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Michael E. Briant

  • Director
  • Production Department
  • Actor
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Born in 1942, Michael went full time to the Italia Conti Stage School in Archer Street, London W1 when he was 12. Three months later he gave his first professional performance as an elf and a rainbow child at the Royal Festival Hall. The following year he played the lead Crispian.

As a child/young actor he worked extensively in the theaters, film and television - touring for Carl Clopet, regularly appearing at Bromley Rep and playing leads in many television productions. In his teens he became an ASM and played several roles at the Little Theater - Great Yarmouth.

When Michael was 21 he joined the BBC as an AFM in Drama department and a year later became a Production Assistant. At 23 he took the Directors Course and whilst still on the staff as a PA directed series like The Newcomers (1965), Z Cars (1962) and Doctor Who (1963). After three years of bouncing between PA and Director. Ronald Marsh - head of Serials offered him a years worth of directing work and he became a freelance TV drama director.

A successful career directing popular drama followed, winning him an Emmy for A Tale of Two Cities for which he also wrote the adaptation. After considerable success directing many shows for Gerard Glaister he formed a production company Linked Ring Films and produced and directed the feature, Tangiers (1982).

A single production in the Netherlands led to a stream of work in Amsterdam where he introduced the British methods of making Drama and Situation Comedy. All his productions in Aalsmere won awards including Best Drama.

In order to fulfill a lifetime ambition he set sail in his own yacht and with a camera in one hand and a sextant in the other proceeded to make a circumnavigation in between other directing assignments. The film he shot during the voyage became the very popular series Blue Water Destinations and Blue Water Cruising. He now has his own edit and dubbing facility as well as cameras and sound equipment.
Born1942
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Born1942
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  • Known for

    Tangiers (1982)
    Tangiers
    6.9
    • Director
    • 1982
    Angela Browne, Glyn Houston, Martin Jarvis, and Hilary Ryan in Breakaway (1980)
    Breakaway
    7.0
    TV Series
    • Director
    Blake's 7 (1978)
    Blake's 7
    8.1
    TV Series
    • Director
    Peter Gilmore and Anne Stallybrass in The Onedin Line (1971)
    The Onedin Line
    7.6
    TV Series
    • Director

    Credits

    IMDbPro

    Director



    • The Sea Devils
      7.2
      TV Special
      • Director
      • 2025
    • Peter Bolhuis, Kaspar Schellingerhout, Liz Snoijink, and Geertje van Vliet in Jansen, Jansen (1995)
      Jansen, Jansen
      TV Series
      • Director
      • 1995–1998
    • EastEnders (1985)
      EastEnders
      4.8
      TV Series
      • Director
      • 1995
    • Emmerdale Farm (1972)
      Emmerdale Farm
      4.9
      TV Series
      • Director
      • 1979–1992
    • Zonder ernst (1992)
      Zonder ernst
      7.1
      TV Series
      • Director
      • 1992–1998
    • Edmond Classen, Gaston van Erven, Sander de Heer, Peter Lusse, Mary-Lou van Stenis, and Maria Stiegelis in Vrienden voor het leven (1991)
      Vrienden voor het leven
      6.9
      TV Series
      • Director
      • 1991
    • Spijkerhoek (1989)
      Spijkerhoek
      6.8
      TV Series
      • Director
      • 1989–1990
    • Maurice Colbourne, Jan Harvey, and Stephen Yardley in Howards' Way (1985)
      Howards' Way
      6.7
      TV Series
      • Director
      • 1987
    • Hideaway (1986)
      Hideaway
      7.1
      TV Mini Series
      • Director
      • 1986
    • Blake's 7: The Beginning (1985)
      Blake's 7: The Beginning
      7.5
      Video
      • Director
      • 1985
    • Rob Heyland in One by One (1984)
      One by One
      7.5
      TV Series
      • Director (as Michael Briant)
      • 1985
    • Tangiers (1982)
      Tangiers
      6.9
      • Director
      • 1982
    • Kessler (1981)
      Kessler
      6.7
      TV Mini Series
      • Director
      • 1981
    • Bernard Hepton, Daniel Hill, and Jack McKenzie in Blood Money (1981)
      Blood Money
      7.7
      TV Series
      • Director
      • 1981
    • Ralph Michael, Sally Osborne, and Paul Shelley in A Tale of Two Cities (1980)
      A Tale of Two Cities
      6.5
      TV Mini Series
      • Director
      • 1980

    Production Department



    • Paul McGann, Colin Baker, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, William Hartnell, Sylvester McCoy, Jon Pertwee, and Patrick Troughton in Doctor Who (1963)
      Doctor Who
      8.4
      TV Series
      • production assistant (uncredited)
      • 1965–1968
    • Michele Dotrice and Frank Finlay in Les Misérables (1967)
      Les Misérables
      7.1
      TV Mini Series
      • production assistant (uncredited)
      • 1967
    • The Paradise Makers
      TV Series
      • production assistant (uncredited)
      • 1967

    Actor



    • Jack Warner in Dixon of Dock Green (1955)
      Dixon of Dock Green
      6.9
      TV Series
      • Passer-By (uncredited)
      • 1976
    • Paul McGann, Colin Baker, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, William Hartnell, Sylvester McCoy, Jon Pertwee, and Patrick Troughton in Doctor Who (1963)
      Doctor Who
      8.4
      TV Series
      • Primitive Voice
      • Radio D.J.
      • Monitor Voice (uncredited)
      • 1971–1975
    • John Gregson, Elvi Hale, Keith Michell, Cecil Parker, and June Thorburn in True as a Turtle (1957)
      True as a Turtle
      5.7
      • Paul
      • 1957
    • Mr. Papingay's Ship
      TV Mini Series
      • Robin (as Michael Briant)
      • 1956
    • The Little Round House
      TV Series
      • Robin
      • 1955
    • The Euterpeans
      TV Movie
      • Butterworth (as Michael Briant)
      • 1955
    • Gerald Campion and Kynaston Reeves in Billy Bunter of Greyfriars School (1952)
      Billy Bunter of Greyfriars School
      6.7
      TV Series
      • Frank Nugent
      • 1952–1961

    Personal details

    • Official site
      • Official Site
    • Alternative names
      • Michael Edwin Briant
    • Born
      • 1942
      • Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, UK
    • Other works
      Provided a commentary for the Doctor Who (1963) DVD "The Sea Devils".
    • Publicity listings
      • 1 Print Biography
      • 1 Interview

    Did you know

    • Trivia
      Of the six Doctor Who (1963) serials he directed, it was one of his favourites was The Robots of Death: Part One (1977). It is also a favourite of the series' fans, being voted the sixth greatest story of the original run in Outpost Gallifrey's 40th anniversary poll in 2003. The one he most enjoyed making was The Sea Devils and feels it was probably his best 'Who'.
    • Quotes
      Television was growing at a rate and the creative side was run by people from the theatre or film industry. Directors in those days did the casting, were consulted during the writing process and had a freedom impossible today.
    • Nickname
      • MichaelE

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