I’ve just finished reading this book from cover to cover and recommend it without hesitation. It’s a well researched and well written biography of a prolific and talented writer whose name will be unfamiliar to most, but actually, you do know him.

Dangerman, Hadleigh, Paul Temple, The Onedin Line, and Warship, are all classic TV series that he contributed episodes to as well as many others. He is best known for The Lotus Eaters and Who pays the Ferryman? which are both available on DVD now, and this book is the perfect accompaniment to those series. This was the golden age of BBC drama in the 1970’s that was the envy of the world. The book takes you through the behind the scenes struggles that a writer has to endure in order to see his creations come to life, together with frank and amusing recollections from the cast and crew. There are some remarkable revelations and contributions from people who knew him privately and professionally. Writers like this don’t come along very often and his work is as appealing today and it was then. An extraordinary talent that could imagine and conceptualise a whole series from just a chance meeting with a stranger, or from an inspirational vista on a Greek island.

The book is packed with rare photographs, and even contains Michael Bird’s Format and Writers notes for The Lotus Eaters which makes for fascinating reading in itself. I could hardly put it down, and neither will you. If you’ve come this far, then go a little further and order this great book. You won’t be disappointed.

Well done David Rice. Auntie Joan would have been very proud.

Chris Williams
www.thestoriesofrhys.com

I read this excellent book in a single sitting and I was very impressed by it, replete as it was with behind-the scenes-details and many unknown facts about Bird's life and the TV series he produced.
It seems that somewhere along the way the BBC lost its way and decided to 'dumb down' and cater to the 'yoof' market to the detriment of its product. Why didn't they use more of Bird's talents in the 90s? Take a dismal series like El Dorado, for example. Bird was probably sitting at home at the time, twiddling his thumbs. The BBC could have used his skills but instead they commissioned others to produce a third-rate product.
This book takes us back to the golden era of television. Today's output is pretty dreadful and no amount of trendy explanations by current TV executives will convince me otherwise.
I highly recommend this book - I was particularly interested in the Lotus Eaters and the background notes written by Bird. Well done to Dave Rice!

This book is a pleasure to read, providing a fascinating insight into the man and his work- by the end, you really have a feel for what this talented and complex man was like. I found it very sad how Bird was treated towards the end of his life; after providing so much wonderful entertainment for millions of people, such as 'Who Pays the Ferryman', the BBC pushed him aside in favour of cheap reality programmes and depressing soaps. More than anything, this is what will stick in my mind about the book; Michael J Bird played a substantial role in the 'golden' age of television, and I think he'd find it hard to comprehend some of the abysmal TV offerings of today. Thank you, David Rice, for a great read.

I would like to thank you for a very interesting and enjoyable read.


I found the book difficult to put down and read it on-and-off over a couple of very wet days. I received my copy the same time as Harry Potter's latest offering was published, as to which got read first... no contest, MJB wins. I was brought up with The Lotus Eaters and was ‘stirred’ by Who Pays The Ferryman. Did Michael never rest, he achieved so much and never seemed to tire of producing material which involved such innovative thinking.


This book is highly recommended.


Anyway, thanks again for producing a splendid account of one of TV's greatest writer's life.

I read this book in one sitting last night. I thoroughly enjoyed it, the story and pace of the material kept me going all the way through and such a fascinating story it turned out to be.





I remember as child watching ‘Who Pays the Ferryman’ and then ‘The Aphrodite Experience’ at the time I hadn’t clocked that all these works were by the same author and it was only after visiting the author's site that I realised this. I also used to love ‘‘Arthur of the Britains’ and again, my favourite episode from this series I discovered yesterday was by Bird. It seems that he wrote so much material that never came to fruition and I suspect that some of this material would be fascinating reading in its own right.





Congratulations to the author on an excellent read, I really enjoyed it and he is to be applauded for producing such a cracking book.

I highly recommend this book which not only succeeds in presenting fascinating new information on Bird's well-loved TV dramas and the type of man that he was, but, due to the time period over which Bird was writing, also effectively examines, in nostalgic and rewarding detail, the changes in television commissioning and production between the Sixties and the Nineties. Insightful and well-chosen testimony from Olive Bird, Viktors Ritelis and David Cunliffe among others, bring both the man and his work to life and remind us just how prolific, imaginative and inventive he was. After I finished it I immediately reached, once again, for 'Who Pays the Ferryman' from my DVD shelves.

As the editor of the Programme Preservation Society (PPS) magazine, Radio TellyScope, I published a series of articles by David on the work of Michael J Bird some time ago. When David told me he was writing a book on Bird's work, I knew it would be a marvelous read - and it is.

This is, of course, much expanded on those original articles, linked in of course to the biography of the man concerned, his hopes, dreams, aspirations and irritations from childhood to adulthood and from early sales through popular scripter to dejected writer unable to interest hidebound money-led broadcasters in the Nineties and beyond.

Since undertaking the work as a complete biography, David has sourced many original photographs from stars and personnel connected with the series Bird scripted and from his widow Olive, and this added illustrative material only serves to point up the shortcomings in how I originally presented David’s articles in RTS; this book is a richly illustrated tome.

With a wonderful prose style which really sells the life and work of one of the best television dramatists of near-recent times, David has produced what I would consider the definitive work here and I have no reservations in recommending it to anyone who either read those original articles in RTS or comes fresh to it now. To both writers, MJB and DR, this book salutes you both.

David Rice has singlehandedly kept alive the legend of MJB with this book and his excellent and enjoyable web site dedicated to one of our best thriller writers and characters. This book fills in all the gaps and is essential reading for those of us that regard Bird's work as some of the best TV going. This is especially true with all the reality rubbish put out now by all of the main TV channels as an excuse for entertainment. Well done David! Great book - thoroughly recommended.

Having visited Dave Rice's excellent website, which is about the life and work of Michael J Bird, I looked forward to receiving and reading this book. I was not disappointed. It is an extremely well researched and well written book, which provides a superb insight into such a prolific and versatile writer. I did not realise such machinations went on behind the scenes at the BBC in days gone by (and so that becomes a story in its own right). Buy it and enjoy an extremely good read. Well done to the author for the excellent style in which he has written this little gem of a book.

This book arrived in the post yesterday. On opening the cover I simply could not put it down until every page had been read.
It is a unique insight to a gloriously talented and "slightly" volatile writer. David Rice's book is packed with information, anecdodes and interest.It is crafted with obvious respect, enthusiasm and love of the Bird's work. He is to be congratulated.
It is a cracking read that strains at the memory and echoes of the past. It certainly celebrates works we once enjoyed and awakens the desire to revisit any that may emerge from time to time.
PW

I enjoyed the book very much. I had slight misgivings initially about Chapter 3, but this was largely because I was not familiar with "The Lotus Eaters". I have now finished watching the new DVD of Series 1, and having gone back to read that chapter again, I am much happier - and I have ordered Series 2 on DVD. Knowing the productions themselves makes quite a difference, and I was fascinated by Mr Rice's accounts of the "Ferryman", "Aphrodite Inheritance", and "Dark Side of the Sun". Having said that, I much enjoyed reading about "Maelstrom", which at first I could not remember having seen originally, but now it is all coming back to me.
This book is a fine piece of work, well researched, and is highly recommended. I hope that the BBC and ITV will in due course make all of Michael Bird's creations available for home viewing.

This is an entertaining and insightful read for anyone who remembers the TV series and books that Michael Bird brought to us. And it is surprising how many people do remember his work and still enjoy watching it today through DVD and Video. But even if you don't this biography is an intersting character study of a fascinating and complex man with a wealth of amusing stories and background information.

Mr Rice has expended a great deal of time, effort and energy to chronicle the life and work of one of the unsung heroes of recent British television drama.
This very readable account details Michael J Bird's prodigious writing output and gives the reader an insight into what a remarkable man Mr Bird was.

As well as exploring the many facets of this writers complex personality and colourful life, author Dave Rice takes readers behind the scenes of not only “the Lotus Eaters”, but also his many other successful television drama series such as “Who Pays the Ferryman”, “the Aphrodite Inheritance”, “Dark Side of the Sun” “Maelstrom” and other, less well known series created by Michael J. Bird. With anecdotes, comments and excerpts from personal interviews and correspondence Dave had with many of the actors, directors and others involved in the production of these series, a wide assortment of photographs many of which have been provided by Michaels widow Olive, a filmography and the Lotus Eaters writers and format notes, I can highly recommend this book as a must for everyone who appreciates the work of this talented writer.