Geoffrey Lancashire (12 March 1933 – 3 October 2004) was a British television scriptwriter. He is best remembered for writing television comedy series such as ''

The Lovers ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' and ''

The Cuckoo Waltz ''The Cuckoo Waltz'' is a British television sitcom produced by Granada Television for the ITV network between 1975 and 1980. It was written by Geoffrey Lancashire, and produced and directed by Bill Gilmour. The series, which was set in 197 ...

''. He also wrote 171 episodes of

ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...

soap opera ''

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 ...

'' during the 1960s.

Early life

Geoffrey Lancashire was born in

Oldham Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England, amid the Pennines and between the rivers Irk and Medlock, southeast of Rochdale and northeast of Manchester. It is the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, wh ...

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...

on 12 March 1933 and was educated at the local high school until the age of 15.

Career

Lancashire began his career as a journalist with the ''

Oldham Evening Chronicle The ''Oldham Evening Chronicle'' was a daily newspaper published each weekday evening. It served the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. There were also four sister editions, called the ''Oldham Extra'', ''Saddleworth ...

'' newspaper and prior to working in London for national Sunday newspapers, he with a journalist colleague, Roy Bottomley, founded the '' Oldham Mirror'' newspaper. Lancashire was a freelance journalist before joining

Granada Television ITV Granada, formerly known as Granada Television, is the ITV franchisee for the North West of England and Isle of Man. From 1956 to 1968 it broadcast to both the north west and Yorkshire but only on weekdays as ABC Weekend Television was it ...

as a continuity scriptwriter days before the company began broadcasting in 1956. He went on to write 171 episodes of ''Coronation Street'', working alongside

Tony Warren Anthony McVay Simpson (8 July 1936 – 1 March 2016) publishing under pen name Tony Warren, was an English television screenwriter and actor, best known for creating the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. He created other television dramas a ...

and

Jack Rosenthal Jack Morris Rosenthal (8 September 1931 – 29 May 2004) was an English playwright. He wrote 129 early episodes of the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' and over 150 screenplays, including original TV plays, feature films, and adaptations. ...

. Lancashire also wrote other television series including ''

Inheritance Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, Title (property), titles, debts, entitlements, Privilege (law), privileges, rights, and Law of obligations, obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ ...

'' (1967), ''

'' (1970), ''

Shabby Tiger ''Shabby Tiger'' is a 1934 novel by the British writer Howard Spring. It was followed by a sequel '' Rachel Rosing'' in 1935. A millionaire's son chooses to become an artist at the height of the Great Depression. Adaptation In 1973 it was made ...

'' (1973), ''

'' (1975) and ''

Foxy Lady "Foxy Lady" (or alternatively "Foxey Lady") is a song by the Jimi Hendrix Experience. It first appeared on their 1967 debut album ''Are You Experienced'' and was later issued as their third single in the U.S. with the alternate spelling. It is o ...

'' (1982). He had an aptitude for writing and devising television comedy, and with Rosenthal won a Writers' Guild award for ''The Lovers''. Having become self-employed once again, Lancashire wrote for other television companies. His output included contributions to the

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...

's 1965-67 ''

United! ''United!'' is a British television series which was produced by the BBC between 1965 and 1967, and was broadcast twice-weekly on BBC1. The series followed the fortunes of a fictional second division football team, Brentwich United. The football ...

'', '' Man at the Top'' (

Thames Television Thames Television, commonly simplified to just Thames, was a Broadcast license, franchise holder for a region of the British ITV (TV network), ITV television network serving Greater London, London and surrounding areas from 30 July 1968 until th ...

, 1970–72) and '' All Creatures Great and Small'' (BBC, 1978–1990).

Personal life

In February 1963, Lancashire married Hilda McCormack, a secretary at the Granada Television studios. He suffered a series of strokes late in his life. He never fully recovered and lived at

Denville Hall Denville Hall is a historic building in Northwood, a town in the London Borough of Hillingdon, England, which is used as a retirement home for professional actors, actresses and members of other theatrical professions. The present building inc ...

, a nursing home for people from the television and theatrical professions. He died at

Watford General Hospital Watford General Hospital is a 521-bed acute District General Hospital situated on Vicarage Road, Watford, Hertfordshire. Together with Hemel Hempstead Hospital and St Albans City Hospital, it is operated by West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust ...

on 3 October 2004 and was survived by Hilda, his actor daughter

Sarah Sarah (born Sarai) is a biblical matriarch and prophetess, a major figure in Abrahamic religions. While different Abrahamic faiths portray her differently, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all depict her character similarly, as that of a piou ...

and her twin brother, and two other sons.

References

Notes Citations

External links

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Profile
televisionheaven.co.uk {{DEFAULTSORT:Lancashire, Geoffrey 1933 births 2004 deaths English television writers People from Oldham English journalists Soap opera writers British comedy writers 20th-century English screenwriters