Raymond George Alfred Cooney, OBE (born 30 May 1932) is an English playwright, actor, and director. His biggest success, '' Run for Your Wife'' (1983), ran for nine years in London's West End and is its longest-running comedy. He has had 17 of his plays performed there.

Career

Cooney began to act in 1946, appearing in many of the

Whitehall farce The Whitehall farces were a series of five long-running comic stage plays at the Whitehall Theatre in London, presented by the actor-manager Brian Rix, in the 1950s and 1960s. They were in the low comedy tradition of British farce, following the ...

s of

Brian Rix Brian Norman Roger Rix, Baron Rix, (27 January 1924 – 20 August 2016) was an English actor-manager, who produced a record-breaking sequence of long-running farces on the London stage, including ''Dry Rot'', '' Simple Spymen'' and ''One for ...

throughout the 1950s and 1960s. It was during this time that he co-wrote his first play, ''

One For The Pot 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1 ...

''. With Tony Hilton, he co-wrote the screenplay for the British comedy film '' What a Carve Up!'' (1961), which features

Sid James Sidney James (born Solomon Joel Cohen; 8 May 1913 – 26 April 1976) was a British actor and comedian whose career encompassed radio, television, stage and screen. He was best known for numerous roles in the Carry On film series. Born to a mid ...

and

Kenneth Connor Kenneth Connor, (6 June 1918 – 28 November 1993) was a British stage, film and broadcasting actor, who rose to national prominence with his appearances in the ''Carry On'' films. Early life Connor was born in Highbury, Islington, London ...

. In 1968 and 1969, Cooney adapted Richard Gordon's ''Doctor'' novels for BBC radio, as series starring

Richard Briers Richard David Briers (14 January 1934 – 17 February 2013) was an English actor whose five-decade career encompassed film, radio, stage and television. Briers first came to prominence as George Starling in ''Marriage Lines'' (1961–66), but ...

. He also took parts in them. Cooney has also appeared on TV, (including an uncredited appearance in the ''

Dial 999 (TV series) ''Dial 999'' is a British television series that ran for one series of 38 episodes from 1958 to 1959. The series was a co-production between ITV contractor ABC Weekend TV, and American television producer Ziv Television Programs. It stars Robe ...

'' ' episode, 'A Mined Area', as a hold-up victim), and in several films, including a film adaptation of his successful theatrical farce ''

Not Now, Darling ''Not Now, Darling'' is a 1967 farce written by English playwrights John Chapman and Ray Cooney, first staged at the Richmond Theatre, in Richmond, England prior to a long West End run. The production starred Donald Sinden and Bernard Cribb ...

'' (1973), which he co-wrote with John Chapman. In 1983, Cooney created the Theatre of Comedy Company and became its

artistic director An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre or dance company, who handles the organization's artistic direction. They are generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogul, since the ...

. During his tenure the company produced over twenty plays such as ''

Pygmalion Pygmalion or Pigmalion may refer to: Mythology * Pygmalion (mythology), a sculptor who fell in love with his statue Stage * ''Pigmalion'' (opera), a 1745 opera by Jean-Philippe Rameau * ''Pygmalion'' (Rousseau), a 1762 melodrama by Jean-Jacques ...

'' (starring

Peter O'Toole Peter Seamus O'Toole (; 2 August 1932 – 14 December 2013) was a British stage and film actor. He attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and began working in the theatre, gaining recognition as a Shakespearean actor at the Bristol Old Vic ...

and

John Thaw John Edward Thaw, (3 January 1942 – 21 February 2002) was an English actor who appeared in a range of television, stage, and cinema roles. He starred in the television series '' Inspector Morse'' as title character Detective Chief Inspector ...

), '' Loot'' and '' Run For Your Wife''. He co-wrote a farce with his son

Michael Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name "Michael" * Michael (archangel), ''first'' of God's archangels in the Jewish, Christian an ...

, ''Tom, Dick and Harry'' (1993). Cooney produced and directed the film '' Run For Your Wife'' (2012), based on his own play. The film however was not a success: it was savaged by critics and has been referred to as one of the worst films of all time. Cooney's farces combine a traditional British bawdiness with structural complication, as characters leap to assumptions, are forced to pretend to be things that they are not, and often talk at cross-purposes. He is greatly admired in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

where he is known as "Le Feydeau Anglais", ("The English Feydeau"), in reference to the French farceur

Georges Feydeau Georges-Léon-Jules-Marie Feydeau (; 8 December 1862 – 5 June 1921) was a French playwright of the era known as the Belle Époque. He is remembered for his farces, written between 1886 and 1914. Feydeau was born in Paris to middle-class parent ...

. Many of his plays have been first produced, or revived, at the

Théâtre de la Michodière The Théâtre de la Michodière is a theatre building and performing arts venue, located at 4 bis, in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris. Built by in 1925 in Art Deco style, it has a tradition of showing boulevard theatre. History On the si ...

in Paris. In January 1975, Cooney was the subject of '' This Is Your Life'' when he was surprised by

Eamonn Andrews Eamonn Andrews, (19 December 1922 – 5 November 1987) was an Irish radio and television presenter, employed primarily in the United Kingdom from the 1950s to the 1980s. From 1960 to 1964 he chaired the Radio Éireann Authority (now the RTÉ A ...

at London's

Savoy Hotel The Savoy Hotel is a luxury hotel located in the Strand in the City of Westminster in central London, England. Built by the impresario Richard D'Oyly Carte with profits from his Gilbert and Sullivan opera productions, it opened on 6 August 188 ...

. In 2005, Cooney was made an Officer of the

Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...

in recognition of his services to drama.

Personal life

Cooney married Linda Dixon in 1962. One of their two sons,

, is a

screenwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based. ...

Bibliography

* ''Who Were You With Last Night?'' (1962) * ''

Chase Me, Comrade ''Not Now, Comrade'' is a 1976 British comedy film directed by Ray Cooney. It was a follow-up to the similarly named 1973 farce ''Not Now, Darling''. It featured a number of British comedy actors including Leslie Phillips, Windsor Davies, Don Es ...

'' (1964) * ''

Charlie Girl ''Charlie Girl'' is a musical comedy which premiered in the West End of London at the Adelphi Theatre on December 15, 1965 and became one of the most successful theatre shows of the day running for 2,202 performances. It closed on 27 March 1971. ...

'' (1965) * ''One for the Pot'' (1966) * ''Stand by Your Bedouin'' (1966) * ''My Giddy Aunt'' (1967) * ''Move Over Mrs. Markham'' (1969) * ''Why Not Stay for Breakfast?'' (1970) * ''Come Back to My Place'' (1973) * ''

'' (1973) * ''There Goes the Bride'' (1974) * ''Elvis'' (1977) * ''

Two into One ''Two Into One'' is a 1984 farce written by English playwright Ray Cooney. It had a long run at the Shaftesbury Theatre starring Donald Sinden Sir Donald Alfred Sinden (9 October 1923 – 12 September 2014) was a British actor. Sinden fe ...

'' (1981) * '' Her Royal Highness'' (co-written with

Royce Ryton Royce Thomas Carlisle Ryton (16 September 1924 – 14 April 2009) was an English playwright. He was educated at Lancing College. During the war he served in the Royal Navy; afterward, he went to train as an actor at the Webber Douglas Academy ...

, 1981) * '' Run for Your Wife'' (1983) * ''Wife Begins at Forty'' (1985) * ''It Runs in the Family'' (1987) * ''Dead Trouble'' (Calibre Cassette Library for the Blind made in association with

Challenge Anneka ''Challenge Anneka'' is a British Reality television, reality programme that aired on BBC One, BBC1 from 8 September 1989 to 15 October 1995 and was hosted by Anneka Rice. It was announced in 2006 that the series was returning, but this time o ...

Episode 5 of Series 1; 1989) which then became '' Out of Order'') * '' Out of Order'' (1991) (also performed under the alternative title '' Whose Wife is it Anyway?'') * ''

Funny Money ''Funny Money'' is a farce written by Ray Cooney. It premièred at The Churchill Theatre, Bromley, London, England, in 1994, followed by a successful two-year run in the West End. Cooney directed his own play and also played the part of Henry ...

'' (1994) * ''Caught in the Net'' (2001) * ''Tom, Dick and Harry'' (2003) * ''Time's Up'' (2005) * ''Twice In A Lifetime'' (2011)

Filmography

*''One for the Pot'', directed by

Alfred Travers Alfred Travers (born 1906, date of death unknown) was a Turkish-born British screenwriter and film director, Filmography * '' Non Stop nach Afrika'' (short) (1933) (as Alfred Jungermann) * '' Kuddelmuddel'' (short) (1934) (as Alfred Jungermann) ...

(South Africa, 1968, based on the play ''One for the Pot'') *''

'', directed by Ray Cooney and David Croft (1973, based on the play ''

'') *''

Not Now, Comrade ''Not Now, Comrade'' is a 1976 British comedy film directed by Ray Cooney. It was a follow-up to the similarly named 1973 farce ''Not Now, Darling''. It featured a number of British comedy actors including Leslie Phillips, Windsor Davies, Don Es ...

'', directed by Ray Cooney and

Harold Snoad Harold Edward Snoad (born 28 August 1935) is a British television producer, writer and director. He is best known for the television sitcom ''Keeping Up Appearances'', starring Patricia Routledge and Clive Swift. He is also well known for having d ...

(1976, based on the play ''Chase me, Comrade'') *''Why Not Stay for Breakfast?'', directed by

Terry Marcel Terry Marcel (born 10 June 1942, Oxford, England) is a British film director, perhaps best known for the cult film ''Hawk the Slayer'' (1980) which he co-created with producer Harry Robertson. His other films include ''Prisoners of the Lost Un ...

(1979, based on the play ''Why Not Stay for Breakfast?'') *'' There Goes the Bride'', directed by

(1980, based on the play ''There Goes the Bride'') *''Sé infiel y no mires con quién'', directed by

Fernando Trueba Fernando Rodríguez Trueba (born 18 January 1955), known as Fernando Trueba, is a Spanish book editor, screenwriter, film director and producer. Between 1974 and 1979, he worked as a film critic for Spain's leading daily newspaper '' El País' ...

(Spain, 1985, based on the play ''Move Over Mrs. Markham'') *''Ute av drift'', 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, 1992, based on the play '' Out of Order'') *'' Out of Order'', directed by

András Kern András Kern (born 28 January 1948 in Budapest) is a Hungarian actor, producer, writer, singer and comedian. Life In 1965 Kern produced a film with a friend, entitled ''Mi Lesz?'' (What will happen?), and subsequently won first prize in the 13 ...

and

Róbert Koltai Róbert Koltai (born 16 December 1943) is a Hungarian actor, film director and screenwriter. He has appeared in over 90 films since 1967. He appeared in the 1976 film '' Man Without a Name'', which was entered into the 26th Berlin Internati ...

(Hungary, 1997, based on the play '' Out of Order'') *''

'', directed by

Leslie Greif Leslie Greif (born July 30, 1954) is an American director, writer, and film and television producer. Career Greif began his career as an NBC Page out of NBC-Burbank. He later was a producer with the television series ''Sins'' in 1986.

(2006, based on the play ''

'') *'' Run for Your Wife'', directed by Ray Cooney and John Luton (2012, based on the play '' Run for Your Wife'')

Screenwriter

*'' The Hand'', directed by

Henry Cass Henry Cass (24 June 1903 – 15 March 1989) was a British director, particularly prolific in film in the horror and comedy genres. Previously an actor, he was also a prolific stage director of classical theatre at the Old Vic in the 1930s. In 19 ...

(1960) *'' The Night We Got the Bird'', directed by

Darcy Conyers Darcy Conyers (1919–1973) was a British screenwriter, actor, producer and film director. He is sometimes credited as D'Arcy Conyers. He was the founder and creator of Bistro Vino in South Kensington, London, in 1964 - possibly the first casua ...

(1961) *'' What a Carve Up!'', directed by

Pat Jackson Patrick Douglas Selmes Jackson (26 March 1916 – 3 June 2011) was an English film and television director. Biography Born in Eltham, to a formerly affluent family which was severely affected by the Wall Street Crash in 1929, and his father' ...

(1961)

References

External links

* *
Michael Starr interviews Ray Cooney OBE

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cooney, Ray 1932 births Living people English dramatists and playwrights English male film actors English male stage actors English male television actors Laurence Olivier Award winners Plays by Ray Cooney Place of birth missing (living people) People educated at Alleyn's School English male dramatists and playwrights Officers of the Order of the British Empire