15th May: Anthony & Peter Shaffer born., Croxteth Road in Liverpool

The Shaffer family move to Hamstead, London

Shaffer brothers are evacuated first to Bognor Regis, Cheltenham and then to their Grandmothers in Blackpool. They attend King Edward VII at Lytham St Annes. They received scolorships. They attend St Pauls School at Berkhamstead.

Anthony & Peter are conscripted to work down the mines as Bevan Boys. They are sent to Chislet Colliery in Kent. Peter Shaffer leaves after two years and goes to Cambridge. Anthony leaves in February 1948 and goes to work at his father's estate agency business collecting unpaid rents from tenants. He goes to Trinity College, Cambridge in October 1948.

Anthony becomes editor of Granta, the University magazine.
He goes to work for the London maqazine The Leader and stays for less than a year.

Leaves Trinity College with a Law Degree and works as a Barrister in divorce courts.
Is engaged to Fenella Fielding for a time.
Marries first wife Henrietta Glaskie

How Doth The Little Crocodile? published by Evans, London

Writes short mystery stories for The London Mystery Magazine

Withered Murder published by Gollancz, London
Becomes the resident book reviewer for The London Mystery Magazine for six years.
Leaves the Bar and finds work with Pearl & Dean making commercials.

Withered Murder published by Macmillan, New York

How Doth The Little Crocodile? published by Macmillan, New York
Shaffer leaves Pearl & Dean and works for The Film Producers Guild then on to Television Advertising where he meets Robin Hardy. They set up their own company Hardy, Shaffer & Associates and make commercials for television and film.

Marries Carolyn Soley, 17th December.

The Savage Parade performed in Crewe for one night only. 17th March
Shaffer's first daughter, Claudia born. 25th June.

Shaffer's second daughter, Cressida born. 5th June.

Shaffer ends his partnership with Hardy, Shaffer & Associates to write full time.
He writes script for Mr Forbush And The Penguins which starts filming in the Antarctic in December.
He writes script for stageplay Sleuth.

Sleuth premieres at Brighton Theatre Royal. 12th January and opens at St Martin's Theatre, London. 12th February
Mr Forbush And The Penguins scenes filmed at Elstree and Shepperton. February - June
Sleuth opens at the Music Box theatre, Broadway. 12th November.

Shaffer is approached by Alfred Hitchcock to write script for Frenzy. January.
Shaffer receives a Tony Award in New York for Sleuth which was voted Best Play. 28th March.
Filming starts on Frenzy. August - October
Mr Forbush And The Penguins is released towards the end of the year.

Filming starts on Sleuth. April - July
Frenzy is released. June (US). July (UK)
Filming starts on The Wicker Man. October - November
Sleuth is released in the US. December.

Sleuth is released in the UK. August.
Sleuth is nominated Oscars at the Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Director and Best Music and Original Dramatic Score.
Shaffer receives Edgar Allan Poe Award for the screenplay of Sleuth and nominated the same award for his screenplay for Frenzy.
Shaffer is nominated a Golden Globe Award for the screenplay of Frenzy.
The Wicker Man is released. December.

Shaffer works (uncredited) on Murder On The Orient Express which is filmed March - May.
Murder On The Orient Express released. November (US). December (UK)

Shaffer's stageplay Murderer premieres at Brighton Theatre Royal. 11th February. Transfers to The Garrick in the West End on 12th March

Filming starts on Absolution. May.
The Wicker Man novel is published in the US by Crown Publishers. May
Death On The Nile is released in the UK and US. October.

The Wicker Man (Director's Cut) is released in the US. 6th January.
Shaffer is nominated a Saturn Award at the Academy Of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Awards for his screenplay for The Wicker Man.
Absolution novel is published by Corgi. May
The Case Of The Oily Levantine opens at the Theatre Royal, Brighton. 13th August. It then transfers on 13th September to Her Majety's Theatre.
The Wicker Man novel is published in the UK by Hamlyn. October.
Absolution novel is published by Severn House. November
Shaffer buys The Nautilus restaurant in Port Douglas, Australia.

Filming starts on Evil Under The Sun.

Evil Under The Sun is released in the UK and US. March
The Case Of The Oily Levantine opens at the Biltmore Theatre, New York as Whodunnit. 30th December.

Anthony Shaffer and Diane Cilento are married at their Karnak home. 22nd June.

Whodunnit tours the UK. Later half of the year.

Widow's Weeds (Originaly For Years I Couldn't Wear My Black) is premiered in the UK at The Brewhouse Theatre, Taunton. 24th August. 36 date tour of the country follows.
This Savage Parade (a revised version of Shaffer's first play The Savage Parade) is played at The King's Head Theatre Club, Islington. 1st September.
Appointment With Death filmed in the summer.

Shaffer appears on Alan Whicker's programme Whicker's World: Living With Waltzing Matilda. March
Appointment With Death released in the US. April.
Appoinmtent With Death released in the UK. August.

Filming starts on Sommersby. April.
The official opening of The Karnak Playhouse, Anthony Shaffer & Diane Cilento's home amphitheatre. Opened by the then Premier Wayne Goss. Show hosted by Jason Connery. Special edition of Murderer performed on the second night of the event. 8th & 9th August.

Sommersby released. February (US). March (UK)

Stage version of Sleuth is revived and tours the UK. January - May.

The Wicker Man novel is reprinted by Pan/Macmillan. April
Shaffer attends special screening of The Wicker Man at The National Theatre, London and takes part in an after show discussion with other members of the cast & crew. 3rd May.
Shaffer works on new stageplay The Thing In The Wheelchair and is developing an idea with a Canadian producer for a stage version of The Wicker Man.

The Thing In The Wheelchair premieres at The Karnak Playhouse. 18th May.
Anthony Shaffer dies of a heart attack at his London home on 6th November, aged 75.