Writers and moving pictures

American TV is in a golden phase, with sparkling writing of the kind not seen before

American TV is in a golden phase, with sparkling writing of the kind not seen before

Salman Rushdie, whose recent books have not been embraced as warmly as earlier works on which his legend is built, will now attempt to prove himself in what is arguably the toughest creative workplace in America today: television. The show will be produced and written by him, and will be named Next People. American TV is at present in a golden phase, with sparkling writing of the kind not seen before. Recent blockbuster shows include The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, Mad Men and The Wire. The creator of The Wire, a former Baltimore Sun reporter named David Simon, recently won a MacArthur Genius for his work on television.

Writers take to television all the time, but few writers with as large a profile as Rushdie’s have made an attempt during television’s golden age. Malcolm Bradbury, the novelist, frequently adapted other people’s work for television, including a novel, The Green Man, by Kingsley Amis. And he was pretty good at it even when he wasn’t adapting stuff. The Gravy Train Goes East, an original work, was nominated by the Royal Television Society and Writers’ Guild Awards.

Stephen King wrote an X-Files episode with Chris Carter, who created the series. JK Rowling hasn’t so far involved herself with television, but she has produced half of the Deathly Hallows, with her second production out later this year.

A shocking number of Graham Greene’s works were made into movies or produced for TV. He wasn’t beyond writing for TV either. He wrote the screenplay for The Comedians, which starred Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor and Alec Guiness. He also wrote Our Man in Havana, also starring Alec Guiness. Filmed on location at a tumultuous time in Cuba, Fidel Castro reportedly visited the set.

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