Peter Chelsom

Chelsom worked across film director, screenwriter, stage actor, film actor and actor and 3 further recorded occupations. This article rests on 1 published texts and 2 scholarly references drawn from named institutional registers. Every statement below returns to a source shown in the evidence panel; where the record is silent or divided, the article says so instead of resolving it.

• Name — Peter Chelsom • Born — 20 April 1956 • Birthplace — Blackpool, Lancashire, England • Years Active — 1979–present • Occupation — Film director, actor • Education — Royal Central School of Speech and Drama • Website — www.peterchelsom.net • Spouse — Lindsay McCracken • Children — 3

Chelsom was born in Blackpool, Lancashire, the son of antiques shop owners Kay and Reginald Chelsom. He was educated at Wrekin College (1969–1973) and later studied at the Central School of Drama in London. He has dual citizenship in the US and the UK, and is an Honorary Citizen of the small town Fivizzano in Tuscany.[3]

Before the age of 30, Chelsom played roles at the Royal Shakespeare Company opposite Patrick Stewart, the Royal National Theatre alongside Sir Anthony Hopkins, and the Royal Court Theatre in London. During that time he took part in numerous film and television productions, including A Woman of Substance in 1985, which also included Jenny Seagrove and Deborah Kerr. While acting, Chelsom developed a growing interest in writing and directing. His directorial debut, Treacle, won a BAFTA nomination and invitations to festivals all over the world.[4] From 1985 to 1998 he ran the film course at the Central School of Drama and later taught at both the Actors' Institute and Cornell University. His first full-length feature was the 1991 romantic comedy, Hear My Song.[5] The film was inspired by the life of the Irish tenor, Josef Locke, played in the film by Ned Beatty. The Evening Standard British Film Awards named Chelsom Best Newcomer for his work on the film.[6] Roger Ebert complimented it as "the very soul of a great small film."[7] Chelsom's second feature, Funny Bones (1995), is a film about comedy. Starring Oliver Platt, Jerry Lewis, Leslie Caron, Freddie Davies, and Lee Evans, it tells the story of two half brothers, one American and the other British, who will stop at nothing to get a laugh... even murder. Funny Bones won Best Picture at five European film festivals, and the "Peter Sellers Award for Comedy" at the Evening Standard British Film Awards.[8] His third feature, The Mighty (1998), was based on the best-selling book Freak the Mighty. The film stars Sharon Stone, Gillian Anderson, Gena Rowlands, and Harry Dean Stanton. It received two Golden Globe Nominations.[9] He followed this with Town and Country in 2001, starring Warren Beatty, Diane Keaton, Goldie Hawn, and Garry Shandling. That same year he directed Serendipity, with John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale, which grossed $50 million.[10] His next film in 2004 was a remake of the 1996 film, Shall We Dance? The American version starred Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez, Susan Sarandon, and Stanley Tucci. The film grossed $170 million worldwide.[11] In 2009, Chelsom directed Hannah Montana: The Movie for Disney. The film broke box office records when it opened in the US to a figure of $32 million on its first weekend.[12] In 2014, Chelsom directed Hector and the Search for Happiness, starring Simon Pegg, Rosamund Pike, Christopher Plummer, Toni Collette, Stellan Skarsgard, and Jean Reno. The film had its US Premiere in a special presentation at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival. It tells the story of a disillusioned psychiatrist travelling the world, researching what makes people happy. Monte Carlo Film Festival named Chelsom Best Director for this film.[13] Chelsom directed the science fiction romance The Space Between Us (2017), starring Gary Oldman, Asa Butterfield, Britt Robertson, and Carla Gugino.[14]

Short film • Year — Title — Director — Writer • 1987 — Treacle Feature film • Year — Title — Director — Writer • 1991 — Hear My Song • 1995 — Funny Bones • 1998 — The Mighty • 2001 — Town & Country • Serendipity • 2004 — Shall We Dance? • 2009 — Hannah Montana: The Movie • 2014 — Hector and the Search for Happiness • 2017 — The Space Between Us • 2021 — Security • 2024 — A Sudden Case of Christmas

• Sorrell and Son (TV Series, 1984) as Kit Sorrell (young adult) • Weekend Playhouse (TV Series, 1984) as Kenny • A Woman of Substance (TV Mini-Series, 1985) as Edwin Fairley • Bill the Minder (TV Series, 1985) as The Narrator • Christmas Present (TV Movie, 1985) as Nigel Playfayre • Time and the Conways (TV Movie, 1985) as Alan Conway • Star Quality (TV Movie, 1985) as Bryan Snow • Indian Summer (1987) as Oliver Sutherland • Theatre Night (TV Series, 1988) episode "The Miser" as Cleante

Peter Chelsom was born on 20 April 1956 in Blackpool. Chelsom held the nationality of United Kingdom. Chelsom was educated at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and Wrekin College. Chelsom worked as film director, screenwriter, stage actor and film actor, and the authority record catalogues a further 4 occupations under the same name, among them actor, film producer, television director and director. Chelsom was active from 1979. Chelsom worked in United Kingdom. Chelsom was employed by Cornell University. Chelsom worked in English and Italian.

Chelsom worked for the screen, as film director, screenwriter and film producer. 12 films survive in the institutional catalogues, spanning 1991 to 2024. Among them are Hear My Song (1991), Funny Bones (1995), The Mighty (1998), Town & Country (2001), Serendipity (2001) and Shall We Dance? The whole run is set out in the catalogue below.