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The Secret Surrealist: Desmond Morris

A look at the double life of zoologist Desmond Morris - by day a rational scientist, writer and broadcaster with a mission to explain, by night a painter of dreamlike images.

Since the 1960s, Desmond Morris has been known as a zoologist and expert on human behaviour, but the bestselling author of The Naked Ape and Manwatching has led a double life. By day, a rational scientist, writer and broadcaster with a mission to explain; by night, a painter of dreamlike images, which mystify even Morris himself. He first began painting in the surrealist style while still at school, and still does so today, at the age of 89. In his long career he has been friends with such great surrealists as Joan Miro and Henry Moore. Every night, between 10pm and 4 in the morning, while the rest of us are dreaming in our beds, Desmond Morris dreams on canvas.

30 minutes

Last on

Wed 5 Apr 2017 02:25

Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • 00:00

    Erik Satie

    Avec Etonnement

  • 00:14

    Vangelis

    Beaubourg (Excerpt)

  • 00:28

    Erik Satie

    Lent

Credits

Role Contributor
Participant Desmond Morris
Executive Producer Richard Bright
Director Tim Niel

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