Behind the Scenes: The Dramatic Lives of Philip Burton by Angela V. John

Landmark biography of Philip Burton, Richard Burton’s mentor, to be published 100 years after the actor’s birth and coinciding with the major motion picture Mr Burton

"A remarkable evocation of a life” - Lloyd Trott, Academy Dramaturg, RADA

Philip Burton (1904-95) was the father Richard Burton didn’t have, a talented writer, teacher and producer who saw the potential of his young protégé and helped propel him from Port Talbot to the London stage and onto Hollywood where he became one of the silver screen’s most glamorous actors. In this first comprehensive study of Philip Burton, the schoolmaster, mentor, playwright, actor and BBC producer who was born to humble beginnings in the south Wales valleys, esteemed biographer Angela V. John brings the man out from the sidelines to place him squarely in the spotlight.

The publication of Behind the Scenes coincides with the fanfare which will surround the release of Mr Burton, the movie starring A-list actor Toby Jones in the eponymous role. Behind the Scenes is the story of a remarkable man demonstrating the power of education to elevate, and how mentoring can fashion such unexpected promise in others.

Together, Richard and Philip produced a remarkable symbiosis. Philip intervened at pivotal moments during Richard’s career; he ensured consummate stage performances in Coriolanus, Hamlet and Camelot. We also discover how Philip Burton broke new ground writing scripts for the fledgling television. Philip Burton moved to the United States in the 1950s where, after dabbling in the film industry and working as a theatre director - becoming known as the “backstage brains of Broadway” - he was appointed the first director of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York. Philip took American citizenship and travelled across the States, delivering sparkling Shakespearean lecture-recitals; he died in Florida, in 1995.

Angela says: “Researching and writing the life of this inspirational individual whose passion for the theatre had a transformative impact on many young people in Britain and America, has been both exciting and illuminating.”

About the author...
Angela V. John has written over a dozen books including Elizabeth Robins: Staging a Life 1862-1952 about the American-born actress and The Actors’ Crucible: Port Talbot and the Making of Burton, Hopkins, Sheen and All the Others. Angela grew up in Port Talbot and first met Richard Burton in 1969. Formerly a History professor at the University of Greenwich, she is currently an honorary professor at Swansea University, president of Llafur, the Welsh People’s History Society and of the Port Talbot Musical Theatre Society.

In partnership with The Learned Society of Wales, Parthian Books and Cover to Cover
*Please note: Event delivered in English

Behind the Scenes: The Dramatic Lives of Philip Burton gan Angela V John

Bywgraffiad o bwys am Philip Burton, mentor Richard Burton, a gyhoeddir 100 mlynedd ar ôl genedigaeth yr actor ac i gyd-fynd â'r ffilm sinema nodedig, Mr Burton

“A remarkable evocation of a life” - Lloyd Trott, Academy Dramaturg, RADA

Roedd Philip Burton (1904-95) gystal â thad i Richard Burton. Roedd yn awdur, yn athro ac yn gynhyrchydd talentog a welodd botensial ei brotégé ifanc gan ei helpu i’w lansio ei hun o Bort Talbot i lwyfannau Llundain ac ymlaen i Hollywood lle daeth yn un o actorion mwyaf cyfareddol y sgrîn fawr. Yn yr astudiaeth gynhwysfawr gyntaf hon o Philip Burton, ysgolfeistr, mentor, dramodydd, actor a chynhyrchydd gyda’r BBC, a aned mewn amgylchiadau dirodres yng nghymoedd de Cymru, mae’r bywgraffydd o fri, Angela V John, yn dod â’r dyn allan o’r cysgodion a’i roi yn y sbotolau.

Cyhoeddir Behind the Scenes i gyd-fynd â’r cyffro a fydd yn gysylltiedig â rhyddhau Mr Burton, y ffilm gydag un o’r actorion mwyaf disglair, Toby Jones, yn y brif rôl. Behind the Scenes yw hanes dyn arbennig, mae’n dangos pŵer addysg i ddyrchafu, a sut gall mentora feithrin addewid mor annisgwyl mewn eraill.

Gyda’i gilydd creodd Richard a Philip symbiosis anhygoel. Camodd Philip i’r adwy ar adegau allweddol yng ngyrfa Richard; sicrhaodd berfformiadau penigamp ar y llwyfan yn Coriolanus, Hamlet a Camelot. Rydym yn darganfod hefyd sut gwnaeth Philip dorri tir newydd yn ysgrifennu sgriptiau ar gyfer cyfrwng newydd y teledu. Symudodd Philip Burton i’r Unol Daleithiau yn y 1950au ac ar ôl ymhél rywfaint â’r diwydiant ffilmiau a gweithio fel cyfarwyddwr theatr – gan gael ei adnabod fel “y brêns tu ôl i’r llenni ar Broadway” – cafodd ei benodi’n gyfarwyddwr cyntaf Academi Cerdd a Drama America yn Efrog Newydd. Daeth Philip yn ddinesydd o America a theithiodd ledled yr Unol Daleithiau gan ddarlithio am Shakespeare a rhoi perfformiadau aruthrol o’i waith; bu farw yn Fflorida ym 1995.

Meddai Angela: “Mae ymchwilio i fywyd yr unigolyn ysbrydoledig hwn ac ysgrifennu amdano wedi bod yn gyffrous ac yn agoriad llygad. Cafodd ei angerdd am y theatr effaith drawsnewidiol ar gynifer o bobl ifanc ym Mhrydain ac America.

Am yr awdur…
Mae Angela V John wedi ysgrifennu mwy na dwsin o lyfrau gan gynnwys Elizabeth Robins: Staging a Life 1862-1952 am yr actores a aned yn America a The Actors’ Crucible: Port Talbot and the Making of Burton, Hopkins, Sheen and All the Others. Cafodd Angela ei magu ym Mhort Talbot a chyfarfu â Richard Burton am y tro cyntaf ym 1969. Bu gynt yn Athro Hanes ym Mhrifysgol Greenwich ac ar hyn o bryd, mae’n Athro er Anrhydedd ym Mhrifysgol Abertawe. Hi yw llywydd Llafur, Cymdeithas Hanes Pobl Cymru a Chymdeithas Theatr Gerdd Port Talbot.

Mewn partneriaeth â Cymdeithas Ddysgedig Cymru, Parthian Books a Cover to Cover
*Sylwer: Cyflwynwyd y digwyddiad yn Saesneg