'The type of person who makes the world work': remembering Anthony Smith

I’m not sure how many readers know the name of Anthony Smith, who died on Sunday aged 83, but a fair number will. He spent almost a decade at the BBC, helped start Channel 4, directed the British Film Institute, chaired many committees and for 17 years was president of Magdalen College, Oxford. But while not every reader will know him, you are lucky if you know the type: that rare person whose passion is helping other people — the type, in other words, who makes the world work.

I first met him when I was a precocious schoolboy of 16. I had asked permission from Magdalen’s librarian to look at some manuscripts for a book I was researching. Tony was clearly alerted to this and made the effort to introduce himself and take me for a walk around the college grounds. He asked me what I intended to do in the coming years, and I said I had a vague idea of applying to Cambridge. Although Tony stressed that he himself could do nothing to facilitate the move, might I not consider applying to Magdalen?

In due course I did, and turned up in my first year with a finished book. On its 20th anniversary reissue last year I noted that it could never have happened without Tony. He introduced me to a friend who was doing some literary agenting, and before long Tina Brown was flying in from New York to acquire the rights for Miramax. Tony made it clear to me that Tina Brown was a big deal and I should try to shine at this meeting.