David Pursall(1917-1986)
- Writer
- Script and Continuity Department
David spent his early life in Erdington (England), the son of an
accountant; he was always interested in writing and had two murder
mystery novels published by the time he was sixteen. So, on leaving
school, he took an apprenticeship as a journalist and became a
reporter. His ambition was to work in London but with the threat of war
looming, he joined the Royal Service Voluntary Reserve of the Fleet Air
Arm as a trainee pilot before taking an officer's course at The
Greenwich Naval College. During the Second World War he spent the first
three years flying, winning a DSC for bravery and then transferred to
the Admiralty Press Division. It was whilst he was stationed in Sydney
that he met Captain Anthony Kimmins, the
well-known broadcaster on naval affairs, who inspired him to work in
the film industry. In 1947, settling in London, he eventually landed a
post as Publicity Director for The Rank Organization and, in
collaboration with the iconic portrait photographer Cornel Lucas,
handled the press relations for Rank film stars, some of those he
mentioned include : Jean Simmons,
Petula Clark,
Diana Dors,Joan Collins,
Jill Ireland and
Brigitte Bardot. In 1956, he joined
forces with long term writing partner
Jack Seddon, basing full time at Pinewood
Studios, initially writing a script from his own idea
Tomorrow Never Comes (1978).
However, the plot was considered too provocative at that time and it
was whilst trying to interest producers in this, that they were
commissioned to write the script for
Count Five and Die (1957); and
it wasn't until twenty-one years' later that
Tomorrow Never Comes (1978),
was made. Continuing as a freelance film and TV scriptwriter, David
worked mainly on war and murder mystery themes; his last movie made for
TV was Black Arrow in 1985, a 15th century historical war drama. He
worked constantly, and together with the titles listed, there were many
more commissioned scripts, treatments, and original stories developed
which never reached the sound stage. He also tried his hand at writing
for the theatre, worked for a short time in Bollywood, took his tape
recorder to the front line in Israel for a documentary on the Six Day
War, and later became a Film and TV adviser; he also continued to write
newspaper articles. David lived the good life; a popular, charismatic
conversationalist, an idea's man, who enjoyed travelling the world
circumnavigating twice, partying, theatergoing, watching night shooting
at Pinewood Studios, finishing The Daily Telegraph cryptic crossword
daily and driving fast cars; as well as helping the aspiring young
achieve success in their careers in film and the media. Aged 69, he
announced from his hospital bed, that as he'd written everything there
was to write, it was his time to go. He left behind a devoted wife and
a daughter.