Christopher Wood (writer)
Encyclopedia
Christopher Wood is an English
screenwriter
and novelist best known under the pseudonym 'Timothy Lea' for the Confessions series of novels and films. Under his own name, he adapted two James Bond
novels for the screen: The Spy Who Loved Me
(1977
with Richard Maibaum
) and Moonraker
(1979
).
Wood has written many novels. His novels divide into four groups: semi-autobiographical literary fiction, historical fiction, adventure novels, and pseudonymous humorous erotica.
Wood graduated from Cambridge
with degrees in economics and law. He did his military service in Cyprus
, which inspired his second novel Terrible Hard, Says Alice. Wood's African experiences inspired two novels: his first, Make it Happen to Me and his 1983 adventure novel A Dove Against Death. Of A Dove Against Death, he recalls, "I was helping to conduct a plebiscite in the Southern Cameroons
under U.N. supervision in 1960. An old man came out of a hut wearing what at first glance I thought was a brass coal scuttle. Then I realized that it was German helmet with a spike on it. My interest began then. Many years later came the story." After considerable research, Mr. Wood discovered records of a Dove that was sent to South-West Africa and a wireless station in Togo-land that the Germans built and the English destroyed, all of which he wove together to create the novel.
Wood was the first author to write novelizations of Bond films. His novelization of The Spy Who Loved Me, renamed James Bond, The Spy Who Loved Me to avoid confusion with Ian Fleming
's original novel, has nothing in common with the Fleming book. Similarly, the plot of Moonraker, renamed James Bond and Moonraker, is almost entirely written by Wood, although it does share some similarities with Fleming's original novel, in particular the villain Sir Hugo Drax. Bond fans generally rate Wood's novelizations highly. Kingsley Amis
wrote in The New Statesman that, despite several reservations, "Mr Wood has bravely tackled his formidable task, that of turning a typical late Bond film, which must be basically facetious, into a novel after Ian Fleming, which must be basically serious. ... the descriptions are adequate and the action writing excellent."
Wood was also responsible for the Confessions series of novels and their film adaptations, written under the pseudonym 'Timothy Lea'. They are Confessions of a Window Cleaner
, Confessions of a Driving Instructor
, Confessions from a Holiday Camp
, Confessions From a Hotel, Confessions of a Travelling Salesman, Confessions of a Film Extra, Confessions From the Clink, Confessions of a Private Soldier, Confessions From the Pop Scene (adapted into the movie Confessions of a Pop Performer
), Confessions From a Health Farm, Confessions From the Shop Floor, Confessions of a Long Distance Lorry Driver, Confessions of a Plumber's Mate, Confessions of a Private Dick, Confessions From a Luxury Liner, Confessions From a Nudist Colony, Confessions of a Milkman, Confessions of an Ice Cream Man and Confessions From a Haunted House.
Wood also created a female counterpart, Rosie Dixon, and these were likewise written in the first person perspective
and published pseudonymously under the name "Rosie Dixon". Although nine Rosie Dixon novels were published, only the first one was made into a film, Rosie Dixon - Night Nurse
(1978) based on Confessions of a Night Nurse. The other titles were Confessions of a Gym Mistress, Confessions From an Escort Agency, Confessions of a Lady Courier, Confessions From a Package Tour, Confessions of a Physical WRAC
, Confessions of a Baby Sitter, Confessions of a Personal Secretary, and Rosie Dixon, Barmaid.
This was his second series to feature a female protagonist as he started the Penny Sutton books a year previously with The Stewardesses. The other books in the series were The Stewardesses Down Under, The Jumbo Jet Girls, I'm Penny Fly Me and Penny Sutton Supersonic.
Woold also wrote three pseudonymous books featuring the teenager Oliver Grape: Onwards Virgins (later reissued as Forward Virgins), Crumpet Voluntary and It's a Knock Up.
As "Frank Clegg", Wood also wrote Soccer Thug (Sphere, 1973).
In 1979 LWT screened his 13 part situation comedy Lovely Couple, produced and directed by Derrick Goodwin.
He also wrote the 1985 action film
Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins
with Fred Ward
, which was directed by former Bond director Guy Hamilton
.
His daughter Caroline Wood is a film producer and literary agent.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
and novelist best known under the pseudonym 'Timothy Lea' for the Confessions series of novels and films. Under his own name, he adapted two James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
novels for the screen: The Spy Who Loved Me
The Spy Who Loved Me (film)
The Spy Who Loved Me is a spy film, the tenth film in the James Bond series, and the third to star Roger Moore as the fictional secret agent James Bond. It was directed by Lewis Gilbert and the screenplay was written by Christopher Wood and Richard Maibaum...
(1977
1977 in film
The year 1977 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*In the Academy Awards, Peter Finch, Faye Dunaway and Beatrice Straight win Best Actor and Actress and Supporting Actress awards for Network....
with Richard Maibaum
Richard Maibaum
Richard Maibaum was an American film producer, playwright and screenwriter best known for his adaptations of Ian Fleming's James Bond novels....
) and Moonraker
Moonraker (film)
Moonraker is the eleventh spy film in the James Bond series, and the fourth to star Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The third and final film in the series to be directed by Lewis Gilbert, it co-stars Lois Chiles, Michael Lonsdale, Corinne Clery, and Richard Kiel...
(1979
1979 in film
The year 1979 in film involved some significant events.- Major events :* March 5 - Production begins on Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.* May 25 - Alien, a landmark of the science fiction genre, is released....
).
Wood has written many novels. His novels divide into four groups: semi-autobiographical literary fiction, historical fiction, adventure novels, and pseudonymous humorous erotica.
Wood graduated from Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
with degrees in economics and law. He did his military service in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, which inspired his second novel Terrible Hard, Says Alice. Wood's African experiences inspired two novels: his first, Make it Happen to Me and his 1983 adventure novel A Dove Against Death. Of A Dove Against Death, he recalls, "I was helping to conduct a plebiscite in the Southern Cameroons
Southern Cameroons
Southern Cameroons was the southern part of the British Mandate territory of Cameroons in West Africa. Since 1961 it is part of the Republic of Cameroon, where it makes up the Northwest Province and Southwest Province...
under U.N. supervision in 1960. An old man came out of a hut wearing what at first glance I thought was a brass coal scuttle. Then I realized that it was German helmet with a spike on it. My interest began then. Many years later came the story." After considerable research, Mr. Wood discovered records of a Dove that was sent to South-West Africa and a wireless station in Togo-land that the Germans built and the English destroyed, all of which he wove together to create the novel.
Wood was the first author to write novelizations of Bond films. His novelization of The Spy Who Loved Me, renamed James Bond, The Spy Who Loved Me to avoid confusion with Ian Fleming
Ian Fleming
Ian Lancaster Fleming was a British author, journalist and Naval Intelligence Officer.Fleming is best known for creating the fictional British spy James Bond and for a series of twelve novels and nine short stories about the character, one of the biggest-selling series of fictional books of...
's original novel, has nothing in common with the Fleming book. Similarly, the plot of Moonraker, renamed James Bond and Moonraker, is almost entirely written by Wood, although it does share some similarities with Fleming's original novel, in particular the villain Sir Hugo Drax. Bond fans generally rate Wood's novelizations highly. Kingsley Amis
Kingsley Amis
Sir Kingsley William Amis, CBE was an English novelist, poet, critic, and teacher. He wrote more than 20 novels, six volumes of poetry, a memoir, various short stories, radio and television scripts, along with works of social and literary criticism...
wrote in The New Statesman that, despite several reservations, "Mr Wood has bravely tackled his formidable task, that of turning a typical late Bond film, which must be basically facetious, into a novel after Ian Fleming, which must be basically serious. ... the descriptions are adequate and the action writing excellent."
Wood was also responsible for the Confessions series of novels and their film adaptations, written under the pseudonym 'Timothy Lea'. They are Confessions of a Window Cleaner
Confessions of a Window Cleaner
Confessions of a Window Cleaner is a 1974 British sex comedy film, directed by Val Guest.Like the other films in the Confessions series; Confessions of a Pop Performer, Confessions of a Driving Instructor and Confessions from a Holiday Camp, it concerns the erotic adventures of Timothy Lea, based...
, Confessions of a Driving Instructor
Confessions of a Driving Instructor
Confessions of a Driving Instructor is a 1976 British sex-farce film. This was the third instalment of the Confessions sequence on the erotic adventures of Timothy Lea, based on the novels published under the name by Christopher Wood.-Premise:...
, Confessions from a Holiday Camp
Confessions from a Holiday Camp
Confessions from a Holiday Camp is a 1977 British comedy film. It is the last film in the series which began with Confessions of a Window Cleaner.-Plot:...
, Confessions From a Hotel, Confessions of a Travelling Salesman, Confessions of a Film Extra, Confessions From the Clink, Confessions of a Private Soldier, Confessions From the Pop Scene (adapted into the movie Confessions of a Pop Performer
Confessions of a Pop Performer
Confessions of a Pop Performer is a 1975 British sex-farce film. This second instalment continues the erotic adventures of Timothy Lea and is based on the novels written under the name by Christopher Wood. In this case, the original novel was called Confessions from the Pop Scene, but was later...
), Confessions From a Health Farm, Confessions From the Shop Floor, Confessions of a Long Distance Lorry Driver, Confessions of a Plumber's Mate, Confessions of a Private Dick, Confessions From a Luxury Liner, Confessions From a Nudist Colony, Confessions of a Milkman, Confessions of an Ice Cream Man and Confessions From a Haunted House.
Wood also created a female counterpart, Rosie Dixon, and these were likewise written in the first person perspective
First-person narrative
First-person point of view is a narrative mode where a story is narrated by one character at a time, speaking for and about themselves. First-person narrative may be singular, plural or multiple as well as being an authoritative, reliable or deceptive "voice" and represents point of view in the...
and published pseudonymously under the name "Rosie Dixon". Although nine Rosie Dixon novels were published, only the first one was made into a film, Rosie Dixon - Night Nurse
Rosie Dixon - Night Nurse
Rosie Dixon - Night Nurse is a 1978 British comedy film directed by Justin Cartwright and starring Debbie Ash, Carolyne Argyle, Beryl Reid and John Le Mesurier. It was based on a novel by Christopher Wood. A new student nurse arrives at a hospital, attracting interest from the staff with comedic...
(1978) based on Confessions of a Night Nurse. The other titles were Confessions of a Gym Mistress, Confessions From an Escort Agency, Confessions of a Lady Courier, Confessions From a Package Tour, Confessions of a Physical WRAC
Women's Royal Army Corps
The Women's Royal Army Corps was the corps to which all women in the British Army except medical, dental and veterinary officers and chaplains and nurses belonged from 1949 to 1992.-History:The...
, Confessions of a Baby Sitter, Confessions of a Personal Secretary, and Rosie Dixon, Barmaid.
This was his second series to feature a female protagonist as he started the Penny Sutton books a year previously with The Stewardesses. The other books in the series were The Stewardesses Down Under, The Jumbo Jet Girls, I'm Penny Fly Me and Penny Sutton Supersonic.
Woold also wrote three pseudonymous books featuring the teenager Oliver Grape: Onwards Virgins (later reissued as Forward Virgins), Crumpet Voluntary and It's a Knock Up.
As "Frank Clegg", Wood also wrote Soccer Thug (Sphere, 1973).
In 1979 LWT screened his 13 part situation comedy Lovely Couple, produced and directed by Derrick Goodwin.
He also wrote the 1985 action film
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins
Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins
Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins, also released as Remo: Unarmed and Dangerous, is a 1985 American film. The action–adventure-thriller film featured Fred Ward, Joel Grey, Wilford Brimley and Kate Mulgrew, as well as many guest roles...
with Fred Ward
Fred Ward
Freddie Joe "Fred" Ward is an American actor. He began his career in 1979 alongside Clint Eastwood in Escape from Alcatraz. He is best known for his starring roles in the motion pictures Remo Williams, Tremors, Henry & June, Short Cuts, The Right Stuff and Exit Speed...
, which was directed by former Bond director Guy Hamilton
Guy Hamilton
Guy Hamilton is an English film director.Hamilton was born in Paris, France where his English parents were living. Remaining in France during the Nazi occupation, he was active in the French Resistance...
.
His daughter Caroline Wood is a film producer and literary agent.
Screenplays
- Confessions of a Window CleanerConfessions of a Window CleanerConfessions of a Window Cleaner is a 1974 British sex comedy film, directed by Val Guest.Like the other films in the Confessions series; Confessions of a Pop Performer, Confessions of a Driving Instructor and Confessions from a Holiday Camp, it concerns the erotic adventures of Timothy Lea, based...
(1974) - Confessions of a Pop PerformerConfessions of a Pop PerformerConfessions of a Pop Performer is a 1975 British sex-farce film. This second instalment continues the erotic adventures of Timothy Lea and is based on the novels written under the name by Christopher Wood. In this case, the original novel was called Confessions from the Pop Scene, but was later...
(1975) - Seven Nights in JapanSeven Nights in JapanSeven Nights in Japan is a 1976 drama film directed by Lewis Gilbert....
(1976) - Confessions of a Driving InstructorConfessions of a Driving InstructorConfessions of a Driving Instructor is a 1976 British sex-farce film. This was the third instalment of the Confessions sequence on the erotic adventures of Timothy Lea, based on the novels published under the name by Christopher Wood.-Premise:...
(1976) - Confessions from a Holiday CampConfessions from a Holiday CampConfessions from a Holiday Camp is a 1977 British comedy film. It is the last film in the series which began with Confessions of a Window Cleaner.-Plot:...
(1977) - The Spy Who Loved MeThe Spy Who Loved Me (film)The Spy Who Loved Me is a spy film, the tenth film in the James Bond series, and the third to star Roger Moore as the fictional secret agent James Bond. It was directed by Lewis Gilbert and the screenplay was written by Christopher Wood and Richard Maibaum...
(1977) - Rosie Dixon - Night NurseRosie Dixon - Night NurseRosie Dixon - Night Nurse is a 1978 British comedy film directed by Justin Cartwright and starring Debbie Ash, Carolyne Argyle, Beryl Reid and John Le Mesurier. It was based on a novel by Christopher Wood. A new student nurse arrives at a hospital, attracting interest from the staff with comedic...
(1978) - MoonrakerMoonraker (film)Moonraker is the eleventh spy film in the James Bond series, and the fourth to star Roger Moore as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. The third and final film in the series to be directed by Lewis Gilbert, it co-stars Lois Chiles, Michael Lonsdale, Corinne Clery, and Richard Kiel...
(1979) - Remo Williams: The Adventure BeginsRemo Williams: The Adventure BeginsRemo Williams: The Adventure Begins, also released as Remo: Unarmed and Dangerous, is a 1985 American film. The action–adventure-thriller film featured Fred Ward, Joel Grey, Wilford Brimley and Kate Mulgrew, as well as many guest roles...
(1985) - The Unspeakable (1996)
- Eruption (1997)
- Stray Bullet (1998)
- Dangerous Curves (2000)