Stephen Woolley

Stephen Woolley
Born	(1956-09-03) September 3, 1956 London, England
Occupation	Film producer Film director
Years active	1980–present

Stephen Woolley (born 3 September 1956 in London) is an English film producer and director. He is best known for his work with director Neil Jordan, which has resulted in a number of critically acclaimed films, including the Oscar-winning The Crying Game.

After programming The Screen On The Green cinema in Islington, North London, and managing The Scala Cinema near King's Cross railway station, Woolley established Palace Video in the early 1980s to distribute the types of cult cinema and international art films that had been the core of his cinema programmes. An early success was the distribution of the output of David Lynch. The company then moved into cinema distribution, becoming Palace Pictures; and then film production in 1984, with many projects being supported by Channel 4. His successes as a producer include The Company of Wolves, Mona Lisa, and The Crying Game (nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture), and Interview with the Vampire, all directed by Neil Jordan. He also helped establish the directors Michael Caton-Jones and Richard Stanley. Woolley established an association with Miramax, which distributed a number of Palace films in the United States.

Woolley had established his reputation with a series of low budget but high production value releases, but began developing more ambitious projects. In 1992, Palace Pictures became bankrupt; A year later, The Scala Cinema closed down, re-opening as a night-club in 1999. Since then, Woolley has concentrated on producing Jordan's films in association with Hollywood studios. By securing a three picture deal with Warner Brothers after the worldwide box office hit of Interview with the Vampire, Woolley was able to fund the controversial historical drama Michael Collins. His directorial debut, the 2005 film Stoned, was a biopic of Brian Jones.

Personal life

Woolley is married to fellow film producer, Elizabeth Karlsen.

Filmography

As producer

• The Limehouse Golem (2016)
• Their Finest Hour and a Half (2016)
• Carol (2015)
• Hyena (2014)
• Great Expectations (2012)
• Byzantium (2012)
• Midnight's Children (2012) - co-producer
• Made in Dagenham (2010) - also second unit director
• Perrier's Bounty (2009)
• How to Lose Friends & Alienate People (2008)
• Sounds Like Teen Spirit (2008) - a documentary
• When Did You Last See Your Father? (2007)
• Breakfast on Pluto (2005)
• Stoned (2005) - also director
• Intermission (2003)
• The Actors (2003)
• The Good Thief (2002)
• Not I (2000) - a short
• The End of the Affair (1999)
• In Dreams (1999)
• B. Monkey (1998)
• The Butcher Boy (1997)
• Welcome to Woop Woop (1997)
• Michael Collins (1996)
• The Pope Must Diet (1991)
• A Rage in Harlem (1991)
• The Miracle (1991)
• Crossing the Line (1990)
• Shag (1989)
• Scandal (1989)
• High Spirits (1988)
• Absolute Beginners (1986)
• Mona Lisa (1986)
• The Company of Wolves (1984) - also executive producer
• The Worst of Hollywood (1983) - TV series

As executive producer

• Dark Blood (2012) - executive producer
• Return to Sender (2004) - executive producer
• Purely Belter (2000) - executive producer
• History Is Made at Night (1999) - executive producer
• The Last September (1999) - executive producer
• The Lost Son (1999)
• Little Voice (1998)
• Divorcing Jack (1998)
• Downtime (1997)
• Twenty Four Seven (1997)
• Welcome to Woop Woop (1997)
• Fever Pitch (1997)
• Hollow Reed (1996)
• The Neon Bible (1995)
• Interview with the Vampire (1994)
• Backbeat (1994)
• The Crying Game (1992)
• The Courier (1988)
• Letter to Brezhnev (1985)
• Chinese Boxes (1984)
• Waterland (1992)
• Dust Devil (1992)
• A Woman at War (1991) - TV movie
• Red Hot and Blue (1990) - TV AIDS benefit, co-executive producer
• Beyond the Groove (1990) - TV series
• Dancin' Thru the Dark (1990)
• Hardware (1990)

External links

• Number 9 Films
• Stephen Woolley at BFI
• Stephen Woolley at Metacritic
• Stephen Woolley at the Internet Movie Database
• Palace Pictures at the Internet Movie Database