Matthew Sweet is an English writer, journalist, and BBC broadcaster. Born in Hull, he holds a doctorate from Oxford University on the sensation fiction of the 19th century, Wilkie Collins in particular. He was among the contributors to the Oxford Companion to English Literature and was both film and television critic for the Independent on Sunday. His book, Shepperton Babylon: The Lost Worlds of British Cinema is a history of the British film business from the silent days, and includes interviews with surviving figures from the period. He is also an author of TV films and series, including Shepperton Babylon, Silent Britain, Checking into History, British Film Forever, The Rules of Film Noir and A Brief History of Fun, as well as several Doctor Who audio plays and short stories. He is also the presenter of a BBC Radio 4 programme, The Philosopher's Arms, a show recorded in front of a live audience, exploring classic philosophical issues. He is a regular presenter of Night Waves on BBC Radio 3. [More at Wikipedia]

January 1st, 1968 in (Age 56)