Todd Robinson, Alan McElroy, Anthony Peckham, Ron Shelton and Laeta Kalogridis. The book received positive reviews from Academy Award-winning writer-director-producers like Paul Haggis and Ron Howard, as well as actors like Jeff Bridges, Morgan Freeman, Robin Wright and Emile Hirsch.
Filmography
Film YearFilmProducerDirectorWriterOtherNotes1973Life Times NineDocumentary shortNominated – Academy Award for Best Live Action Short FilmStreetworkerDocumentary short1974ThoroughbredDocumentary shortAlso cinematographer1978F.I.S.T.Creative consultantDirected by Norman Jewison1979Rocky IISupervisor: fight and training montagesDirected by Sylvester Stallone1980Coal Miner's DaughterCreative consultantDirected by Michael AptedDon't Mess with BillDocumentary shortDirected by John WatsonNominated – Academy Award for Best Documentary (Short Subject)1981Escape to VictoryCreative consultantDirected by John HustonNighthawksCreative consultantDirected by Bruce Malmuth1984Success Is the Best RevengeDirected by Jerzy SkolimowskiFootlooseCreative consultantDirected by Herbert Ross1985The Zoo Gang1988The KissAlso lyrics: song "Under My Skin"Nominated – Fantasporto International Film Festival Award1990A Gnome Named GnormDirected by Stan Winston1991Robin Hood: Prince of ThievesDirected by Kevin Reynolds1994Blown AwayDirected by Stephen Hopkins1995Tank GirlDirected by Rachel Talalay1996Moll FlandersLarger than LifeDirected by Howard Franklin2002The Dangerous Lives of Altar BoysDirected by Peter Care2005Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love StoryDirected by Akbar Khan2007Just BuriedDirected by Chaz Thorne2013PhantomDirected by Todd Robinson2019The Last Full MeasureHarrietDirected by Kasi Lemmons2020Meeting the Beatles in IndiaDocumentary filmDirected by Paul Saltzman
Television YearProgramExecutive producerDirectorWriterNotes1976If Wishes Were HorsesTelevision special1993LifepodTelevision filmTaking LibertyTelevision pilot1993–94Space RangersSeries creator1995–2001The Outer Limits87 episodesWon – CableACE Award for Dramatic SeriesNominated – Gemini Award for Best Dramatic Series1996–99Poltergeist: The Legacy70 episodes1997Buffalo SoldiersTelevision film1997–98Fame L.A.22 episodes1998The Wonderful World of Disney1 episodeThe Magnificent SevenSeries creatorCreatureMiniseriesThe Taking of Pelham One Two ThreeTelevision filmHoudini2002Brother's KeeperThe Twilight Zone3 episodesBreaking News13 episodesCarrieTelevision film
Books
Why We Write (contribution) – 1999 Riding the Alligator: Strategies for a Career in Screenplay Writing – 2011 Now Write! Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror (anthology contribution) – 2014
Awards and nominations
Academy Awards
1974 Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film: Life Times Nine (nominated) – with John Watson 1981 Academy Award for Best Documentary (Short Subject): Don't Mess with Bill (nominated) – with John Watson
CableACE Award
1995 CableACE Award for Best Dramatic Series: The Outer Limits (nominated) – with Richard B. Lewis & John Watson
Fantasporto Fantasy Film Festival
1990 Fantasporto International Fantasy Film Award: The Kiss (nominated)
Gemini Awards
1996 Gemini Award for Best TV Movie or Mini-Series: The Outer Limits (nominated) – with Richard B. Lewis, John Watson, Justis Greene & James Nadler 1997 Gemini Award for Best Short Dramatic Program: The Outer Limits (nominated) – with James Nadler, Richard B. Lewis, Brad Wright, Brent-Karl Clackson & John Watson 1998 Gemini Award for Best Dramatic Series: The Outer Limits (nominated) – James Nadler, Richard B. Lewis, Brad Wright, Brent-Karl Clackson, John Watson, Jonathan Glassner & Sam Egan 2000 Gemini Award for Best Dramatic Series: The Outer Limits (nominated) – Richard B. Lewis, Brent-Karl Clackson, John Watson & Sam Egan 2001 Gemini Award for Best Dramatic Series: The Outer Limits (nominated) – Richard B. Lewis, Mark Stern, Brent-Karl Clackson, John Watson & Sam Egan
References
External links
Canadian Film Centre profile Schoos Gallery profile Riding the Alligator: Strategies For a Career in Screenplay Writing