David Halliwell

[1936-2006]



The playwright David Halliwell was born in Clifton, Brighouse.

He was educated at Bailiff Bridge Elementary School and Hipperholme Grammar School, and went on to study at Huddersfield College of Art, and RADA.

In 1963, he wrote a TV play for Granada: A plastic Mac in winter.

In 1964, he wrote his most famous play, Little Malcolm and his Struggle against the Eunuchs.

In 1966, he wrote a Wednesday Play for TV entitled Cock, Hen and Courting Pit.

In 1967, he won the Evening Standard's Most Promising Playwright award. In 1998, it was revived at Hampstead Theatre with Euan McGregor.

In September 1969, the Lamda Theatre Club presented his play Another Study of Reclusive Paranoia.

In June 1972, the BBC broadcast a radio play, Bleats from a Brighouse Pleasure Ground. In 1972, he wrote an episode of the TV series The Sextet entitled Blur and Blank via Cleckheaton.

He later wrote many radio plays and episodes for the TV productions Dr Who and The Bill.

In the 1973, he upset many local people when he wrote Steps Back, a play in the Play for Today series about a man who, returning to Brighouse after 15 years, takes his girl friend on a tour of the places from his childhood.

In 1974, he suffered a breakdown, feeling that his work had been overlooked.

In 1976, he wrote an episode of the TV series BBC2 Playhouse entitled The Mind Beyond: Meriel, the Ghost Girl.

In June 1978, he was appointed resident dramatist at the Hampstead Theatre Club.

In 1989, he wrote an episode of the ITV series The Bill.

He was unmarried.

On 16th March 2006, he was found dead at his home in Charlbury, Oxfordshire




© Malcolm Bull 2023
Revised 09:39 / 5th February 2023 / 3582

Page Ref: MMH518

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