Terry Pratchett

Terry Pratchett (1948-2015) was a British author and screenwriter whose work combined humor and satire with high fantasy elements. He's best known for the Discworld book series (encompassing over forty titles as well as ancillary writings) and co-writing the 1990 novel Good Omens with Neil Gaiman. Pratchett's trademarks included detailed footnotes and colorful similes, as well as his subversion and spoofing of fantasy clichés and engagement with concepts of belief and the societal and technological changes on the Discworld.

Other writings include the 1976 sci-fi novel The Dark Side of the Sun, the children's novel Truckers and its companion books, and others.

According to a 2022 biography, while Pratchett was living and writing in Somerset, England in the early 1980s, his small television set was only able to receive three channels, including Welsh broadcaster S4C which aired The Muppet Show. His daughter Rhianna enjoyed the show until it was replaced by soccer matches. "By way of protest, Rhianna drew a picture of 'the scariest thing I could think of -- a Cyclops,' addressed it to 'the Welsh,' and posted it in the red box in the wall near the Swan pub."

In 2016, The Jim Henson Company optioned one of Pratchett's later, more young adult targeted Discworld books The Wee Free Men (which introduced witch in training Tiffany Aching). It was announced as a feature film co-production between Henson and Terry Pratchett's company Narrativia, with Rhianna Pratchett writing the screenplay and Brian Henson producing. The project never came out of development.

Muppet Mentions

• The foretold antichrist child Warlock, in Good Omens, is encouraged by the angelic gardener to treat all living things kindly. He puts it into action by "stroking Brother Slug, and then wiping his hand conscientiously on his Kermit the Frog overall."

Connections

• Peer Augustinski played Death in Mort (German radio, 2005)
• Roger Ashton-Griffiths played Lumuel Panter in The Color of Magic (2009 TV movie)
• Patrick Barlow played Om in Small Gods (BBC Radio, 2006)
• Sean Barrett played General Fri'it, a stablehand, Xeno, and the Tyrant in Small Gods (BBC Radio, 2006)
• Timothy Bateson played the Lecturer in Recent Runes in Hogfather (2006 TV movie)
• Brian Cox voiced Death on Good Omens (TV, 2019)
• Graham Crowden voiced Ridcully in Soul Music (animated TV, 1997)
• Benedict Cumberbatch voiced Satan on Good Omens (TV, 2019-2023)
• Tim Curry played Trymon in The Color of Magic (2009 TV movie)
• Charles Dance played Lord Vetinari in Going Postal (2010 TV movie)
• John Franklyn-Robbins played the Dean in Hogfather (2006 TV movie)
• Peter Guinness played Medium Dave in Hogfather (2006 TV movie)
• Michael Habeck played Dr. Undershaft and Basilica in Maskerade (German radio, 2004)
• Jon Hamm played Gabriel on Good Omens (TV, 2019-2023)
• Sheila Hancock played Granny Weatherwax in Wyrd Sisters (BBC Radio, 1995)
• George Harris voiced Bluestone in Soul Music (animated TV, 1997)
• Michael Hordern voiced the Abbot on Truckers (animated TV, 1992)
• Jane Horrocks voiced Magrat in Wyrd Sisters (animated TV, 1997)
• Ralph Ineson voiced Sgt. Detritus on The Watch (TV, 2020)
• Jeremy Irons played Lord Vetinari in The Color of Magic (2009 TV movie)
• Derek Jacobi played Metatron on Good Omens (TV, 2019-2023)
• Philip Jackson played Albert in Mort (BBC Radio, 2004) and Sam Vimes in Night Watch (BBC Radio, 2008)
• Alex Jennings played Vorbis and Io in Small Gods (BBC Radio, 2006)
• Michael Kilgarriff played Death in Small Gods (BBC Radio, 2006)
• Anton Lesser played the narrator in Mort (BBC Radio, 2004) and Small Gods (BBC Radio, 2006)
• Peter Marinker played Willikins, Captain Swing, and Tilden in Night Watch (BBC Radio, 2008)
• Frances McDormand voiced God on Good Omens (TV, 2019-2023)
• Michael McKean played Witchfinder Sergeant Shadwell on Good Omens (TV, 2019)
• David Morrissey played Captain Vincent on Good Omens (TV, 2019)
• Nick Offerman played Thaddeus Dowling on Good Omens (TV, 2019)
• Bill Paterson played R. P. Tyler on Good Omens (TV, 2019)
• Bryan Pringle voiced Albert in Soul Music (animated TV, 1997)
• Miranda Richardson played Madame Tracy (first season) and Shax (second) on Good Omens (TV, 2019-2023)
• Tony Robinson played Vernon Crumley in Hogfather (2006 TV movie)
• Peter Serafinowicz played Crowley in Good Omens (BBC Radio, 2014)
• Reece Shearsmith played William Shakespeare on Good Omens (TV, 2019)
• Andrew Spooner played the haunted whistle in Unseen Academicals (Audible, 2018)
• David Tennant played Dangerous Beans in The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents (BBC Radio, 2003), Crowley on Good Omens (TV, 2019-2023), and Dangerous Beans again in the animated film The Amazing Maurice (2022)
• Brian Trueman voiced Dorcas on Truckers (animated TV, 1992)
• David Warner played Lord Downey in Hogfather (2006 TV movie)
• Jack Whitehall played Newton Pulsifer on Good Omens (TV, 2019)
• John Wood played Captain Vimes in Guards! Guards! (BBC Radio, 1992)