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{{Short description|British actor}}
⚫
'''Alan Williams''' is a [[United Kingdom|British]] actor and playwright, who has performed in film, television and theatre in both the United Kingdom and [[Canada]].<ref name=success>"Success, failure all part of the plan for playwright". ''[[Winnipeg Free Press]]'', January 6, 2015.</ref>
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
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'''Alan Williams''' (born 1954 in Manchester, England<ref>''[http://mbplays.ca/news/alan-williams-brings-girl-to-winnipeg Alan Williams brings Girl to Winnipeg]''. In: mbplays.ca, January 6, 2015.</ref>) is a British actor and playwright, who has performed in film, television and theatre in both the United Kingdom and [[Canada]].<ref name=success>"Success, Failure All Part of the Plan for Playwright". ''[[Winnipeg Free Press]]'', 6 January 2015.</ref>


==Background==
==Life and career==
Originally from [[Manchester]],<ref name=success/> he took some classes in theatre school but received the bulk of his training as an apprentice with the [[Hull Truck Theatre]].<ref name=talltales>"Tall tales from outsiders; Performer-playwright brings acclaimed trilogy to Ottawa". ''[[Ottawa Citizen]]'', May 4, 1988.</ref> 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 International Theatre Festival in [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]] in 1981,<ref>"Cockroach displays humor". ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', May 20, 1981.</ref> and then decided to remain in the city, becoming playwright in residence at the [[Tarragon Theatre]].<ref name=cliches>"From Cockroach Trilogy to suburbia Williams battles theatre cliches". ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', January 11, 1984.</ref>
Originally from [[Manchester]]<ref name=success/> and educated at [[The Manchester Grammar School]], he took some classes in theatre school but received the bulk of his training as an apprentice with the [[Hull Truck Theatre]].<ref name=talltales>"Tall tales from outsiders; Performer-playwright brings acclaimed trilogy to Ottawa". ''[[Ottawa Citizen]]'', 4 May 1988.</ref> 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]] and subsequently at the International Theatre Festival in [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]] in 1981,<ref>"Cockroach displays humor". ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', 20 May 1981.</ref> and then decided to remain in the city, becoming playwright in residence at the [[Tarragon Theatre]].<ref name=cliches>"From Cockroach Trilogy to suburbia Williams battles theatre cliches". ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', 11 January 1984.</ref>


⚫
He later moved to [[Winnipeg]], [[Manitoba]], becoming a theatre professor at the [[University of Winnipeg]].<ref name=success/> His subsequent plays in Canada included ''The Warlord of Willowdale'',<ref name=cliches/> ''The White Dogs of Texas'',<ref>"Spontaneity sings in Williams's White Dogs". ''[[Ottawa Citizen]]'', 5 May 1988.</ref> ''King of America'',<ref>"King of America gives audience unique lesson in hilarious history". ''[[Ottawa Citizen]]'', 12 May 1998.</ref> ''Dixieland's Night of Shame'',<ref>"Tall tales and home truths: The creator of the Cockroach Trilogy tries his hand at drama". ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', 22 August 1987.</ref> ''Welcome to the NHL''<ref name=talltales/> and ''The Duke of Nothing''.<ref>"Playwright takes on Canadian theatre values". ''[[Toronto Star]]'', 15 March 1991.</ref> He also took some acting roles in other playwrights' work, most notably appearing opposite [[Linda Griffiths]] in her two-person play ''[[The Darling Family]]''<ref>"'The act of theatre is an act of hope'". ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', 24 January 1991.</ref> and its 1994 film adaptation by [[Alan Zweig]].<ref>"Movie strikes balance in the abortion debate". ''[[Edmonton Journal]]'', 7 December 1994.</ref>
==Canadian career==
He later moved to [[Winnipeg]], [[Manitoba]], becoming a theatre professor at the [[University of Winnipeg]].<ref name=success/>


⚫
In 1996, his Cockroach trilogy was adapted into the film ''[[The Cockroach that Ate Cincinnati]]'' by filmmaker [[Michael McNamara (filmmaker)|Michael McNamara]].<ref>"Film is '60s surreal: Cockroach That Ate Cincinnati funny and disconcerting". ''[[Montreal Gazette]]'', 24 May 1997.</ref> The film garnered Williams a [[Genie Award]] nomination for [[Canadian Screen Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]] at the [[18th Genie Awards]].<ref>"Sweet Hereafter leads the Genie award pack". ''[[The Province]]'', 5 November 1997.</ref> Soon after completing the film of ''The Cockroach that Ate Cincinnati'', Williams moved back to England,<ref name=fantasy>"U.K. artist finds truth stranger than fantasy". ''[[Calgary Herald]]'', 10 January 2015.</ref> where he has had roles in films such as ''[[The Scold's Bridle]]'', ''[[Touching Evil]]'', ''[[The Life and Death of Peter Sellers]]'' and ''[[Vera Drake]]'', and television series including ''[[Always and Everyone]]'', ''[[Coronation Street]]'', ''[[Wire in the Blood]]'', ''[[Life Begins (TV series)|Life Begins]]'', ''[[The Virgin Queen (TV serial)|The Virgin Queen]]'', ''[[Rome (TV series)|Rome]]'', ''[[Luther (TV series)|Luther]]'', ''[[Father Brown (2013 TV series)|Father Brown]]'', ''[[Doc Martin (TV series)|Doc Martin]]'' and ''[[Starlings (TV series)|Starlings]]''. He returned to Canada in 2015 to tour his new theatre trilogy ''The Girl with Two Voices''.<ref name=success/><ref name=fantasy/>
⚫
His subsequent plays in Canada included ''The Warlord of Willowdale'',<ref name=cliches/> ''The White Dogs of Texas'',<ref>"Spontaneity sings in Williams's White Dogs". ''[[Ottawa Citizen]]'', May 5, 1988.</ref> ''King of America'',<ref>"King of America gives audience unique lesson in hilarious history". ''[[Ottawa Citizen]]'', May 12, 1998.</ref> ''Dixieland's Night of Shame'',<ref>"Tall tales and home truths: The creator of the Cockroach Trilogy tries his hand at drama". ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', August 22, 1987.</ref> ''Welcome to the NHL''<ref name=talltales/> and ''The Duke of Nothing''.<ref>"Playwright takes on Canadian theatre values". ''[[Toronto Star]]'', March 15, 1991.</ref> He also took some acting roles in other playwrights' work, most notably appearing opposite [[Linda Griffiths]] in her two-person play ''[[The Darling Family]]''<ref>"'The act of theatre is an act of hope'". ''[[The Globe and Mail]]'', January 24, 1991.</ref> and its 1994 film adaptation by [[Alan Zweig]].<ref>"Movie strikes balance in the abortion debate". ''[[Edmonton Journal]]'', December 7, 1994.</ref>


==Filmography==
In 1996, his Cockroach trilogy was adapted into the film ''[[The Cockroach that Ate Cincinnati]]''.<ref>"Film is '60s surreal: Cockroach That Ate Cincinnati funny and disconcerting". ''[[Montreal Gazette]]'', May 24, 1997.</ref> The film garnered Williams a [[Genie Award]] nomination for [[Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role|Best Actor]] at the [[18th Genie Awards]].<ref>"Sweet Hereafter leads the Genie award pack". ''[[The Province]]'', November 5, 1997.</ref>
{{div col}}

* ''Mistress Madeleine'' (1976) as Kirk
==Return to Britain==
* ''[[The Darling Family]]'' (1994) as He
⚫
Soon after completing ''The Cockroach that Ate Cincinnati'', Williams moved back to England,<ref name=fantasy>"U.K. artist finds truth stranger than fantasy". ''[[Calgary Herald]]'', January 10, 2015.</ref> where he has had roles in films such as ''[[The Scold's Bridle]]'', ''[[Touching Evil]]'', ''[[The Life and Death of Peter Sellers]]'' and ''[[Vera Drake]]'', and television series including ''[[Always and Everyone]]'', ''[[Coronation Street]]'', ''[[Wire in the Blood]]'', ''[[Life Begins (TV series)|Life Begins]]'', ''[[The Virgin Queen (TV serial)|The Virgin Queen]]'', ''[[Rome (TV series)|Rome]]'', ''[[Luther (TV series)|Luther]]'', ''[[Father Brown (2013 TV series)|Father Brown]]'' and ''[[Starlings (TV series)|Starlings]]''.
* ''[[The Cockroach that Ate Cincinnati]]'' (1996) as Captain

* ''Getting Hurt'' (TV - 1998) as Paranoid
He returned to Canada in 2015 to tour his new theatre trilogy ''The Girl with Two Voices''.<ref name=success/><ref name=fantasy/>
* ''[[Among Giants]]'' (1998) as Frank
* ''[[Elephant Juice]]'' (1999) as Gezzer-man on Tube
* ''[[Love in a Cold Climate (2001 TV series)|Love in a Cold Climate]]'' (2001) as Religious speaker
* ''[[All or Nothing (film)|All or Nothing]]'' (2002) as Drunk
* ''[[Heartlands (film)|Heartlands]]'' (2002) as Deno
* ''[[Sirens (2002 TV serial)|Sirens]]'' (TV - 2002) as DCI Struther
* ''[[Bright Young Things (film)|Bright Young Things]]'' (2003) as Bookie
* ''[[The Mayor of Casterbridge (2003 film)|The Mayor of Casterbridge]]'' (TV - 2003) as Stubberd
* ''The Last King'' (2003 TV mini-series) as Preacher
* ''[[The Life and Death of Peter Sellers]]'' (2004) as ''Casino Royale'' director
* ''[[Vera Drake]]'' (2004) as Sick husband
* ''Derailed'' (TV 2005) as Ken Hodson
* ''[[A Waste of Shame]]'' (2005) as George Wilkins
* ''[[The Virgin Queen (TV serial)|The Virgin Queen]]'' (2005 TV mini-series) as Doctor John Dee
* ''[[Grow Your Own]]'' (2007) as Kenny
* ''[[Spooks (TV series)]]'' (series 7 episode 7 - 2008) as Charles Grady
* ''[[Personal Affairs]]'' (2009) as David Johnston
* ''Pulse'' (TV - 2010) as Charlie Maddox
* ''[[London Boulevard]]'' (2010) as Joe
* ''[[The Crimson Petal and the White (TV serial)|The Crimson Petal and the White]]'' (2011) as Colonel Leek
* ''[[Midsomer Murders]]'' (2011) as Ezra Canning
* ''[[Vera (TV series)|Vera]]'' (TV series 1 episode 2 - 2011) as Michael Long
* ''[[Run for Your Wife (2012 film)|Run for Your Wife]]'' (2012)
* ''[[Endeavour (TV series)|Endeavour]]'' (series 1 episode 4 - 2013) as Cyril Morse
* ''[[The Crown (TV series)|The Crown]]'' (2016) as Professor Hogg
* ''[[Trespass Against Us]]'' (2017) as Noah
* ''[[Father Brown (2013 TV series)|Father Brown]]'' (2017-2020) 5 episodes as Blind ‘Arry
* ''[[Peterloo (film)|Peterloo]]'' (2018) as Magistrate Marriott
* ''[[The Capture (TV series)|The Capture]]'' (2019) as Eddie Emery
* ''[[Chernobyl (miniseries)|Chernobyl]]'' (2019) as KGB Deputy Chairman Viktor Charkov
* ''[[Casualty (TV series)|Casualty]]'' (2021) as Roy Scaddon
* ''[[Inside Man (2022 TV series)|Inside Man]]'' (2022) as Gordon
{{div col end}}


==References==
==References==
{{reflist|30em}}
{{reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
*{{imdb name|0929977}}
* {{IMDb name|0929977}}


{{authority control}}
{{authority control}}
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[[Category:Canadian male stage actors]]
[[Category:Canadian male stage actors]]
[[Category:Canadian male dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:Canadian male dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:Canadian expatriates in England]]
[[Category:Male actors from Manchester]]
[[Category:Male actors from Manchester]]
[[Category:Writers from Manchester]]
[[Category:Writers from Manchester]]
[[Category:University of Winnipeg faculty]]
[[Category:Academic staff of University of Winnipeg]]
[[Category:20th-century Canadian male writers]]
[[Category:20th-century Canadian male writers]]
[[Category:21st-century Canadian male writers]]
[[Category:21st-century Canadian male writers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1954 births]]
[[Category:People educated at Manchester Grammar School]]

Latest revision as of 01:25, 17 November 2024

Alan Williams (born 1954 in Manchester, England[1]) is a British actor and playwright, who has performed in film, television and theatre in both the United Kingdom and Canada.[2]

Life and career

[edit]

Originally from Manchester[2] and educated at The Manchester Grammar School, he took some classes in theatre school but received the bulk of his training as an apprentice with the Hull Truck Theatre.[3] 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 and subsequently at the International Theatre Festival in Toronto, Ontario in 1981,[4] and then decided to remain in the city, becoming playwright in residence at the Tarragon Theatre.[5]

He later moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba, becoming a theatre professor at the University of Winnipeg.[2] His subsequent plays in Canada included The Warlord of Willowdale,[5] The White Dogs of Texas,[6] King of America,[7] Dixieland's Night of Shame,[8] Welcome to the NHL[3] and The Duke of Nothing.[9] He also took some acting roles in other playwrights' work, most notably appearing opposite Linda Griffiths in her two-person play The Darling Family[10] and its 1994 film adaptation by Alan Zweig.[11]

In 1996, his Cockroach trilogy was adapted into the film The Cockroach that Ate Cincinnati by filmmaker Michael McNamara.[12] The film garnered Williams a Genie Award nomination for Best Actor at the 18th Genie Awards.[13] Soon after completing the film of The Cockroach that Ate Cincinnati, Williams moved back to England,[14] where he has had roles in films such as The Scold's Bridle, Touching Evil, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers and Vera Drake, and television series including Always and Everyone, Coronation Street, Wire in the Blood, Life Begins, The Virgin Queen, Rome, Luther, Father Brown, Doc Martin and Starlings. He returned to Canada in 2015 to tour his new theatre trilogy The Girl with Two Voices.[2][14]

Filmography

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Alan Williams brings Girl to Winnipeg. In: mbplays.ca, January 6, 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d "Success, Failure All Part of the Plan for Playwright". Winnipeg Free Press, 6 January 2015.
  3. ^ a b "Tall tales from outsiders; Performer-playwright brings acclaimed trilogy to Ottawa". Ottawa Citizen, 4 May 1988.
  4. ^ "Cockroach displays humor". The Globe and Mail, 20 May 1981.
  5. ^ a b "From Cockroach Trilogy to suburbia Williams battles theatre cliches". The Globe and Mail, 11 January 1984.
  6. ^ "Spontaneity sings in Williams's White Dogs". Ottawa Citizen, 5 May 1988.
  7. ^ "King of America gives audience unique lesson in hilarious history". Ottawa Citizen, 12 May 1998.
  8. ^ "Tall tales and home truths: The creator of the Cockroach Trilogy tries his hand at drama". The Globe and Mail, 22 August 1987.
  9. ^ "Playwright takes on Canadian theatre values". Toronto Star, 15 March 1991.
  10. ^ "'The act of theatre is an act of hope'". The Globe and Mail, 24 January 1991.
  11. ^ "Movie strikes balance in the abortion debate". Edmonton Journal, 7 December 1994.
  12. ^ "Film is '60s surreal: Cockroach That Ate Cincinnati funny and disconcerting". Montreal Gazette, 24 May 1997.
  13. ^ "Sweet Hereafter leads the Genie award pack". The Province, 5 November 1997.
  14. ^ a b "U.K. artist finds truth stranger than fantasy". Calgary Herald, 10 January 2015.
[edit]
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