Contents
Douglas Adams
Creating The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy · Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency
- Born
- 11 March 1952
- Birthplace
- Cambridge, UK
- Died
- 11 May 2001
More people
Douglas Adams
Douglas Adams was a British writer whose science fiction treated the universe as a source of comic inconvenience. His work began in radio and expanded into books, television and interactive media.
Early life
School writing
Attended Brentwood School and developed an interest in comic writing and performance.
Cambridge
Studied English at St John’s College and took part in student comedy.
Career
- 1970s
Freelance writing
Worked on radio and television scripts while taking other jobs.
- 1978
Radio breakthrough
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy first aired on BBC radio.
- 1979–1980s
Books and television
Adapted and expanded the story across formats, also working on Doctor Who.
- 1990s
Technology projects
Explored interactive media alongside writing and conservation work.
Selected work
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
An ordinary Earthman survives his planet’s demolition.
Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency
A detective pursues improbable connections.
Last Chance to See
A conservation journey made with zoologist Mark Carwardine.
Beyond work
Conservation
Supported threatened-species projects and used humour to draw attention to extinction.
Computing
An enthusiastic early adopter who explored how computers might change storytelling.
Sources & photo credit
Life and career ↗Institutional or specialist reference ↗Photo: Michael Hughes. CC BY-SA 2.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
