Work as a screenwriter for the Ministry of Information
Poet involved
What happened
During the war years, Thomas worked as a screenwriter for film companies like Strand and Gryphon Films under the aegis of the Ministry of Information in London, England. He was deemed unfit for active combat due to his health, so he contributed to the war effort by writing scripts for propaganda and documentary films. This period was crucial for his financial support and professional development.
Literary impact
Drafting scripts forced him to master visual storytelling and tight dialogue, skills that would later inform his radio plays and prose. The experience of writing for film refined his sense of structure, which eventually found its peak in 'Under Milk Wood'.
Source: Dictionary of Welsh Biography
