Michael Beadley

Michael Beadley is a character featured in John Wyndham's 1951 novel, The Day of the Triffids. The character was re-imagined for the BBC produced 1981 mini-series The Day of the Triffids where he was played by actor David Swift.

Biography
Like nearly everyone else on the planet Earth, Michael Beadley's life was changed forever the night a comet passed the planet's atmosphere, rendering 90% of the world's population blind. Michael was one of the few fortunate enough to maintain his sight. Along with several colleagues, he became a community organizer and headquartered himself at the University of London. Michael and his group were a cabal of "survivors", most of whom had maintained their sight and were now charged with shepherding in a new world in which to live. Beadley outlined a strategy for a convoy to help the survivors mass an exodus out of the city and into the countryside. He doled out orders, kept inventory and took stock of the group's rations and medical supplies.

Among the volunteers who attended one of Michael's meetings were Bill Masen and Jo Payton. A former Triffid farmer, Bill recognized the dangers the man-eating plants represented to society and offered Michael his expertise in combating the Triffids. Beadley scoffed at Bill's concerns, citing that there had been no Triffid sightings in London for some time. Bill grew agitated with the older man's casual dismissal of his concerns and reminded him that Triffids thrived in rural areas with fresh soil for them to take route in - the exact sort of area that Beadley intended on taking the survivors. Beadley was unimpressed and continued to issue instructions to Bill and Jo.

Notes & Trivia

 * In the novel, Michael Beadley is addressed only as Beadley.