Everyone’s heard of the actor Richard Burton. But many will be less familiar with the schoolmaster responsible for training and transforming his pupil Richard Jenkins into Richard Burton, star of stage and screen.

Philip Burton’s story is no less remarkable than that of his famous pupil. As well as supporting his famous protégé throughout his career, he was also a remarkable character in his own right: an actor and writer who became a BBC radio producer and, after moving to the US, the first director of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York. Little wonder that he’s the subject of an important new biography and major new film, Mr Burton.

Monty Lit Fest is delighted to help celebrate that life with his biographer, Angela V John, Richard Burton’s niece, Sian Owen, and the film’s producer, Ed Talfan. Join us to hear more about Philip Burton’s long and eventful career and how he helped aspiring actors and writers to flourish on both sides of the Atlantic.

After the session, we’ll be screening the film, Mr Burton, in association with  Montgomery Movie Club. Details here. 

Angela V. John has written over a dozen books including Behind the Scenes: The Dramatic Lives of Philip Burton, Elizabeth Robins: Staging a Life 1862-1952 and The Actors’ Crucible: Port Talbot and the Making of Burton, Hopkins, Sheen and All the Others. Angela grew up in Port Talbot and first met Richard Burton in 1969. Formerly a History professor at the University of Greenwich, she is currently an honorary professor at Swansea University, president of Llafur, the Welsh People’s History Society and of the Port Talbot Musical Theatre Society. 

Ed Talfan is the Creative Director and CEO of Severn Screen Ltd. His recent credits include the film Mr Burton (2025), starring Toby Jones and Harry Lawtey; Havoc (2024), starring Tom Hardy and Forest Whitaker and The Pembrokeshire Murders (2021) starring Luke Evans. He also Executive Produced and co-created the BBC drama series, Hidden/Craith, which ran for three seasons between 2018 and 2022; was Executive Producer on the four-part BBC drama Steeltown Murders (2023), and co-created and produced three series of the award-winning Hinterland (2013-2016). Ed is also a board member of Hijinx Theatre.