Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl (September 13, 1916 – November 23, 1990) was a British novelist, short story writer, poet, screenwriter, and fighter pilot. His books have sold more than 250 million copies worldwide. Born in Wales to Norwegian immigrant parents, Dahl served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. He became a flying ace and intelligence officer, rising to the rank of acting wing commander. He rose to prominence as a writer in the 1940s with works for both children and adults, and he became one of the world's best-selling authors. He has been referred to as "one of the greatest storytellers for children of the 20th century". His awards for contribution to literature include the 1983 World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement, and the British Book Awards' Children's Author of the Year in 1990. In 2008, The Times placed Dahl 16th on its list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945". Dahl's short stories are known for their unexpected endings, and his children's books for their unsentimental, macabre, often darkly comic mood, featuring villainous adult enemies of the child characters. His books champion the kindhearted, and feature an underlying warm sentiment. Dahl's works for children include James and the Giant Peach, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The Witches, Fantastic Mr Fox, The BFG, The Twits and George's Marvellous Medicine. His adult works include Tales of the Unexpected. Description above from the Wikipedia article Roald Dahl, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Works

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Three More

Four tales unfold in Wes Anderson's anthology of short films adapted from Roald Dahl's beloved stories, "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar", "The Swan", "The Rat Catcher", and "Poison".

Release Date:2024-03-14

Department:Writing

Job:Short Story

Vote Count:87

Wonka

Willy Wonka – chock-full of ideas and determined to change the world one delectable bite at a time – is proof that the best things in life begin with a dream, and if you’re lucky enough to meet Willy Wonka, anything is possible.

Release Date:2023-12-06

Department:Writing

Job:Characters

Vote Count:3762

Poison

When a poisonous snake slithers onto an Englishman's stomach in India, his associate and a doctor race to save him.

Release Date:2023-09-29

Department:Writing

Job:Short Story

Vote Count:436

The Rat Catcher

In an English village, a reporter and a mechanic listen to a ratcatcher explain his clever plan to outwit his prey.

Release Date:2023-09-28

Department:Writing

Job:Short Story

Vote Count:399

The Swan

Two large, ignorant bullies ruthlessly pursue a small, brilliant boy in this young adult Roald Dahl short story.

Release Date:2023-09-27

Department:Writing

Job:Short Story

Vote Count:394

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar

A rich man learns about a guru who can see without using his eyes. He sets out to master the skill in order to cheat at gambling.

Release Date:2023-09-20

Department:Writing

Job:Original Film Writer

Vote Count:1041

Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical

An extraordinary young girl discovers her superpower and summons the remarkable courage, against all odds, to help others change their stories, whilst also taking charge of her own destiny. Standing up for what's right, she's met with miraculous results.

Release Date:2022-11-25

Department:Writing

Job:Novel

Vote Count:738

Tales of the Uncanny

A detailed look at the history of horror anthology films.

Release Date:2020-10-31

Character:Self (archive footage)

Vote Count:10

Roald Dahl's The Witches

In late 1967, a young orphaned boy goes to live with his loving grandma in the rural Alabama town of Demopolis. As the boy and his grandmother encounter some deceptively glamorous but thoroughly diabolical witches, she wisely whisks him away to a seaside resort. Regrettably, they arrive at precisely the same time that the world's Grand High Witch has gathered.

Release Date:2020-10-26

Department:Writing

Job:Novel

Vote Count:2826

Revolting Rhymes

Two half-hour animated films based on the much-loved rhymes written by Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake.

Release Date:2017-10-11

Department:Writing

Job:Novel

Vote Count:54

Tom and Jerry: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

The classic Roald Dahl tale gets a modern twist when Tom and Jerry enter the amazing world of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory.

Release Date:2017-06-28

Department:Writing

Job:Original Story

Vote Count:152

Revolting Rhymes

Based on the much-loved children’s book written by Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake, Revolting Rhymes takes classic fairy tales, then mixes them together and serves them with a mischievous twist.

Release Date:2016-12-26

Department:Writing

Job:Author

Episode Count:2

Vote Count:3

The Marvellous World of Roald Dahl

Fighter pilot, inventor, spy - the life of Roald Dahl is often stranger than fiction. Through a vast collection of his letters, writings and archive, the story is told largely in his own words with contributions from his last wife Liccy, daughter Lucy and biographer Donald Sturrock.

Release Date:2016-08-04

Character:Self (archive footage)

Vote Count:1

The BFG

An orphan little girl befriends a benevolent giant who takes her to Giant Country, where they attempt to stop the man-eating giants that are invading the human world.

Release Date:2016-06-01

Department:Writing

Job:Book

Vote Count:3394

In the Ruins

When Ayden arrives at a deserted church in the forest, he meets the strange Doctor Faber who offers him some food, if Ayden promises to provide the next meal. While both men are having a BBQ, a young girl enters the church, searching for her sister. Dr. Faber offers her some food, if she promises to provide the next meal.

Release Date:2016-02-10

Department:Writing

Job:Short Story

New Russians

Six various novels united in a one movie.

Release Date:2015-06-04

Department:Writing

Job:Novel

Vote Count:3

The Taste

Misha finally decided to confess his love to Lena. But the girl's father interrupts him. He decided to take revenge in the old game with his friend. At stake is a huge jackpot, which can reach Lena, and all changes instantly.

Release Date:2015-01-23

Department:Writing

Job:Novel

Vote Count:3

Roald Dahl's Esio Trot

Mr. Hoppy is a shy old man who lives alone in an apartment building. For many years, he has been secretly in love with Mrs. Silver, a woman who lives below him. Mr. Hoppy frequently leans over his balcony and exchanges polite conversation with Mrs. Silver, but he is too shy to disclose how he feels. Mr. Hoppy longs to express his feelings to Mrs. Silver, but he can never bring his lips to form the words. Mrs. Silver has a small pet tortoise, Alfie, whom she loves very much. One morning, Mrs. Silver mentions to Mr. Hoppy that even though she has had Alfie for many years, her pet has only grown a tiny bit and has gained only 3 ounces in weight. She confesses that she wishes she knew of some way to make her little Alfie grown into a larger, more dignified tortoise. Mr. Hoppy suddenly thinks of a way to give Mrs. Silver her wish and win her affection.

Release Date:2015-01-02

Department:Writing

Job:Novel

Vote Count:120

Cheap Thrills

Recently fired and facing eviction, a new dad has his life turned upside down when he meets a wealthy couple who offer a path to financial security... but at a price.

Release Date:2013-03-08

Department:Writing

Job:Author

Vote Count:419

Chippendale

Mikhail, an antique shop keeper, stumbles upon a rare Chippendale's drawer in a Tatar by-place. Heaps of snow, bargaining with the rugged locals - nothing but his own greed is going to stop Misha from getting the precious drawer.

Release Date:2012-12-02

Department:Writing

Job:Novel

Vote Count:1

Fantastic Mr. Fox

The Fantastic Mr. Fox, bored with his current life, plans a heist against the three local farmers. The farmers, tired of sharing their chickens with the sly fox, seek revenge against him and his family.

Release Date:2009-10-23

Department:Writing

Job:Novel

Vote Count:5513

Three Little Pigs

Release Date:2008-10-11

Department:Writing

Job:Writer

Vote Count:1

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

A young boy wins a tour through the most magnificent chocolate factory in the world, led by the world's most unusual candy maker.

Release Date:2005-07-13

Department:Writing

Job:Author

Vote Count:15326

Fantastic Mr. Dahl

Documentary about author Roald Dahl, produced for the British television series Imagine.

Release Date:2005-06-22

Character:Self (archive footage)

Lamb to the Slaughter

A pregnant woman discovers that her husband has been having an affair, and has fallen in love with another woman. As a result, she decides to take matters into her own hands.

Release Date:2002-09-13

Department:Writing

Job:Short Story

Pure Imagination: The Story of 'Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory'

Retrospective documentary on the making of the cult classic "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory."

Release Date:2001-11-13

Character:Self (archive footage)

Vote Count:22

Matilda

Matilda Wormwood is an exquisite and intelligent little girl. Unfortunately, her parents, Harry and Zinnia misunderstand her because they think she is so different. As time passes, she finally starts school and has a kind teacher, loyal friends, and a sadistic headmistress. As she gets fed up with the constant cruelty, she begins to realize that she has a gift of telekinetic powers. After some days of practice, she suddenly turns the tables to stand up to Harry and Zinnia and outwit the headmistress.

Release Date:1996-08-02

Department:Writing

Job:Novel

Vote Count:4489

James and the Giant Peach

When the young orphan boy James spills a magic bag of crocodile tongues, he finds himself in possession of a giant peach that flies him away to strange lands.

Release Date:1996-04-12

Department:Writing

Job:Novel

Vote Count:1332

Little Red Riding Hood

Roald Dahl's version of Little Red Riding Hood

Release Date:1995-12-25

Department:Writing

Job:Original Concept

The Ideal Couple

Two married couples are getting into big troubles while participating in the reality show on TV.

Release Date:1992-06-06

Department:Writing

Job:Novel

Vote Count:2

The Witches

A young boy named Luke and his grandmother go on vacation only to discover their hotel is hosting an international witch convention, where the Grand High Witch is unveiling her master plan to turn all children into mice. Will Luke fall victim to the witches' plot before he can stop them?

Release Date:1990-05-25

Department:Writing

Job:Novel

Vote Count:1267

The Silent Hunt

A loyal gamekeeper enters the Pardis Kala region with his teenage son. There, an ill-wisher landlord has influence over all the people but no one likes him. A flighty sergeant is not happy about the gamekeeper entering there. A new teacher can not understand the gamekeeper's discipline so she does not like him. Khaleh Khanom who lives with the teacher also does not like her husband Hossein Amoo. Good guys fight the bad guys to fulfill the dream of the gamekeeper's son.

Release Date:1990-02-03

Department:Writing

Job:Novel

The Enormous Crocodile

When the Enormous Crocodile boasts that he is going to eat a child for his lunch, the other jungle animals decide to foil his dastardly plot. Children of all ages will delight in the exploits of Humpy Rumpy - the hippopotamus, Muggle Wump - the monkey and the amazing antics of the Roly-Poly bird.

Release Date:1990-01-02

Department:Writing

Job:Short Story

Vote Count:2

Revolting Rhymes

Six of the best-loved nursery rhymes retold, with some extremely amusing twists, by the master of the comic and blood-curdling, Roald Dahl.

Release Date:1990-01-02

Department:Writing

Job:Story

Dirty Beasts

Roald Dahl, that master of wicked humour, has created a ghastly menagerie of dirty beasts - all doing the most extraordinary and unmentionable things, in irreverent and absurdly comic verse. Including Crocky-Wock, the crocodile, who every Saturday has six young children for his lunch and how Miss Milky Daisy, the cow, punished a very rude man.

Release Date:1990-01-02

Department:Writing

Job:Story

The Magic Finger

"When the Magic Finger is upon you extraordinary things begin to happen...." and when the Magic Finger is put upon the Gregg family for shooting some ducks, only the inventive imagination of Roald Dahl could have devised the events which take place!

Release Date:1990-01-02

Department:Writing

Job:Story

Vote Count:3

The BFG

Sophie is snatched from her orphanage early one morning by the BFG (Big Friendly Giant), whom she witnesses engaged in mysterious activities. She is soon put at ease, as she learns that BFG's job is to collect, catalog and deliver pleasant dreams to children. She joins him that night, but a mean giants follow them, planning to eat the children of the world.

Release Date:1989-12-25

Department:Writing

Job:Author

Vote Count:162

Danny and the Dirty Dog: The Making of 'Roald Dahl's Danny the Champion of the World'

An overview of the making of Danny the Champion of the World (1989)

Release Date:1989-09-01

Character:Self

Breaking Point

With D-Day less than 72 hours off, top US intelligence officer Jefferson Pike (Corbin Bernsen), is captured by the enemy. Pike, one of handful of officers who know where the allies will strike, is a professional who the Nazis know will never succumb to torture. They hatch a diabolical plan to deceive him into thinking that the war is over and he's recuperating from memory loss in a US hospital in Germany. His doctor (John Glover) and nurse (Joanna Pacula) head an elite Nazi psychological team that attempt to convince Pike into revealing the top secret. But as time slips away, Pike's captors decide he must reach his BREAKING POINT... or die.

Release Date:1989-08-18

Department:Writing

Job:Novel

Vote Count:3

Danny the Champion of the World

Somewhere in England, in the Autumn of 1955, a widowed father and his son live an idyllic life together. Only their gas station happens to sit on a piece of land that a local developer wants to buy. And when he won't take no for an answer, and sets government inspectors and social works onto Danny and his father, Danny and his father decide to get even with Hazell and his pheasant- shooting friends in a manner in keeping with their own family tradition.

Release Date:1989-04-29

Department:Writing

Job:Novel

Vote Count:22

Going Live!

Going Live! was a Saturday morning magazine show, broadcast on BBC1 between 1987 and 1993. It was presented by Phillip Schofield and Sarah Greene. Other presenters included Trevor and Simon, Peter Simon, Emma Forbes, and puppet Gordon the Gopher. The show was broadcast during the autumn to spring seasons, with other shows such as the 8:15 from Manchester and Parallel 9 taking over during the summer months. It was preceded by Saturday Superstore, and succeeded by Live & Kicking. In 1988, when the second series started, Greene was hurt in a helicopter crash with her then boyfriend, Mike Smith. Guest presenters stood in for her including T'Pau's Carol Decker. Similarly, in 1992-93 during the final series, Schofield was starring in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and was unable to present the show. A third presenter took his place. Originally, Neighbours actor Kristian Schmid took the role but soon left after problems with his work permit. Various other celebrities to stand in included Shane Richie and Robbie Williams during his Take That days.

Release Date:1987-09-26

Character:Self

Episode Count:1

Vote Count:1

The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents

The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents is an American anthology series that aired on NBC from 1985 to 1986, and on the USA Network from 1987 to 1989. The series is an updated re-imagining of the classic 1955 series Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

Release Date:1985-09-29

Department:Writing

Job:Story

Vote Count:50

The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents

Television film that served as a pilot for the reboot of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents." Four classic episodes from the original show - "Incident in a Small Jail," "Man from the South," "Bang! You're Dead" and "An Unlocked Window" - were remade by contemporary directors with contemporary stars.

Release Date:1985-05-05

Department:Writing

Job:Story

Way North, Five Norwegian Artists

In this documentary, the author Roald Dahl presents the five monumental Norwegian artists Frans Widerberg, Arne Nordheim, Stein Mehren, Cecilie Løveid and Sverre Fehn.

Release Date:1985-01-01

Character:Self - Narrator

Roald Dahl’s Tales of the Unexpected: The Landlady

The unnamed Landlady (Siobhan McKenna) is the titular main villainess from "The Landlady", episode 1.05 of Tales of The Unexpected (airdate April 21, 1979), based on the Roald Dahl short story of the same name. The episode begins with Billy Weaver (The main protagonist), arriving in Bath as part of a work trip. While there, he looks for accomdation, and sees a bed and breakfast sign in the window of a house. The unnamed woman then invites him in, claiming that a hotel he had been planning to stay at was booked out. Although finding the landlady's overly friendly demeanour off-putting, Billy decides to spend the night.

Release Date:1979-04-21

Department:Writing

Job:Writer

Character:Self

Tales of the Unexpected

A British television anthology of stories, often with sinister and wryly comedic undertones, and a twist at the end. With early episodes written and presented by Roald Dahl, the series featured a plethora of big name guest stars.

Release Date:1979-03-24

Department:Writing

Job:Story

Character:Self - Introduced by(uncredited)

Episode Count:11

Vote Count:43

James and the Giant Peach

A TV adaptation of Roald Dahl's classic book.

Release Date:1976-12-28

Department:Writing

Job:Original Story

Vote Count:1

Fru Biksby og oberstens skinnkåpe

A high comedy about a dental family with an office on the best western edge, where the lady of the house is mixed up in a delicate intrigue in her efforts to get a new fur.

Release Date:1974-11-03

Department:Writing

Job:Author

Vote Count:1

A Little Horror?

Norwegian scary stories to tell in the dark.

Release Date:1973-11-17

Department:Writing

Job:Story

Episode Count:1

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

When eccentric candy man Willy Wonka promises a lifetime supply of sweets and a tour of his chocolate factory to five lucky kids, penniless Charlie Bucket seeks the golden ticket that will make him a winner.

Release Date:1971-06-29

Department:Writing

Job:Screenplay

Vote Count:3655

The Road Builder

The dreary existence of middle-aged spinster Maura Prince takes an unexpected turn with the arrival of young handyman Billy Jarvis, but there is more to Billy than meets the eye.

Release Date:1971-02-25

Department:Writing

Job:Screenplay

Vote Count:20

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

A hapless inventor finally finds success with a flying car, which a dictator from a foreign government sets out to take for himself.

Release Date:1968-12-17

Department:Writing

Job:Screenplay

Vote Count:667

You Only Live Twice

A mysterious spacecraft captures Russian and American space capsules and brings the two superpowers to the brink of war. James Bond investigates the case in Japan and comes face to face with his archenemy Blofeld.

Release Date:1967-06-13

Department:Writing

Job:Screenplay

Vote Count:2225

36 Hours

Germans kidnap an American major and try to convince him that World War II is over, so that they can get details about the Allied invasion of Europe out of him.

Release Date:1964-11-26

Department:Writing

Job:Original Story

Vote Count:63

The Twits

Mr. and Mrs. Twit are the meanest, smelliest, nastiest people in the world who also happen to own and operate the most disgusting, most dangerous, most idiotic amusement park in the world, Twitlandia. But when the Twits rise to power in their town, two brave orphans and a family of magical animals are forced to become as tricky as the Twits in order to save the city.

Department:Writing

Job:Novel

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

A remake of the cult film "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" in early development, involving the adventures of the titular magical car.

Department:Writing

Job:Original Film Writer

Alfred Hitchcock Presents

A television anthology series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock featuring dramas, thrillers, and mysteries.

Release Date:1955-10-02

Department:Writing

Job:Short Story

Episode Count:1

Vote Count:224