Alan Williams (born 1954 in Manchester, England) is a British actor and playwright, who has performed in film, television and theatre in both the United Kingdom and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

."Success, Failure All Part of the Plan for Playwright". ''

Winnipeg Free Press The ''Winnipeg Free Press'' (or WFP; founded as the ''Manitoba Free Press'') is a daily (excluding Sunday) broadsheet newspaper in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It provides coverage of local, provincial, national, and international news, as well as ...

'', 6 January 2015.

Life and career

Originally from

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

and educated at

The Manchester Grammar School The Manchester Grammar School (MGS) in Manchester, England, is the largest independent day school for boys in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1515 as a free grammar school next to Manchester Parish Church, it moved in 1931 to its present site a ...

, he took some classes in theatre school but received the bulk of his training as an apprentice with the

Hull Truck Theatre Hull Truck Theatre is a theatre in Kingston upon Hull, England, which presents drama productions, and also tours. In March 2022, the theatre's original premises on Coltman Street, Hull, was recognised by a blue plaque to coincide with the theatr ...

."Tall tales from outsiders; Performer-playwright brings acclaimed trilogy to Ottawa". ''

Ottawa Citizen The ''Ottawa Citizen'' is an English-language daily newspaper owned by Postmedia Network in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. History Established as ''The Bytown Packet'' in 1845 by William Harris (journalist), William Harris, it was renamed the '' ...

'', 4 May 1988. He performed his Cockroach trilogy of one-man plays (''The Cockroach That Ate Cincinnati'', ''The Return of the Cockroach'' and ''The Cockroach Has Landed'') at the influential London fringe venue

The Bush Theatre The Bush Theatre is located in the Passmore Edwards Public Library, Shepherd's Bush, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. It was established in 1972 as a showcase for the work of new writers. The Bush Theatre strives to create a s ...

and subsequently at the International Theatre Festival in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

in 1981, and then decided to remain in the city, becoming playwright in residence at the

Tarragon Theatre The Tarragon Theatre is a theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and one of the main centers for contemporary playwriting in the country.

."From Cockroach Trilogy to suburbia Williams battles theatre cliches". ''

The Globe and Mail ''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...

'', 11 January 1984. He later moved to

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749,6 ...

Manitoba Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...

, becoming a theatre professor at the

University of Winnipeg The University of Winnipeg (UWinnipeg, UW) is a public research university in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, that offers undergraduate faculties of art, business and economics, education, science and kinesiology and applied health as well as gr ...

. His subsequent plays in Canada included ''The Warlord of Willowdale'', ''The White Dogs of Texas'', ''King of America'', ''Dixieland's Night of Shame'', ''Welcome to the NHL'' and ''The Duke of Nothing''. He also took some acting roles in other playwrights' work, most notably appearing opposite

Linda Griffiths Linda Pauline Griffiths (7 October 1953 – 21 September 2014) was a Canadian actress and playwright best known for writing and starring in the one woman play ''Maggie and Pierre'', in which she portrayed both Pierre Trudeau and his then-estran ...

in her two-person play '' The Darling Family'' and its 1994 film adaptation by

Alan Zweig Alan Zweig is a Canadian documentary filmmaker known for often using film to explore his own life. Early life Alan Zweig was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario and has worked in the film industry as a writer, producer, director, driver, and a ...

. In 1996, his Cockroach trilogy was adapted into the film '' The Cockroach that Ate Cincinnati''. The film garnered Williams a

Genie Award The Genie Awards were given out annually by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television to recognize the best of Canadian cinema from 1980–2012. They succeeded the Canadian Film Awards (1949–1978; also known as the "Etrog Awards," for scu ...

nomination for Best Actor at the

18th Genie Awards The 18th Genie Awards were held on 14 December 1997, to honour the best Canadian films of 1997. Nominees and winners The Genie Award winner in each category is shown in bold text. References External links Genie Awards 1997 on imdb {{Cana ...

."Sweet Hereafter leads the Genie award pack". ''

The Province ''The Province'' is a daily newspaper published in tabloid format in British Columbia by Pacific Newspaper Group, a division of Postmedia Network, alongside the ''Vancouver Sun'' broadsheet newspaper. Together, they are British Columbia's only ...

'', 5 November 1997. Soon after completing the film of ''The Cockroach that Ate Cincinnati'', Williams moved back to England,"U.K. artist finds truth stranger than fantasy". ''

Calgary Herald The ''Calgary Herald'' is a daily newspaper published in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Publication began in 1883 as ''The Calgary Herald, Mining and Ranche Advocate, and General Advertiser''. It is owned by the Postmedia Network. History ''The ...

'', 10 January 2015. where he has had roles in films such as ''

The Scold's Bridle ''The Scold's Bridle'' (1994) is a crime novel by English writer Minette Walters. The book, Walters' third, won a CWA Gold Dagger. Synopsis Mathilda Gillespie, an eccentric recluse known for her incredible meanness of nature, is found dead i ...

'', ''

Touching Evil ''Touching Evil'' is a British television drama serial following the exploits of a crack squad on the Organised & Serial Crime Unit, a rapid response police force that serves the entire country. The serial was produced by United Productions f ...

'', ''

The Life and Death of Peter Sellers ''The Life and Death of Peter Sellers'' is a 2004 television film about the life of English comedian Peter Sellers, based on Roger Lewis's book of the same name. 1108 pagesPublished in the U.S. via Applause BooksA very comprehensive biography, w ...

'' and ''

Vera Drake ''Vera Drake'' is a 2004 British period drama film written and directed by Mike Leigh and starring Imelda Staunton, Phil Davis, Daniel Mays and Eddie Marsan. It tells the story of a working-class woman in London in 1950 who performs illegal a ...

'', and television series including ''

Always and Everyone ''Always and Everyone'' (later known as ''A&E'') is a British television medical drama, broadcast on ITV, that ran for four series between 7 June 1999 and 22 August 2002. Set in the Accident and Emergency department of Saint Victor's city hospi ...

'', ''

Coronation Street ''Coronation Street'' is an English soap opera created by Granada Television and shown on ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres around a cobbled, terraced street in Weatherfield, a fictional town based on inner-city Salford. Origi ...

'', ''

Wire in the Blood ''Wire in the Blood'' is a British crime drama television series, created and produced by Coastal Productions for Tyne Tees Television and broadcast on ITV from 14 November 2002 to 31 October 2008. The series is based on characters created by V ...

'', '' Life Begins'', '' The Virgin Queen'', ''

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

'', ''

Luther Luther may refer to: People * Martin Luther (1483–1546), German monk credited with initiating the Protestant Reformation * Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968), American minister and leader in the American civil rights movement * Luther (give ...

'', ''

Father Brown Father Brown is a fictional Roman Catholic priest and amateur detective who is featured in 53 short stories published between 1910 and 1936 written by English author G. K. Chesterton. Father Brown solves mysteries and crimes using his intuiti ...

'', ''

Doc Martin ''Doc Martin'' is a British medical comedy drama television series starring Martin Clunes as Doctor Martin Ellingham. It was created by Dominic Minghella after the character of Dr Martin Bamford in the 2000 comedy film '' Saving Grace''. The ...

'' and ''

Starlings Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds in the family Sturnidae. The Sturnidae are named for the genus ''Sturnus'', which in turn comes from the Latin word for starling, ''sturnus''. Many Asian species, particularly the larger ones, ...

''. He returned to Canada in 2015 to tour his new theatre trilogy ''The Girl with Two Voices''.

Filmography

* ''Mistress Madeleine'' (1976) as Kirk * '' The Darling Family'' (1994) as He * '' The Cockroach that Ate Cincinnati'' (1996) as Captain * ''Getting Hurt'' (TV - 1998) as Paranoid * ''

Among Giants ''Among Giants'' is a 1998 British film directed by Sam Miller and written by Simon Beaufoy. It is set in Yorkshire, and stars Pete Postlethwaite, Rachel Griffiths and James Thornton. The plot came about after Beaufoy was refused permission to m ...

'' (1998) as Frank * ''

Elephant Juice ''Elephant Juice'' is a 1999 British drama film directed by Sam Miller. Plot Cast * Emmanuelle Béart - Jules * Sean Gallagher - Billy * Daniel Lapaine - Will * Daniela Nardini - Daphne * Mark Strong - Frank * Kimberly Williams-Paisley - ...

'' (1999) as Gezzer-man on Tube * ''

Love in a Cold Climate ''Love in a Cold Climate'' is a novel by Nancy Mitford, first published in 1949. The title is a phrase from George Orwell's novel '' Keep the Aspidistra Flying'' (1936). ''Love in a Cold Climate'' is a companion volume to '' The Pursuit of L ...

'' (2001) as Religious speaker * '' All or Nothing'' (2002) as Drunk * '' Heartlands'' (2002) as Deno * ''Sirens'' (TV - 2002) as DCI Struther * ''

Bright Young Things __NOTOC__ The Bright Young Things, or Bright Young People, was a nickname given by the tabloid press to a group of Bohemianism, Bohemian young Aristocracy (class), aristocrats and socialites in 1920s London. They threw flamboyant costume party, f ...

'' (2003) as Bookie * ''

The Mayor of Casterbridge ''The Mayor of Casterbridge: The Life and Death of a Man of Character'' is an 1886 novel by the English author Thomas Hardy. One of Hardy's Wessex novels, it is set in a fictional rural England with Casterbridge standing in for Dorchester in ...

'' (TV - 2003) as Stubberd * ''The Last King'' (2003 TV mini-series) as Preacher * ''

'' (2004) as 'Casino Royale' Director * ''

'' (2004) as Sick husband * '' Derailed'' (2005) as Ken Hodson * ''

A Waste of Shame ''A Waste of Shame'' (aka ''A Waste of Shame: The Mystery of Shakespeare and His Sonnets'') is a 90-minute television drama on the circumstances surrounding William Shakespeare's composition of his sonnets. It takes its title from the first lin ...

'' (2005) as George Wilkins * '' The Virgin Queen'' (2005 TV mini-series) as Doctor John Dee * '' Grow Your Own'' (2007) as Kenny * ''

Personal Affairs ''Personal Affairs'' (also known as ''P.A's'') is a 2009 British television comedy-drama series, broadcast on BBC Three. It starred Annabel Scholey, Laura Aikman, Maimie McCoy and Ruth Negga as four City of London Personal Assistants looking fo ...

'' (2009) as David Johnston * ''Pulse'' (TV - 2010) as Charlie Maddox * ''

London Boulevard ''London Boulevard'' is a 2010 British independent film, independent crime film released in the United Kingdom on 26 November 2010. It is based on Ken Bruen's novel of 2001 of the same name, with screenplay and direction by William Monahan, mar ...

'' (2010) as Joe * ''

The Crimson Petal and the White ''The Crimson Petal and the White'' is a 2002 novel by Michel Faber set in Victorian England. The title is from an 1847 poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson entitled " Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal", the opening line of which is "Now sleeps the cri ...

'' (2011) as Colonel Leek * ''

Midsomer Murders ''Midsomer Murders'' is a British crime drama television series, adapted by Anthony Horowitz and Douglas Watkinson from the novels in the '' Chief Inspector Barnaby'' book series (created by Caroline Graham), and broadcast on two channels of I ...

The Sleeper Under the Hill'' (2011) as Ezra Canning * '' Run for Your Wife'' (2012) * '' Endeavour'' (2013) as Cyril Morse * ''

The Crown The Crown is the state in all its aspects within the jurisprudence of the Commonwealth realms and their subdivisions (such as the Crown Dependencies, overseas territories, provinces, or states). Legally ill-defined, the term has different ...

'' (2016) as Professor Hogg * '' Trespass Against Us'' (2017) as Noah * ''

'' (2017-2020)5 episodes as Blind ‘Arry * ''

Peterloo The Peterloo Massacre took place at St Peter's Field, Manchester, Lancashire, England, on Monday 16 August 1819. Fifteen people died when cavalry charged into a crowd of around 60,000 people who had gathered to demand the reform of parliamen ...

'' (2018) as Magistrate Marriott * ''

The Capture (TV series) ''The Capture'' is a British mystery thriller series created, written and directed by Ben Chanan, and starring Holliday Grainger, Callum Turner, Laura Haddock, Ben Miles, Cavan Clerkin, Paul Ritter, and Ron Perlman. The series premiered on ...

'' (2019) as Eddie Emery * ''

Chernobyl Chernobyl ( , ; russian: Чернобыль, ) or Chornobyl ( uk, Чорнобиль, ) is a partially abandoned city in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, situated in the Vyshhorod Raion of northern Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine. Chernobyl is about no ...

'' (2019) as KGB Deputy Chairman Viktor Charkov * ''

Casualty Casualty may refer to: *Casualty (person), a person who is killed or rendered unfit for service in a war or natural disaster **Civilian casualty, a non-combatant killed or injured in warfare * The emergency department of a hospital, also known as ...

'' (2021) as Roy Scaddon * ''

Inside Man ''Inside Man'' is a 2006 American heist thriller film directed by Spike Lee and written by Russell Gewirtz. It centers on an elaborate bank heist on Wall Street over a 24-hour period. The film stars Denzel Washington as Detective Keith Frazi ...

'' (2022) as Gordon

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Alan 20th-century British male actors 20th-century British dramatists and playwrights 20th-century Canadian male actors 20th-century Canadian dramatists and playwrights 21st-century British male actors 21st-century British dramatists and playwrights British male television actors British male film actors British male stage actors British male dramatists and playwrights British emigrants to Canada Canadian male television actors Canadian male film actors Canadian male stage actors Canadian male dramatists and playwrights Canadian expatriates in England Male actors from Manchester Writers from Manchester University of Winnipeg faculty 20th-century Canadian male writers 21st-century Canadian male writers Living people 1954 births