Duncan Kenworthy has produced three of the most successful British films of all time; Love Actually (written and directed by Richard Curtis), Notting Hill (written by Richard Curtis and directed by Roger Michell), and Four Weddings and a Funeral (written by Richard Curtis and directed by Mike Newell). The latter brought Mr. Kenworthy an Academy Award nomination, as producer of the Best Picture nominee, and a BAFTA Award, as producer of the Best Film winner. All three films earned him Golden Globe Award nominations, as producer of the Best Picture nominees. Together, the three movies grossed nearly $900 million at the worldwide boxoffice.
Born and raised in Yorkshire, he got a First in English at Cambridge; was a Thouron Scholar at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia; and began his career working in New York on Sesame Street. The latter opportunity led to a 10-year collaboration with the visionary fantasist Jim Henson on several projects. During this time, Mr. Kenworthy was associate producer of Mr. Henson and Frank Oz' groundbreaking film The Dark Crystal; co-creator and producer of the television series Fraggle Rock; and producer of Anthony Minghella's multi-BAFTA Award-winning Greek Myths and The Storyteller series, the latter starring John Hurt.
He formed his own production company, Toledo Productions, and produced John Duigan's Lawn Dogs, which notably starred Sam Rockwell opposite a then-10-year-old Mischa Barton; and, with Jim Henson and Robert Halmi's companies, the NBC miniseries Gulliver's Travels, with Charles Sturridge directing a cast that included Ted Danson, Peter O'Toole, and Omar Sharif. The latter production brought Mr. Kenworthy an Emmy Award, as producer of the winner for Outstanding Miniseries.
He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.) in 1999 for services to film, and is vice president of BAFTA (the British Academy Of Film And Television Arts). In 2004, Mr. Kenworthy created the Toledo Scholarship at the National Film and Television School, for British ethnic minority students; there have been ten Toledo Scholars so far.
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