JB Priestley In Hollywood at City Hall

Bradford-born novelist and playwright J.B. Priestley is well-known as the writer behind An Inspector Calls, yet his contribution to the golden age of cinema is often overlooked.

To unreel this under-documented history, the University of Warwick’s Dr Roger Fagge and film historian Bill Lawrence will look at Priestley’s complicated relationship with Hollywood – one that spans unacknowledged screenwriter credits, apparent conflicted feelings about working in mainstream cinema, and the iconic stars he might have rubbed shoulders with along the way.

How did these opportunities come about, and what did Hollywood see in one of Yorkshire’s most prolific writers? In this celebration of Priestley’s influence and legacy, we aim to find out.