Timelines

This timeline contains all information about Roald Dahl’s life, the books he wrote, and movies, television shows, and theater productions he was involved in. It continues past his death to the present day (since new Dahl works are still being released).

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1956

Le Coup du berger

 

Note: This film is not actually based on Dahl’s story “Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel’s Coat”, but rather on the same apocryphal anecdote that Dahl based his story on.

1964

36 Hours

 

Note: Dahl didn’t actually have much to do with this film. He found out about it after it was produced and was surprised there was no acknowledgement of his story “Beware of the Dog”. He instructed his agent to ask MGM for a settlement. After a short fight with the studio, Dahl was granted his credit as well as a payment.

1966

Des Pfarrers Freude

This German TV movie based on “Parson’s Pleasure” aired on June 26, 1966.

1967

You Only Live Twice

 

Dahl wrote the screenplay for this film based on Ian Fleming’s Bond novel You Only Live Twice.

1968

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

 

Dahl wrote the screenplay for this film based on Ian Fleming’s children’s novel Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

1971

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and The Night Digger

 

Dahl adapted his own book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for this film.
 

 

Dahl wrote the screenplay for this film based on Joy Cowley’s novel Nest in a Falling Tree. (The film was released in the UK as The Road Builder.)

1980

Nativity

1981

The Patricia Neal Story

December 8, 1981 – The Patricia Neal Story (TV movie) premieres on television.

1989

The BFG, Danny the Champion of the World, and Breaking Point

 

This animated film was based on The BFG.
 

 

This film was based on Danny the Champion of the World.
 

 

This TV movie was based on “Beware of the Dog”.

1990

The Witches

 

This film was based on The Witches and was the last movie that Jim Henson personally worked on before his death.

1992

Idealnaya para

This Russian film purports to be based on Dahl’s adult stores. (Judging by the plot description, I suspect it’s most likely to be “The Great Switcheroo.”)

1995

Four Rooms, Little Red Riding Hood, Pisvingers!

 

One of the four segments in this film was based on “Man From the South”.
 

 

This TV movie was based on Dahl’s poem “Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf.”
 

Pisvingers! was a short Dutch film based on “The Swan.”

1996

Matilda and James and the Giant Peach

 

This film was based on Matilda.
 

 

This film was based on James and the Giant Peach.

2008

The Sound Machine and Three Little Pigs

 

This short film was based on “The Sound Machine.”
 

Three Little Pigs was an animated short based on Dahl’s poem “The Three Little Pigs.”

2009

Fantastic Mr. Fox

 

This film was based on Fantastic Mr. Fox.

2015

Esio Trot

 

January 1, 2015 – Esio Trot, a TV movie based on Esio Trot, premieres on BBC One.

2016

The BFG

 

This film was based on The BFG.