Biography
TV series creator with a flair for comedy drama.
Selected Credits:
TV: HEARTBEAT (Devisor), NOAH'S ARK (Creator), ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL, LOVE HURTS, ONE BY ONE and SPACE 1999
Film: HITLER: MY PART IN HIS DOWNFALL
In Development: YOUNG JAMES for IWC Media
Full Credits:
TV Series: Produced Credits:
NOAH'S ARK
Creator and principal scriptwriter: two series, 9 episodes:
Carlton, starring Anton Rodgers
HEARTBEAT
Devisor and principal scriptwriter for many years: 40 episodes
LOVE HURTS
Starring Adam Faith and Zoe Wanamaker, Alomo / BBC: 3
episodes
ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL
Script consultant and principal writer: 38 episodes
ONE BY ONE
15 episodes: BBC1
SPACE 1999
Executive story editor and lead writer: 12 episodes, produced
by Gerry Anderson for Lew Grade
DR WHO
3 adventures, 12 episodes: BBC1
TV Serials:
MIRACLES TAKE LONGER
Half hour daytime serial: Thames TV: 4 x 30 min
Television Films:
ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL
Christmas special: BBC1
INTO INFINITY
NBC: Produced by Gerry Anderson, directed by Charles
Crichton
SEASON OF THE WITCH
Wednesday play: BBC1
TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED
3 episodes: Anglia International
Theatrical Release Films:
ADOLF HITLER - MY PART IN HIS DOWNFALL
Based on the book by Spike Milligan, starring Spike Milligan and Arthur Lowe: United Artists
TO DIE FOR
British Screen: Opened the LA 1995 Gay and Lesbian Film Festival
Children's Drama:
DODGER BONZO AND THE REST
3 episodes: Thames TV
PIPKINS
Series for children: 6 x 20 Min: LWTV
CHIP & CHARLY
25 minute animated children's film: Ilko Films (Munich)
Fiction:
1969
GROUPIE
With Jenny Fabian: New English Library / Bantam / Corgi: International bestseller of the late '60's London sex, drugs and rock & roll scene
STOPCOCK
Part published in the Transatlantc Review: Modern Gothic
thriller
Also various SF Short Stories including those published in Impulse, Science Fantasy, Judith Merrill Best Of Sci/Fi. Johnny also edited several small literary magazines, and, with Jenny Fabian, has just completed (2003) Out Of Time, the sequel to Groupie.
Biog:
Johnny was born in the old North Dublin tenements, the eldest of thirteen children. He left Dublin at age 21 and worked variously as an electrician's mate, manager for ecclesiastical suppliers, Christmas tree feller in the Lake District and dullage sorter on the Liverpool docks. He later became a traveller/writer, teaching English as a Foreign Language in London, Paris, Athens and Istanbul. He also travelled abroad as touring manager for his then agent's (Shel Talmy) rock groups, and performed as The Poisoned Bellows, a surreal double act with poet Spike Hawkins in clubs and events. Along with Hawkins, he was heavily involved in the underground performing arts, which included a yearly stint at the Edinburgh Festival. Johnny is married and the father of three sons and lives in rural North Norfolk.
His screenwriting career began in the late sixties, mostly supplying uncredited rewrites for low budget movie projects. Later, after a Wednesday Play and a feature film, he spent three invaluable years as main writer and executive story editor working on the set of Space 1999 at Pinewood for directors Charles Crichton, David Tomblin and Ray Austin.
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