David Leland, ‘Band of Brothers’ director, dead at 82
The British actor and the director of the iconic war epic Band of Brothers, David Leland, has passed away at the age of 82. He was beloved for his work in the entertainment industry, with a career that spanned over five decades.
Whilst information surrounding Leland’s death is still relatively unknown, it is understood that he passed away on Christmas Eve, surrounded by his loving family.
Leland’s legacy is cemented in his body of work and in the plethora of actors who have come out to pay tribute to him following the news of his death. One of the leading voices is Pierce Brosnan, who was given his first role in a stage performance by Leland.
“I was just out of Drama Centre where David was also an alumni,” said the James Bond star, “it was the thrill of my young lifetime to be cast as McCabe, working with David and Tennessee… David will forever be an essential part of my story and of all who knew and loved him.”
David Leland was multi-talented and gifted the world with his writing, directing and acting talents. He was responsible for the direction in Band of Brothers and wrote films such as Personal Services and Wish You Were Here.
He initially trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama as an actor as a young man before moving on and co-forming the Drama Centre in London. His early career was centred around the stage as he went on to do stage management at the Crucible Theatre.
Leland worked with and befriended other actors, including Michael Palin, Terry Jones, Liam Neeson, Rachel Weisz, Anna Friel and even the Beatle George Harrison. His death is a massive loss to the entertainment industry, but he will be remembered for his excellent work.
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