Joan Rodker
Encyclopedia
Joan Rodker was a British political activist and television producer.
The daughter of the modernist poet John Rodker
and dancer Sonia Cohen, who placed her into care at eighteen months, where she remained until she was aged eleven. Rodker later lived with her mother and attended Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls
in Elstree, Hertfordshire but did not shine academically. After failing the matriculation exam needed for university admission, Rodker left school at seventeen. Improving her German in Prague at the insistence of her father, Rodker became attracted to Marxism, and migrated to Moscow in 1934, joining an acting troupe which toured the Ukraine. After falling in love with the actor Gerhard Hinze (later known as Gerard Heinz
), the couple had a son Ernest (born 1937) while in Odessa. During her time in the Soviet Union, Rodker met Regina Fischer, later the mother of chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer
, with whom she later corresponded. The relationship with Heinz though did not survive the war.
Rodker helped to publicise the Sheffield Peace Conference in 1950, and was involved in several other such gatherings. Between 1950 and 1955, Rodker was involved with the Polish Cultural Institute and (with the artist Peter de Francia and John Berger
) began the Soho fair. Rodker's Kensington home was described by the Telegraph
obituary writer as the nearest Britain ever possessed to a "communist salon". She provided help and accommodation for people of a similar persuasion, including the American expatriate Clancy Sigal
and the novelist Doris Lessing
, for whose Molly Jacob in The Golden Notebook
(1962) Rodker was the model.
During her career in television, Joan Rodker was a researcher on such series as Huw Wheldon
's Monitor
and ITV's Tempo and script editor on Armchair Theatre
and the BBC's Thirty Minute Theatre. In 1980 she worked as the Executive Producer of Thames
' Armchair Thriller
series, having previously worked as the script executive earlier in the programme's run.
Papers formerly in the possession of Joan Rodker were acquired by the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center at the University of Texas at Austin
in 2000.
The daughter of the modernist poet John Rodker
John Rodker
John Rodker was a British writer, modernist poet, and publisher of some of the major modernist figures. He was born in Manchester into a Jewish immigrant family, who moved to London while he was still young.-Career:...
and dancer Sonia Cohen, who placed her into care at eighteen months, where she remained until she was aged eleven. Rodker later lived with her mother and attended Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls
Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls
Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls is an academically high-achieving British independent school in Elstree, near Borehamwood, in the county of Hertfordshire. It is often known as "Habs" or "Habs girls", to distinguish it from the neighbouring Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School...
in Elstree, Hertfordshire but did not shine academically. After failing the matriculation exam needed for university admission, Rodker left school at seventeen. Improving her German in Prague at the insistence of her father, Rodker became attracted to Marxism, and migrated to Moscow in 1934, joining an acting troupe which toured the Ukraine. After falling in love with the actor Gerhard Hinze (later known as Gerard Heinz
Gerard Heinz
Gerard Heinz , born Gerhard Hinze, was an actor. He later moved to England, where he changed his name to Gerard Heinz. He appeared in almost 60 movies , and a number of stage productions...
), the couple had a son Ernest (born 1937) while in Odessa. During her time in the Soviet Union, Rodker met Regina Fischer, later the mother of chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer
Bobby Fischer
Robert James "Bobby" Fischer was an American chess Grandmaster and the 11th World Chess Champion. He is widely considered one of the greatest chess players of all time. Fischer was also a best-selling chess author...
, with whom she later corresponded. The relationship with Heinz though did not survive the war.
Rodker helped to publicise the Sheffield Peace Conference in 1950, and was involved in several other such gatherings. Between 1950 and 1955, Rodker was involved with the Polish Cultural Institute and (with the artist Peter de Francia and John Berger
John Berger
John Peter Berger is an English art critic, novelist, painter and author. His novel G. won the 1972 Booker Prize, and his essay on art criticism Ways of Seeing, written as an accompaniment to a BBC series, is often used as a university text.-Education:Born in Hackney, London, England, Berger was...
) began the Soho fair. Rodker's Kensington home was described by the Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
obituary writer as the nearest Britain ever possessed to a "communist salon". She provided help and accommodation for people of a similar persuasion, including the American expatriate Clancy Sigal
Clancy Sigal
Clancy Sigal is an American novelist and screenwriter born in Chicago. He was a part of the Philadelphia Association experiment with R. D. Laing at Kingsley Hall. He was one of several co-writers of the screenplay for the 2002 Salma Hayek film Frida, based on the book Frida: A Biography of Frida...
and the novelist Doris Lessing
Doris Lessing
Doris May Lessing CH is a British writer. Her novels include The Grass is Singing, The Golden Notebook, and five novels collectively known as Canopus in Argos....
, for whose Molly Jacob in The Golden Notebook
The Golden Notebook
The Golden Notebook is a 1962 novel by Doris Lessing. This book, as well as the couple that followed it, enters the realm of what Margaret Drabble in The Oxford Companion to English Literature has called Lessing's "inner space fiction", her work that explores mental and societal breakdown...
(1962) Rodker was the model.
During her career in television, Joan Rodker was a researcher on such series as Huw Wheldon
Huw Wheldon
Sir Huw Pyrs Wheldon OBE MC was a BBC broadcaster and executive.Wheldon was born in Prestatyn, Wales and educated at Friars School, Bangor. His father, Sir Wynn Wheldon, was a prominent educationalist, who had been awarded the DSO for gallantry in the First World War...
's Monitor
Monitor (TV series)
Monitor was a BBC arts programme that was launched on 1 September 1958 and ran until 1965.Huw Wheldon was the first editor from 1958 to 1964. He was also the principal interviewer and anchor...
and ITV's Tempo and script editor on Armchair Theatre
Armchair Theatre
Armchair Theatre is a British television drama anthology series, which ran on the ITV network from 1956 to 1974. It was originally produced by Associated British Corporation, and later by Thames Television after 1968....
and the BBC's Thirty Minute Theatre. In 1980 she worked as the Executive Producer of Thames
Thames Television
Thames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
' Armchair Thriller
Armchair Thriller
Armchair Thriller is a British television programme, broadcast on ITV in two series in 1978 and 1980. Owing something to some of the off-shoots of the earlier Armchair Theatre, the new series used scripts adapted from published novels and stories. Although not properly a horror series it included...
series, having previously worked as the script executive earlier in the programme's run.
Papers formerly in the possession of Joan Rodker were acquired by the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center at the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
in 2000.