J B Priestley (1894 -1984 ) was a prolific playwright, screenwriter, broadcaster and social commentator. Priestley served in the First World War but achieved the height of his fame in the Second, with his regular Postscript broadcast for the BBC regularly drawing audiences of 16 million. Despite becoming politically disillusioned in later life and declining both a knighthood and a peerage, Priestley was awarded the Order of Merit in 1977. He maintains a reputation as one of Britains foremost 20th century writers and social commentators. He died in 1984.