Jack Popplewell (22 March 1909 – 16 November 1996) was an English writer and playwright.

Life

Popplewell was born and grew up in

Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...

West Riding of Yorkshire The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county County of York, West Riding (the area under the control of West Riding County Council), abbreviated County ...

. He published his first song in 1940, and his first play, ''Blind Alley'' was staged in London in 1953. ''Blind Alley'' opened to positive reviews, and was later adapted to the cinema in ''

Tread Softly Stranger ''Tread Softly Stranger'' is a 1958 British crime drama directed by Gordon Parry and starring Diana Dors, George Baker and Terence Morgan. The film was shot in black-and-white in film noir style, and its setting in an industrial town in norther ...

'', released in 1958, and starring

Diana Dors Diana Dors (born Diana Mary Fluck; 23 October 19314 May 1984) was an English actress and singer. Dors came to public notice as a blonde bombshell, much in the style of Americans Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield and Mamie Van Doren. Dors was pr ...

and George Baker. Popplewell owned Manor Farm,

Churwell Churwell is a suburb of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, between Leeds city centre and Morley. It is southwest of Leeds city centre and away from the Leeds United Elland Road Football Ground. Churwell still retains its semi-rural feel with ...

, where he farmed rhubarb, later moving with his wife, Betty, and two daughters (Juliet and Vanessa) to Vaynol Gate,

Morley, West Yorkshire Morley is a market town and a civil parish within the City of Leeds metropolitan borough, in West Yorkshire, England. Morley is the largest town in the Borough of Leeds after Leeds itself. Morley forms part of the Heavy Woollen District. It l ...

. He died in

Bath Bath may refer to: * Bathing, immersion in a fluid ** Bathtub, a large open container for water, in which a person may wash their body ** Public bathing, a public place where people bathe * Thermae, ancient Roman public bathing facilities Plac ...

Plays

Many were premiered in London's West End. * ''Blind Alley''. Premiere at "Q” Theatre, Kew Bridge, London, 1953. Published Samuel French, 1953. * ''Dead on Nine''. West End premiere at Westminster Theatre, 1955, starring Griffith Jones, Hy Hazel and

Andrew Cruickshank Andrew John Maxton Cruickshank (25 December 1907 in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire29 April 1988 in London) was a Scottish actor, most famous for his portrayal of Dr Cameron in the long-running UK BBC television series ''Dr. Finlay's Casebook'', which ...

. Published Samuel French, 1956. * ''The Vanity Case''. Premiere Oldham, England, 1957. Published Evans, 1957. * ''Dear Delinquent''. West End premiere at Westminster theatre, 1957, starring

David Tomlinson David Cecil MacAlister Tomlinson (7 May 1917 – 24 June 2000) was an English stage, film, and television actor and comedian. Having been described as both a leading man and a character actor, he is primarily remembered for his roles as authori ...

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and

Patrick Cargill Patrick Cargill (3 June 191823 May 1996) was an English actor remembered for his lead role in the British television sitcom ''Father, Dear Father''. Career Cargill was born to middle-class parents living in Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex. After educati ...

. Published Evans, 1958. * ''A Day in the Life of . . .'' West End premiere at Savoy Theatre, 1958, starring

Naunton Wayne Naunton Wayne (born Henry Wayne Davies, 22 June 1901 – 17 November 1970), was a Welsh character actor, born in Pontypridd, Glamorgan, Wales. He was educated at Clifton College. His name was changed by deed poll in 1933. Stage actor His fir ...

and

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. Published Evans, 1959. * ''Breakfast in bed''. Premiere Bradford, England, 1957. Published Evans, 1958. * ''And Suddenly It's Spring''. West End premiere at Duke of York's Theatre, 1959, starring

Frank Lawton Frank Lawton Mokeley (30 September 1904 – 10 June 1969) was an English actor. His parents were stage players Daisy May Collier and Frank Lawton (I). His first major screen credit was ''Young Woodley'' (1930). In the mid-1930s, Lawton appe ...

, Yolande Donlan and

Margaret Lockwood Margaret Mary Day Lockwood, CBE (15 September 1916 – 15 July 1990), was an English actress. One of Britain's most popular film stars of the 1930s and 1940s, her film appearances included ''The Lady Vanishes'' (1938), ''Night Train to Munich' ...

. Published Samuel French, 1959). * ''The Last Word''. Premiere Edinburgh, 1958. Published Samuel French, 1960. * ''Hocus-Pocus''. Premiere Eastbourne, England, 1961. Published Samuel French, 1961. * ''Careful Rapture''. Published Samuel French, 1961. * ''Tale from the Vienna Woods''. Published Samuel French, 1961. * ''Policy for Murder''. West End premiere at Duke of York's Theatre, 1962, starring John Slater,

Dermot Walsh Dermot Walsh (10 September 1924 – 26 June 2002) was an Irish stage, film and television actor, known for portraying King Richard the Lionheart in the 1962 television series '' ''Richard the Lionheart'. Early life Born in Dublin, Walsh was t ...

and

Heather Chasen Heather Jean Chasen (20 July 1927 – 22 May 2020) was an English actress, known for her roles in soap operas; playing Valerie Pollard in the ITV soap opera, ''Crossroads'', from 1982 to 1986 and guest roles in ''Doctors'', ''Holby City ...

. Published Samuel French, 1963. * ''Every Other Evening''. West End premiere at Phoenix Theatre, 1964, starring

Derek Farr Derrick Capel Farr (7 February 191221 March 1986) was an English actor who appeared regularly in British films and television from 1938 until his death in 1986. His more famous roles include Group Captain John Whitworth in '' The Dam Busters' ...

and

. Adapted from Francois Campaux. Published Samuel French, 1965. * ''Busybody''. West End premiere at Duke of York's Theatre, 1964, starring

Irene Handl Irene Handl (27 December 1901 – 29 November 1987) was a British author and character actress who appeared in more than 100 British films. Life Irene Handl was born in Maida Vale, London, the younger of two daughters of an Austria-born father ...

. Published Samuel French 1965. * ''Dear Children''. Premiere Canterbury, England, 1966. Published Samuel French, 1967. * ''Mother's Day Out''. Published Samuel French, 1967. * ''Dead Easy''. West End premiere at St Martin's Theatre, 1974, starring

. Published Samuel French, 1975. * ''Darling I'm Home''. West End premiere at Windsor Theatre, 1970. Published Samuel French, 1976. * ''High Infidelity''. Premiered on tour, 1981. Published Samuel French, 1982. Unpublished plays include ''Boomerang'' (Premiered Sheffield, England 1964), ''How do you spell Mississippi?'' and ''The Queen's Favourites'' (1975). Popplewell also adapted Harold Brighouse's ''Hobson's Choice'' into a musical.

Music

Popplewell published over 40 songs, recorded by, amongst others,

Vera Lynn Dame Vera Margaret Lynn (; 20 March 191718 June 2020) was an English singer and entertainer whose musical recordings and performances were very popular during World War II. She is honorifically known as the " Forces' Sweetheart", having giv ...

Gracie Fields Dame Gracie Fields (born Grace Stansfield; 9 January 189827 September 1979) was an English actress, singer, comedian and star of cinema and music hall who was one of the top ten film stars in Britain during the 1930s and was considered the h ...

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, musician and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a ...

, Geraldo, Anne Shelton with

Ambrose (bandleader) Benjamin Baruch Ambrose (11 September 1896 – 11 June 1971), known professionally as Ambrose or Bert Ambrose, was an English bandleader and violinist. Ambrose became the leader of a highly acclaimed British dance band, ''Bert Ambrose & His Orc ...

and his Orchestra, and

Beniamino Gigli Beniamino Gigli ( , ; 20 March 1890 – 30 November 1957) was an Italian opera singer (lyric tenor). He is widely regarded as one of the greatest tenors of his generation. Early life Gigli was born in Recanati, in the Marche, the son of a shoem ...

. He collaborated frequently with Michael Carr, also from Leeds. His first published song, ''If I Should Fall in Love Again'' was winner of the ''

News Chronicle The ''News Chronicle'' was a British daily newspaper. Formed by the merger of '' The Daily News'' and the ''Daily Chronicle'' in 1930, it ceased publication on 17 October 1960,''Liberal Democrat News'' 15 October 2010, accessed 15 October 2010 be ...

'' song contest in 1940. Other titles include ''My Girl's an Irish Girl'' recorded by

, and ''Tonight Beloved'' recorded by Gigli. Published songs: * ''If I Should Fall in Love Again'', music and words Popplewell. * ''Until You Fall in Love'', credited as music Popplewell, words Michael Carr. * ''Ev'ry Time I Look at You'', music Michael Carr, words Popplewell. * ''The First Lullaby'', music Michael Carr, words Popplewell. * ''The Day I Met His Majesty the King'', music Michael Carr, words Popplewell. * '' You're in my Arms (and a million miles away),'' music Michael Carr, words Popplewell. * ''Caballero on the Rio Grande'', music Michael Carr, words Popplewell. * ''In Old Mexico'', music Michael Carr, words Popplewell. * ''There's a Cowboy Ridin' Thru' the Sky'', music Michael Carr, words Popplewell. * ''My Silly Old Cowpoke Grandpa'', music Michael Carr, words Popplewell * ''Only You'', music

Vincent Scotto Vincent Scotto (21 April 1874 – 15 November 1952) was a French composer. Biography Early life Vincent Scotto was born on 21 April 1874 in Marseille to Pasquale Scotto d'Aniello and Antonia Intartaglia, from the island of Procida, north of th ...

, words Popplewell. * ''Mistletoe Kiss'', music Michael Carr, words Popplewell. * ''Really and Truly'', music Michael Carr, words Popplewell. * ''With all my Heart'', music Reginald King, words Popplewell. * ''After the Rain'', music

Bert Reisfeld Berthold Reisfeld (Vienna, 1906 - Badenweiler, 1991) was a lyricist, noted for adapting lyrics to well-known songs either to or from English. The songs he wrote English lyrics for include: * "It's Oh So Quiet", adapted from the German song "Und Je ...

, words Popplewell. * ''Can't You See the Silver Lining?'' music Michael Carr, words Popplewell. * ''One Love'', music and words Popplewell. * ''Do You Ever Dream of Tomorrow (like I do)?'' music and words Popplewell. * ''My Girl's an Irish Girl'', music and words Popplewell. * ''Song of Paradise'', music Reginald King, words Popplewell. * ''In old Santa Fe'', music Stolz, words Popplewell. * ''No More'' (based on

La Paloma "La Paloma", "The Dove" in English, is a popular Spanish song that has been produced and reinterpreted in diverse cultures, settings, arrangements, and recordings over the last 140 years. The song was written by the Spanish Basque composer Seb ...

), music

Sebastián Yradier Saint Sebastian (in Latin: ''Sebastianus''; Narbo, Gallia Narbonensis, Roman Empire c. AD 255 – Rome, Italia, Roman Empire c. AD 288) was an early Christian saint and martyr. According to traditional belief, he was killed during the Diocle ...

, adapted Popplewell. * ''Wonderful'', music Michon, words Popplewell. * ''Esmeralda'', music and words Popplewell. * ''Tonight Beloved'' (Ritorna Amore), music Manli di Veroli, words Popplewell. * ''Coronation Bells'', music TW Partridge, words John Bull, pseudonym of Popplewell, Parsons and Phillips. * ''If There is a Mountain'', music Popplewell, words Popplewell and John Turner. * ''Ivy'', music and words Popplewell.

Film and Television

featured Popplewell's songs in her wartime movies; ''

We'll Meet Again "We'll Meet Again" is a 1939 song by English singer Vera Lynn with music and lyrics composed and written by English songwriters Ross Parker and Hughie Charles. The song is one of the most famous of the Second World War era, and resonated with ...

'' (1942) (''After the Rain''), ''

Rhythm Serenade ''Rhythm Serenade'' is a 1943 British musical film directed by Gordon Wellesley and starring Vera Lynn, Peter Murray-Hill and Julien Mitchell. It was shot at the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith. The film's sets were designed by the art director ...

'' (1943) (''With All My Heart''), and '' One Exciting Night'' (1944) (''One Love''). The film ''

'' (UK, 1958) was based on ''Blind Alley''. ''Busybody'' has been translated onto the big screen in Denmark (1969) and Norway (1970): * ', directed by Bent Christensen (Denmark, 1969) * ', directed by

Knut Bohwim Knut Bohwim (12 March 1931 – 16 June 2020) was a leading Norwegian film director. He co-founded the company ''Teamfilm A/S'' in 1962. His debut as film director was ''Operasjon Sjøsprøyt'' from 1964. He directed the war drama '' Det størs ...

(Norway, 1970) In Germany, ''Busybody'' was brought to stage under the titles ''Frau Pieper lebt gefährlich'' and ''Keine Leiche ohne Lily''. It has also been translated into

Low German : : : : : (70,000) (30,000) (8,000) , familycolor = Indo-European , fam2 = Germanic , fam3 = West Germanic , fam4 = North Sea Germanic , ancestor = Old Saxon , ancestor2 = Middle L ...

for Hamburg's Ohnsorg Theater, where Popplewell's play ''How Do You Spell Mississippi?'' was also brought to stage in Low German. ''Dead on Nine'' was adapted for television as an episode of the

Kraft Mystery Theater ''Kraft Television Theatre'' is an American anthology drama television series running from 1947 to 1958. It began May 7, 1947 on NBC, airing at 7:30pm on Wednesday evenings until December of that year. It first promoted MacLaren's Imperial Chees ...

(USA, 1959), and Popplewell wrote the screenplay, ''Born Every Minute'', for an episode of

Comedy Playhouse ''Comedy Playhouse'' is a long-running British anthology series of one-off unrelated sitcoms that aired for 120 episodes from 1961 to 1975. Many episodes later graduated to their own series, including ''Steptoe and Son'', '' Meet the Wife'', ...

(UK, 1972). Television versions of other stage plays by Popplewell have been broadcast in Germany, France, Belgium, Austria, Hungary and Russia.

References

External links

Jack Popplewell
Unknown, British Film Institute biography:Jack Popplewell. Retrieved 22 March 2018

Anonymous. Obituary:Jack Popplewell. New York Times. Thursday 28 November 1996.

Bennedick, A. Obituary: Jack Popplewell. Independent, Wednesday 27 November 1996. * Barraclough, R., Reekie, D. (2003). Morley Entertainers. Zodiac Publishing, London, U.K., 2003. {{DEFAULTSORT:Popplewell, Jack Writers from Leeds British lyricists 1909 births 1996 deaths 20th-century English dramatists and playwrights English male dramatists and playwrights 20th-century English male writers