{{short description|British theatre producer}} {{Use British English|date=October 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}} {{Infobox person | honorific_prefix = Sir | name = Howard Panter | image = Howard Panter.jpg | caption = Panter in 2010 | birth_name = Howard Hugh Panter | birth_date = | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = Theatre producer and manager | spouse = Rosemary Squire | children = 3 }}
'''Sir Howard Hugh Panter''' is a British theatre impresario and theatre operator. With his wife Rosemary Squire he ran the Ambassador Theatre Group from about 1995 until 2016; they remain directors and shareholders of the company.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/howard-panter-rosemary-squire-atg-step-down_40476.html|title=Howard Panter and Rosemary Squire step down from top ATG roles|publisher=What's on Stage|date=17 May 2016|access-date=5 August 2019}}</ref> When they left the active management of ATG, they bought Trafalgar Studios (the former Whitehall Theatre), which became the centre of a new company, Trafalgar Entertainment.<ref name="The Guardian">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/05/17/theatres-power-couple-step-back-from-atg-to-run-trafalgar-studio/|title=Theatre's power couple step back from ATG to run Trafalgar Studios|work=The Guardian|date=17 May 2016|access-date=5 August 2019|last1=Burn-Callander|first1=Rebecca}}</ref><ref name="telegraph.co.uk">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/fame-fortune/sir-howard-panter-can-cost-producer-5m-musical-goes-wrong/|title=Sir Howard Panter: 'It can cost a producer £5m if a musical goes wrong'|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=15 April 2018|access-date=5 August 2019|last1=Venning|first1=Nicola}}</ref>
In a guide to "the 100 most influential people in UK theatre" published by ''The Stage'', Panter and Squire were placed first each year from 2010 to 2016.<ref name="The Stage 100 Record">{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/jan/07/ambassador-theatre-group-founders-break-stage-100-record|title=Ambassador Theatre Group founders break Stage 100 record|work=The Guardian|date=7 January 2016|access-date=5 August 2019}}</ref> In 2013 they were placed first in the theatre section of the ''Evening Standard'' 'Power 1000'.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/the-power-1000-londons-most-influential-people-2013-imagineers-theatre-8824912.html|title=The Power 1000 – London's most influential people 2013: Imagineers, Theatre|publisher=Evening Standard|date=19 September 2013|access-date=5 August 2019}}</ref>
Panter received a knighthood in the 2013 Birthday Honours.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/atgs-howard-panter-knighted-in-queens-birthday-hon_31003.html|title=Howard Panter knighted in Queen's Birthday Honours|publisher=What's on Stage|date=15 June 2013|access-date=1 August 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/whats-on/theatre/sir-howard-panter-humbled-receive-6345197|title=Sir Howard Panter 'humbled' to receive knighthood|publisher=What's on Stage|date=27 November 2013|access-date=5 August 2019}}</ref>
== Career ==
In 1991, with Sir Eddie Kulukundis and the brothers Peter and John Beckwith, Panter became a director of a company which bought the Duke of York's Theatre and in 1992 was renamed The Duke Of York's Theatre (Holdings) Limited.{{r|ch|tel}} It later bought the Ambassadors Theatre, and was again renamed, to Ambassador Theatre Group.{{r|ch|tel}}
In 2016 Panter and Squire ceased to manage the Ambassador Theatre Group. They bought Trafalgar Studios (the former Whitehall Theatre) from the group, and made it the centre of a new company, Trafalgar Entertainment.<ref name="The Guardian"/><ref name="telegraph.co.uk"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://britishtheatre.com/sir-howard-panter-and-rosemary-squire-announce-new-roles/|title=Sir Howard Panter and Rosemary Squire Announce New Roles|work=British Theatre |date=17 May 2016|access-date=5 August 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.playbill.com/article/howard-panter-and-rosemary-squire-to-step-down-from-the-helm-of-ambassador-theatre-that-they-co-founded|title=Howard Panter and Rosemary Squire to Step Down from Helm of Ambassador Theatre Group|publisher=Playbill|date=18 May 2016|access-date=5 August 2019}}</ref>
== Other roles == Panter is on the development board of LAMDA,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lamda.org.uk/development/boards/development.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060622124836/http://www.lamda.org.uk/development/boards/development.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 June 2006|title=LAMDA – Development Board|date=22 June 2006|access-date=2 January 2018}}</ref> and was chairman of the Rambert Dance Company for ten years.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/queen-opens-20million-rambert-dance-centre-on-londons-south-bank-9207950.html|title=Queen opens £20million Rambert dance centre on London's South Bank|publisher=Evening Standard|date=21 March 2014|access-date=5 August 2019}}</ref> In March 2020 he was appointed chair of The Birmingham Rep Theatre.<ref name=wos>{{cite web|url=https://www.expressandstar.com/entertainment/theatre-and-comedy/2020/03/09/new-season-announced-at-birmingham-rep/|title=New season announced at Birmingham REP|publisher=What's on Stage|date=9 March 2020|access-date=10 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-32065384|title=The husband and wife who built a theatre empire|work=BBC News|date=30 March 2015|access-date=5 August 2019}}</ref> He is a director of Rocky Horror Company Limited.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/02417284/officers|title=Companies House official records for Rocky Horror Company Limited|publisher=Companies House|access-date=5 August 2019}}</ref>
== Reception == Panter and Squire have received a number of joint awards and recognitions: * 2008 Ernst & Young "Entrepreneur of the Year": regional finalist<ref>[http://issuu.com/atgtickets/docs/atgmagazine_autumnwinter2008 ATG Magazine Autumn/Winter 2008 by ATG Tickets], Issuu.com; accessed 2 January 2018.</ref> * 2010 Evening Standard Awards, "London's 1000 Most Influential People: Theatre": first place<ref name=thisislondon>{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/londons-1000-most-influential-people-2010-theatre-6536306.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101122143718/http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-home/article-23897752-londons-1000-most-influential-people-2010-theatre.do|url-status=live|archive-date=22 November 2010|title=London's 1000 most influential people 2010: Theatre|website=Thisislondon.co.uk|date=15 November 2010|access-date=31 July 2014}}</ref> * 2012 ''Manchester Evening News'' Awards, "250 of the most influential people in Greater Manchester"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://shop.menmedia.co.uk/250-of-the-most-influential-people-in-greater-manchester-184-p.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130201004847/http://shop.menmedia.co.uk/250-of-the-most-influential-people-in-greater-manchester-184-p.asp|url-status=dead|archive-date=1 February 2013|title=250 of the Most Influential People in Greater Manchester|date=1 February 2013|access-date=2 January 2018}}</ref> * 2010–2016, ''The Stage'' "Top 100 People In British Theatre": first place<ref name="thestage.co.uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/34828/atgs-panter-and-squire-complete-stage-100|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120912230045/http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/34828/atgs-panter-and-squire-complete-stage-100|url-status=dead|title=The Stage / News / ATG's Panter and Squire complete Stage 100 hat-tri…|date=12 September 2012|archive-date=12 September 2012|website=Archive.is|access-date=2 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/30896/atg-retains-top-spot-in-stage-100|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110917040639/http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/30896/atg-retains-top-spot-in-stage-100|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 September 2011|title=The Stage / News / ATG retains top spot in Stage 100|date=17 September 2011|access-date=2 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/atgs-panter-and-squire-break-andrew-lloyd-webbers-record-to-top-the-stage-100-for-sixth-year-in-a-row|title=ATG's Panter and Squire break Andrew Lloyd Webber's record to top The Stage 100 for sixth year in a row – News|publisher=The Stage|date=31 December 2014|access-date=2 January 2018}}</ref> * 2019 Honorary Freedom of the Borough of Woking.<ref name=eagle>[s.n.] (17 June 2019). [https://web.archive.org/web/20190805152451/https://www.eagleradio.co.uk/news/local-news/2895146/long-serving-members-of-woking-community-honoured-by-council/ Long serving members of Woking community honoured by council]. Eagle Radio. Archived 5 August 2019.</ref>
Panter received a knighthood in 2013 Queen's Birthday Honours for "services to theatre".<ref name=gaz31712>{{London Gazette|issue=60534|supp=y|page=2|date=15 June 2013}}</ref><ref name='HM Birthday Honours 2013'>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/206698/Birthday_Honours_List_2013.pdf|title=Birthday Honours List 2013 | access-date=14 June 2013|date=14 June 2013|publisher=HM Government}}</ref>
==Personal life==
Panter met Rosemary Squire at the Queen's Theatre in London, where both were working during his production of ''And a Nightingale Sang'' with Patricia Routledge.<ref name=guard>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2010/sep/10/howard-panter-ambassador-theatre|title=Howard Panter, theatrical ambassador|first=David|last=Teather|date=10 September 2010|access-date=2 January 2018|website=Theguardian.com}}</ref> Simon Callow was his best man at their wedding.<ref name=guard/>
==References== <references>
<ref name=ch>[https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/02671052 The Ambassador Theatre Group Limited: Company number 02671052]. Companies House. Accessed March 2022.</ref>
<ref name=tel>Kate Rankine (4 January 2003). [https://web.archive.org/web/20150925004428/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2838275/Business-profile-Impresario-who-never-recovered-from-being-stage-struck.html Business profile: Impresario who never recovered from being stage-struck]. ''The Daily Telegraph''. Archived 25 September 2015.</ref>
</references>
{{DEFAULTSORT:Panter, Howard}} Category:Living people Category:20th-century theatre managers Category:Knights Bachelor Category:British theatre managers and producers Category:People educated at Clayesmore School Category:Year of birth missing (living people)