Television and stage producer known for Auf Wiedersehen, Pet and Birds of a Feather
The television producer Allan McKeown, who has died aged 67 of prostate cancer, created the groundbreaking Witzend Productions with the sitcom writers Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais and had hits on both sides of the Atlantic. It was one of the earliest independent production companies outside the British broadcasting establishment to find success within it.
A prime example of Witzend's attempts to push the boundaries of the medium – and McKeown's credit as executive producer – was Auf Wiedersehen, Pet (1983-86). The series, about a group of itinerant British builders in Germany – developed by Clement and La Frenais from an idea by Franc Roddam – went beyond the sitcom format to become one of the first in the comedy-drama genre.
ITV at first had no plans to make a second series but backtracked when up to 13 million viewers tuned in.
The television producer Allan McKeown, who has died aged 67 of prostate cancer, created the groundbreaking Witzend Productions with the sitcom writers Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais and had hits on both sides of the Atlantic. It was one of the earliest independent production companies outside the British broadcasting establishment to find success within it.
A prime example of Witzend's attempts to push the boundaries of the medium – and McKeown's credit as executive producer – was Auf Wiedersehen, Pet (1983-86). The series, about a group of itinerant British builders in Germany – developed by Clement and La Frenais from an idea by Franc Roddam – went beyond the sitcom format to become one of the first in the comedy-drama genre.
ITV at first had no plans to make a second series but backtracked when up to 13 million viewers tuned in.
- 1/2/2014
- by Anthony Hayward, Ian La Frenais
- The Guardian - Film News
There’s an awful lot of ‘star-studded casts’ nowadays. If one major celebrity signs on to a film, every other major celebrity seems to try to get in on the action. Case in point: the ever-increasing cast list attached to Disney’s version of Stephen Sondheim’s musical Into The Woods, to be directed by Rob Marshall. Now Tracey Ullman is in talks to join up.
Ullman is apparently in negotiations to join the Into The Woods cast that already includes Johnny Depp, Meryl Streep, Chris Pine, Jake Gyllenhaal and Emily Blunt. Right now, Blunt is signed on to play half of a childless couple who go into the woods to find the witch (Meryl Streep, naturally) who has cursed their family. They meet various forms of fairy tale characters along the way, including the Big Bad Wolf (Depp), the princely boyfriends of Cinderella and Rapunzel (Gyllenhaal and Pine), and,...
Ullman is apparently in negotiations to join the Into The Woods cast that already includes Johnny Depp, Meryl Streep, Chris Pine, Jake Gyllenhaal and Emily Blunt. Right now, Blunt is signed on to play half of a childless couple who go into the woods to find the witch (Meryl Streep, naturally) who has cursed their family. They meet various forms of fairy tale characters along the way, including the Big Bad Wolf (Depp), the princely boyfriends of Cinderella and Rapunzel (Gyllenhaal and Pine), and,...
- 6/13/2013
- by Lauren Humphries-Brooks
- We Got This Covered
One of the key adventures from Big Finish's recent weekly release of Eighth Doctor stories, The Eight Truths stars Paul McGann as the Doctor, with Sheridan Smith as Lucie Miller and guest stars with Stephen Moore, Sophie Winkleman and Sanjeev Bhaskar (The Kumars at No 42, Goodness Gracious Me, Mumbai Calling). Available for purchase on CD in September, The Eight Truths is the first installment of the concluding adventure to a great series of Doctor Who adventures from Big Finish. London,...
- 6/25/2009
- by Mick Karma info@kasterborous.com
- Kasterborous.com
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