Profile of Peter Tinniswood on Famous Like Me

Peter Tinniswood (December 21, 1936 - January 9, 2003) was an English radio and TV comedy scriptwriter, and author of a series of popular cricketing novels.

Television and radio work

1964 saw Peter collaborate with long-term writing partner David Nobbs on the BBC comedy Lance At Large, starring Lance Percival. This was an innovative attempt to update the sitcom formula, as Percival's character Alan Day, was involved in different scenarios and meeting different people in each episode.

The short-lived ITV series Never Say Die (1970) drew upon Peter's days as a hospital porter, and was set in Victoria Memorial and focused on the comedy created between the patients and the staff. It starred Reginald Marsh and Patrick Newell.

Perhaps Peter's best known comedy was 1975's I Didn't Know You Cared featuring the Brandons, a brash, northern family. Adapted from his novels for the BBC, this programme ran until 1979, and featured Liz Smith, Robin Bailey, John Comer and a young Stephen Rea.

In 1980 the BBC produced a series based on other Tinniswood books, featuring the character of The Brigadier, a cricketer, played by Robin Bailey. Some of these stories were also adapted for BBC Radio 4. The series was also remade in 1985 for Channel 4.

For ITV in 1983 peter wrote The Home Front, again set in the north of England. It starred Brenda Bruce as Mrs Place, a nosey, arrogant mother who lorded it over her three children. Two years later ITV also produced Mog, based on Peter's 1970 novel and starring Enn Reitel as the titular character. This had episodes written by Ian La Frenais and Dick Clement, but it was not a success. Also in 1985 was South Of The Border, starring Brian Glover as Edgar Rowley, a Yorkshireman forced to migrate to the south of England.

Some of the programmes he has written for radio include Uncle Mort's North Country, Uncle Mort's South Country and Uncle Mort's Celtic Fringe - all for BBC Radio 4.

TV credits

• That Was The Week That Was (1962)
• The Dick Emery Show (1963)
• Lance At Large (1964)
• The Frost Report (1966)
• Roy Hudd (1970)
• Never Say Die (1970)
• I Didn't Know You Cared (1975)
• Tales From A Long Room (1980) (BBC)
• The Home Front (1983)
• Mog (1985)
• South Of The Border (1985)
• Tales From A Long Room (1985) (Channel 4)
• Duck Patrol (1998)

Novels

• A Touch Of Daniel (1969)
• Mog (1970)
• I Didn't Know You Cared (1973)
• Except You're A Bird (1974)

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