David Puttnam

Career overview

David Terence Puttnam, Baron Puttnam, is a British-Irish film producer, educator, and environmentalist born on February 25, 1941, in London, England. Throughout his career in the film industry, he has been credited with the production of several notable motion pictures. His production credits include Chariots of Fire, which received the Academy Award for Best Picture, as well as The Mission, The Killing Fields, Local Hero, Midnight Express, and Memphis Belle. In recognition of his work, he received the BAFTA for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema in 1982. He was later awarded the BAFTA Fellowship for lifetime achievement by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts in 2006.

Beyond his work in film production, Puttnam has been involved in education and public service. He is the chair of Atticus Education, an online company established in 2012 that provides audio-visual seminars to students globally. He served as a member of the House of Lords, sitting on the Labour benches, until his retirement in October 2021. Puttnam holds several honorary titles, including HonFRSA and HonFRPS, and is a member of the Royal Irish Academy. He has been married to Patricia Mary Jones since 1961, and the couple has two children. He is recognized for his contributions as a producer and executive within the entertainment industry.