Leonard White obit

Leonard White 1916 - 2016

 It is with great sadness that we add our voice to the tributes for Leonard White, who has died aged 99.

He was not on the list.

Leonard was well known for his brilliant work in television as producer, working on many episodes of such series as Police Surgeon, Out of This World and Armchair Theatre. He will however be best remembered for his work as co-creator of The Avengers.

John Dorney, script editor and lead writer for Big Finish's range of Avengers titles, writes in tribute.

'In all the work we do at Big Finish we stand on the shoulders of giants. And none more so than Leonard White.

'The original producer of the Avengers, Leonard was a name I got very used to hearing during my work on our adaptations. A lot of details not present in the publicity materials we used as references were supplied instead by his crystal clear memories. The telesnap reconstructions so useful in indicating the tone of the missing episodes were often voiced by Leonard himself.

'Great shows don't happen by accident. Exploring the variety of stories across his work on the series has really helped me appreciate the man's work - it's clear that a very strong and imaginative mind was at the helm of the series. His innovations and inspirations all helped mark the series out, and without his vision I doubt we'd still be watching the series today. Thank you for everything Leonard.'

The British actor and television producer. In the latter role he was responsible for The Avengers and Armchair Theatre.

After leaving school, White pursued a career as a stage actor in London. Initially, he supported himself with a clerical job while performing with the Tavistock Repertory Company (now the Tower Theatre Company). During World War II, he served in the British Army in Signals; following the end of World War II in Europe, he did the remainder of his service acting in plays produced by the Army Bureau of Current Affairs. On being demobilised in 1946, he made the transition to full-time professional acting. In 1951 he was one of the original leads of Christopher Fry's A Sleep of Prisoners, alongside Denholm Elliott, Stanley Baker, and Hugh Pryse.

 

Producer

Ian Carmichael, Kika Mirylees, and David Robb in Strathblair (1992)

Strathblair

7.5

TV Series

producer

1993

10 episodes

 

Shadow of the Stone (1987)

Shadow of the Stone

5.7

TV Series

producer

1987

6 episodes

 

Stookie

7.4

TV Mini Series

producer

1985

6 episodes

 

D'You Get Paid for Doing This?

TV Movie

producer

1984

 

Bookie

TV Movie

co-executive producer

1983

 

Escape to the West

TV Movie

executive producer

1982

 

Ray Davies in Late Night Drama (1974)

Late Night Drama

TV Series

producer

1974–1980

3 episodes

 

Bryan Marshall in Murder at the Wedding (1979)

Murder at the Wedding

7.8

TV Mini Series

producer

1979

4 episodes

 

The Clifton House Mystery (1978)

The Clifton House Mystery

7.5

TV Mini Series

producer

1978

5 episodes

 

Philip DaCosta, Milton Johns, Sean Lynch, Fulton Mackay, and Talfryn Thomas in King of the Castle (1977)

King of the Castle

7.9

TV Series

producer

1977

7 episodes

 

Westway

TV Series

producer

1976

7 episodes

 

The Georgian House (1976)

The Georgian House

8.0

TV Series

producer

1976

7 episodes

 

Sky (1975)

Sky

6.8

TV Series

producer

1975

7 episodes

 

Pretenders (1972)

Pretenders

6.7

TV Series

producer

1972

11 episodes

 

ITV Playhouse (1967)

ITV Playhouse

7.0

TV Series

producer

1968–1969

8 episodes

 

Armchair Theatre (1956)

Armchair Theatre

7.6

TV Series

producer

executive producer

1960–1969

134 episodes

 

Judy Cornwell in Call Me Daddy (1967)

Call Me Daddy

TV Movie

producer

1967

 

Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width (1967)

Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width

7.8

TV Series

producer

1967

1 episode

 

Armchair Mystery Theatre (1960)

Armchair Mystery Theatre

7.9

TV Series

producer

1960–1965

34 episodes

 

NET Playhouse (1964)

NET Playhouse

7.6

TV Series

producer

1964

1 episode

 

The Avengers (1961)

The Avengers

8.3

TV Series

producer

1961–1962

40 episodes

 

Out of This World (1962)

Out of This World

7.9

TV Series

producer

1962

13 episodes

 

Kraft Mystery Theater (1961)

Kraft Mystery Theater

7.9

TV Series

producer

1961

1 episode

 

Ian Hendry in Police Surgeon (1960)

Police Surgeon

8.6

TV Series

producer

1960

9 episodes

 

Actor

The Flying Doctor (1959)

The Flying Doctor

7.7

TV Series

Policeman

1959

1 episode

 

Armchair Theatre (1956)

Armchair Theatre

7.6

TV Series

Geoff Manning

Captain Konanyi

1956–1959

2 episodes

 

Crime Sheet (1959)

Crime Sheet

TV Series

1959

1 episode

 

Rebound (1959)

Rebound

6.4

Detective Sergeant (uncredited)

1959

 

The Hill

TV Movie

2nd Thief

1959

 

Television Playwright

8.8

TV Series

Russian Officer (Interrogator)

Police Officer

1958–1959

2 episodes

 

ITV Play of the Week (1955)

ITV Play of the Week

7.2

TV Series

Captain Villano

1958

1 episode

 

Starr and Company

TV Series

Deverson

1958

2 episodes

 

Television World Theatre (1957)

Television World Theatre

TV Series

A Poet

1958

1 episode

 

McCreary Moves In

TV Series

Minister

1957

1 episode

 

First Performance

8.0

TV Series

Lt. Kirpal Singh

1957

1 episode

 

At the Stroke of Nine (1957)

At the Stroke of Nine

3.5

Thompson

1957

 

On Camera

6.6

TV Series

Mr. McMaster

1957

1 episode

 

Sailor of Fortune

6.8

TV Series

Pietros

1957

1 episode

 

The Blazing Caravan (1954)

Person Unknown

6.7

Short

Detective (uncredited)

1956

 

Mr. Butters Writes a Notice

TV Movie

Detective Sergeant

1956

 

Tears for Simon (1956)

Tears for Simon

6.4

Sergeant Thorne (uncredited)

1956

 

Diane Cilento in Passage Home (1955)

Passage Home

6.1

2nd Engineer

1955

 

River Beat (1954)

River Beat

6.2

Sergeant McLeod

1954

 

The Long Rope (1953)

The Long Rope

6.1

PC Kensall

1953

 

William Shatner in Encounter (1952)

Encounter

7.5

TV Series

Stewart

1953

3 episodes

 

Martin Luther (1953)

Martin Luther

6.8

Emissary

1953

 

Rona Anderson and Patrick Holt in Evidence for Hire (1952)

Evidence for Hire

5.9

Det. Sgt. Davey

1952

 

BBC Sunday-Night Theatre (1950)

BBC Sunday-Night Theatre

7.8

TV Series

Lieutenant Ernst

Cato

Mate

1950–1952

2 episodes

 

The Stranger in Between (1952)

The Stranger in Between

7.3

Police Station Sergeant

1952

 

William Hartnell, Natasha Parry, Maxwell Reed, Edward Underdown, and Ernest Haines in The Dark Man (1951)

The Dark Man

6.2

Detective Sergeant Evans

1951

 

He That Should Come

TV Movie

Second shepherd

1948

 

Distinguished Gathering

TV Movie

C.D. Williams

1948

 

Good Friday

TV Movie

Longinus

1948

 

Director

Shadow of the Stone (1987)

Shadow of the Stone

5.7

TV Series

Director

1987

6 episodes

 

The Campbells (1986)

The Campbells

8.2

TV Series

Director

1986

2 episodes

 

Bookie

TV Movie

Director

1983

 

Philip DaCosta, Milton Johns, Sean Lynch, Fulton Mackay, and Talfryn Thomas in King of the Castle (1977)

King of the Castle

7.9

TV Series

Director

1977

2 episodes

 

Westway

TV Series

Director

1976

1 episode

 

The Georgian House (1976)

The Georgian House

8.0

TV Series

Director

1976

2 episodes

 

Pretenders (1972)

Pretenders

6.7

TV Series

Director

1972

1 episode