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Alan Plater | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Plater (right) with actorMalcolm Hebden in 1972 | |
| Born | Alan Frederick Plater (1935-04-15)15 April 1935 Jarrow, England |
| Died | 25 June 2010(2010-06-25) (aged 75)[1] London, England |
| Occupation | Scriptwriter |
| Period | 1962–2010 |
| Genre | Television |
| Notable works | Oh No It's Selwyn Froggitt (1976–1977) The Beiderbecke Trilogy (1985–1988) A Very British Coup (1988) |
| Spouse | Shirley Johnson (1958–1985) Shirley Rubinstein (1986–2010) |
Alan Frederick PlaterCBE FRSL (15 April 1935 – 25 June 2010)[1] was an English playwright and screenwriter, who worked extensively inBritish television from the 1960s to the 2000s. He is best known for the sitcomOh No It's Selwyn Froggitt and the comedy drama serialsThe Beiderbecke Trilogy. He also contributed to theBBC seriesDalziel and Pascoe, and adaptedChris Mullin's novelA Very British Coup (1988) for television. He was the driving force[2] behind the TV version ofFlambards[3] Among his few feature films wereThe Virgin and the Gypsy andPriest of Love.[4][5]
Plater was president of theWriters' Guild of Great Britain from September 1991 until April 1995. In the Queen's New Year's Honours of 2005, he was created aCommander of the Order of the British Empire for services to drama.
Plater was born inJarrow, County Durham, although his family moved toHull in 1938.[6] Jarrow was much publicised as a severely economically depressed area before theSecond World War – Plater joked that his family left Jarrow just after theGreat Depression to catch Hull just beforethe Blitz. He attendedKingston High School.[6]
He trained as an architect atKing's College, Newcastle[6] (later theNewcastle University School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape), but only practised in the profession for three years,[6] at a junior level.[2] He later stated that it was shortly after he was forced to fend off a herd of pigs from eating his tape measure while he was surveying a field that he left to pursue writing full-time.
Plater stayed in the north of England for many years after he became prominent as a writer and lived inHull.[2]
He first made his mark as a scriptwriter forZ-Cars (1962–65),[6] along with its spin-offsSoftly, Softly (1966–69)[6] andSoftly, Softly: Task Force (1969–76). His subsequent credits includeThe Reluctant Juggler in the seriesThe Edwardians (1972),Shoulder to Shoulder (1974),The Stars Look Down (1975),Trinity Tales (1975),Oh No It's Selwyn Froggitt,[6]The Journal of Vasilije Bogdanovic, the musicalClose the Coalhouse Door with songwriterAlex Glasgow from the writings ofSid Chaplin,Get Lost! (1981),On Your Way, Riley (1982),Fortunes of War (1987) an adaptation based on the novels ofOlivia Manning,[6]The Beiderbecke Trilogy (1985–1988),[6]Misterioso (an adaptation of his novel, 1991),Oliver's Travels (1995), an adaptation ofJ. B. Priestley'sThe Good Companions (1980) forYorkshire Television, a film adaptation ofGeorge Orwell'sKeep the Aspidistra Flying,Belonging and the theatre playPeggy for You, based on the life of Plater's former agentPeggy Ramsay, which was nominated in 2001 for aLaurence Olivier Theatre Award.[2]
He also contributed to theBBC seriesDalziel and Pascoe,[citation needed] and adaptedChris Mullin's novelA Very British Coup (1988) for television.[6] He was the driving force[2] behind the TV version ofFlambards, which under his influence was claimed to be slanted well to the political left ofK. M. Peyton'soriginal books.Jazz is a recurring motif through much of Plater's work, often referenced explicitly as well as underpinning his story structures.[3] Among his few feature films he collaborated twice withChristopher Miles on two successfulD. H. Lawrence projectsThe Virgin and the Gypsy andPriest of Love.[4][5]
His playConfessions of a City Supporter on his lifelong relationship with theHull City A.F.C. was staged during the first-ever run of performances at the new home of theHull Truck Theatre Company.[7]
Plater was also president of theWriters' Guild of Great Britain from September 1991 until April 1995.
Plater received honorary degrees from theUniversity of Hull andNorthumbria University inNewcastle.
In the Queen's New Year's Honours of 2005, Plater was created aCommander of the Order of the British Empire for services to drama.[8] He is also commemorated with a green plaque onThe Avenues, Kingston upon Hull.
Plater was married to Shirley Johnson from 1958 to 1985, with whom he had two sons and a daughter,[9] and later Shirley Rubinstein from 1986 gaining three stepsons.[6]
Plater died of cancer at aLondon hospice, aged 75. His death was announced on 25 June 2010.[1]
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