Anthony Charles Hockley Smith (born Anthony Charles Smith, 31 October 1935)[1] is a British novelist and playwright from Kew.
Early life and career
Smith was educated at Hampton Grammar School and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, where he read Modern Languages. On starting his writing career, to distinguish himself from other writers of the same name he added the initial "H", representing his grandmother's maiden name, Hockley.[2]
In 1971, Peter Brook invited him to Iran for three months to write a book about the Orghast project that Brook and Ted Hughes were undertaking. He was a director of the Cheltenham Literature Festival in 1978, 1979, and 1999. He has two daughters, Imogen and Sophie, and a son, Oliver Smith.
The Redcliffe Hermit, Head Heart + 2 Fingers, Bristol (2005). Text published 2005, ISBN1-85135-060-8
Doctor Love (Molière-based musical, composer David Lyon, Tobacco Factory, Bristol (2008)
Walking The Chains, The Passenger Shed, Bristol (2015)
TV and cinema
With wife, subject of John Boorman's 6-part BBC docudrama The Newcomers (1964). Wrote and presented about 200 arts programmes and documentaries for HTV and BBC. Six plays televised. Three screenplays.
Editing and journalism
At Cambridge, edited the literary magazine delta and was Arts Editor of Varsity, the student newspaper. Co-editor of Universities' Poetry (anthologies). With Tom Stoppard edited an Arts Page in the Western Daily Press in 1960–1963. Has also reported cricket for The Times, reviewed theatre for The Guardian, and wrote features for The Observer, Sunday Times, Telegraph Magazine, New Society, The Listener, London Magazine, etc.
Contributed essay "The Art of Friendship" to Derek Balmer: A Singular Vision (Sansom & Co, 2012).
