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Andrew Davies (b 1936) is a Welsh writer of screenplays and novels, best known for House of Cards and A Very Peculiar Practice, a comedy from 1986 about the privatization of an English university..
He began with writing radio plays. HIs first, from 1964, was based on his teaching days in Wales. The producer decided to record it on location at the school, but the headteacher recognised himself in the script and threatened to sue, so the broadcast was pulled. (I don't know if it was ever broadcast - Ed) A number of other radio plays followed, most of which are listed below.
The writer says he turned from original scripts to adapting books because he was an autobiographical playwright who ran out of material. “I was a young guy then, with lots going on in my head and in my life, which I wanted to write about".
As for more recent work, Andrew has adapted Les Miserables for TV, in six 1-hour episodes (broadcast Jan-Feb 2019).
LIST OF A FEW OF THE RADIO PLAYS
16 Jul 84 Campus Blues
14 Oct 76 Steph and the Zero-Structured Lifestyle AFT
30 Aug 72 The Shortsighted Bear AFT
29 Mar 72 Steph and the Simple Life MWT
01 Sep 71 The Innocent Eye
19 May 71 Steph and the Man of Some Distinction
10 Oct 70 Filthy Fryer and the Woman of Maturer Years
29 Jul 70 Come on then, astonish me!
09 Jul 69 Who's Going to Take Me On?
08 Aug 67 A Day In Bed
06 May 67 Getting The Smell Of It
30 Oct 64 The Hospititalization of Samuel Pellet (Third)
24 Mar 64 Student Teacher
date nk Purple Land
NOTES
R4 1989-12-11 Children's programme: Listening Corner
Michael Rosen reads The Fantastic Feats of Doctor Boox by Andrew
Davies. Producer: David Ian Neville.
R4 1984-07-16 Monday Play: Campus Blues
Westchester Campus was to be one of the high points of Karl's career. But learning is not something they have a lot of time for in Westchester, and the extracurricular activities can be fun, as his wife Sally-Anne discovers.
'Campus blues' sung and performed by Mitch Dalton.
Karl: Garrick Hagon,
Sally-Anne: Shelly Tompson,
Arthur: Christopher Godwin,
Egerton: Julian Curry,
Elwyn Price: Ioan Meredith,
Ralph Brownlow: Edward de Souza,
Vera Brownlow: Jane Wenham,
Megan Price: Myfanwy Talog,
Liz Butcher: Helena Breck,
Geoffrey: William Hope.
Produced by Jeremy Mortimer.
R4 - 1980-01-08 The Matter of Arthur (Feature)
Paul Vaughan looks at a few of the treaures inspired by the tales of King Arthur and his knights.
A Kaleidoscope production, with contributors
John Steinbeck, Paul Vaughan,
Elaine Steinbeck, Robert Wollsten,
Richard Barber, Andrew Davies,
John Boorman, Geoffrey Ashe,
John Matthews. Producer: John Powell.
R4 - 1976-10-14 Steph and the Zero-Structured Lifestyle
Another Steph Smith play. BBC blurb not very informative: " I wish I could let things alone. I have to know where I am. I can't stand zero-structure' ... He thinks he has it all cracked but really he likes things in a mess. 'I'm supposed to be free but really I like things on tramlines. What shall I do? "
Steph Smith: Kate Crutchley,
Joe: Eric Allen,
Ben: Michael Harbour,
Headmaster: John Baddeley,
Restaurant manager: Saeed Jarfret,
Upperclass lout: Terry Molloy,
with Paul Henry, Elizabeth Revell, Esma Wilson and members of the fifth-year Drama Group of Droitwich High School. Produced by Roger Pine; BBC Birmingham.
R4 Afternoon Theatre - The Shortsighted Bear....1972
30 Aug 72. BBC blurb: ' Oh, Raymond, Raymond Rat ," trills the girl child as she runs up the stairs, her hair flowing free behind her, come up to the playroom, Raymond Rat, there's something you simply must see! " '
Producer .......... Anthony Cornish, Birmingham.
William MacReady .......... Andrew Crawford,
Ray .......... Patrick Mower,
Sandra .......... Rosemary Dorken,
Lila ..........Heather Barrett.
R4 - 1972-03-30 Steph and the Simple Life
The BBC blurb for this one is limited to an out-of-context quote: 'There's nothing more natural than standing stark naked outside the front door having a shave in a howling gale'.
Richard .......... Jon Rollason,
Dorothea .......... Liane Aukin,
Steph .......... Katherine Crutchley,
Ben .......... Stephen Yardley,
Landlord .......... George Woolley,
Yokels .......... Graham Rigby and Anthony Benson,
with Simon Cornish, William Davies, Anna Davies, Elizabeth Moore and Anthony Moore.
Producer: Anthony Cornish (Birmingham).
R4 - 1971-09-01 Midweek Theatre - The Innocent Eye
Wishing to experience ' real life ' before he becomes a teacher, Rodney Smart takes a job as a private eye. His subsequent adventures with the Mafia, fans of Roman Polanski, the seductive Nadia, and a play-group, rival those of James Bond.
Producer: James Duckett, Birmingham.
Rodney: Derek Seaton,
Clarice: Catherine Crutchley,
Grope: John Baddeley,
Grappelli: Peter Whitbread,
Nadia: Liane Aukin,
Greasy: George Woolley,
Chemist: George Woolley,
Miss Mittens: Peggy Hughes,
Heavy: Paul Henry,
Man In street: Paul Henry,
Enoch: Jonathan Soper.
R4 - 1971-05-19 Steph and the Man of Some Distinction
By Andrew Davies. Midweek Theatre. The third comedy about Steph Smith , who now yearns for a ' man of some distinction.' She meets one in Gavin, a university lecturer, but he turns out to be a man of some complexity as well. Produced by James Duckett, Birmingham.
Steph Smith: Catherine Crutchley,
Ben: Paul Henry,
Gavin: Alex Johnston,
Jeremy: Timothy Bateson,
Barman: Laurence Rew.
1970-10-10 Filthy Fryer and the Woman of Maturer Years
The BBC blurb for this one is incomprehensible.
Produced by Anthony Cornish, Birmingham.
Filthy Fryer .......... Derek Seaton,
Mrs McFarlane .......... Patricia Green,
Melanie .......... Catherine Crutchley,
Watkins .......... John Ogwen,
Price .......... Peter Biddle,
Marquis de Sade .......... David King.
R4 1970-07-29 Come on then, astonish me!
Steph Smith meets the world head-on and finds it wanting.
Produced by Anthony Cornish, Birmingham.
Steph Smith: Catherine Crutchley,
Linda: Beverley Sutherland,
Mary: Judith Steele,
Miss Heddon: Penelope Shaw,
Alistair Smart: Jeremy Burnham,
Tony Newman: Jon Rollason,
Nigel: Jeremy Mason,
Headmaster: Leslie Dunn.
R2 1969-07-09 Midweek Theatre - Who's Going to Take Me On?
Steph Smith, the first female Mass Rapist ... little did the Sales Manager realise that the shy young brunette in his outer office was a menace to every underwear rep in the Midlands.
Produced by Anthony Cornish.
Steph Smith: Catherine Crutchley,
Lily: Jill Meers,
Christine: Alice Miller,
Alma: Jlnnie Schiele,
Mark: Jeremy Mason,
Clewes: Leslie Dunn,
NAHES (sic): Jon Rollason,
with Alan Devereux, Paul Henry, Jack Holloway and George Woolley.
Home Service - 1967-08-08 A Day in Bed
by Andrew Davies. BBC blurb: "Dear Sir,
The radio set I purchased from you in March is defective in its reception. It only broadcasts insults directed at my own person.
Yours faithfully...
Produced by .......... Leslie Megahey,
Jacob Slade .......... Ian Carmichael,
Mary Slade .......... Eva Haddon,
Compere .......... Nigel Anthony,
Bernie Brown, comedian .......... Anthony Jackson,
Mr B Brown, window cleaner .......... Anthony Jackson,
BBC announcer .......... Andrew Gemmill,
BBC lady announcer .......... Barbara Mitchell,
The Boss .......... Harold Kasket.
Home Service - 1967-05-06 Getting the Smell of It
By Andrew Davies. BBC blurb: "She says she'd like to spend a day or two here before Monday, sort of get the smell of it before she starts in earnest. I told her about interviewing. As far as I'm concerned. I said, there's about twenty different kinds of men for my purposes. But only two kinds of women. Those that do and those that don't.'"
Produced by Brian Hulme.
Harry Soames: Jon Rollason,
Selwyn Knibbs: Arnold Peters,
Pauline: Catherine Crutchley,
Rose Phillips: Ianthe Agelasto,
Maclean: Ruddy Lloyd Davies,
Gordon: Alan Devereux,
H.K.Mattinson: Jack Holloway,
Jackie: Calvin Butler,
Arthur: Colin Skipp, with Susan Bullivant.
Third Programme - 1964-10-30 THE HOSPITALISATION OF SAMUEL PELLET
By Andrew Davies.
Samuel Pellet: John Hollis,
Mr Codd: Robin Wentworth,
Orderly: Victor Lucas,
Medical Director: Peter Pratt,
Matron: Mona Bruce,
Nurse Plum: Patsy Rowlands,
Grendel Crate: Geoffrey Wincott,
MacFaggot: Tom Watson,
Grodkin: Frank Duncan,
Howell Powell: John Glyn Jones (or Andrew Sachs if you look at the entry in Genome for 15 Nov 1964).
Other parts: members of the BBC Drama Repertory Company.
Produced by Keith Williams.
Home Service - 1964-03-24 STUDENT TEACHER
By Andrew Davies. A young student, primed with theory, is sent out for his first practical experience to a mixed school. Produced by John Griffiths.
Lawrence: Ronnie Williams,
Narrator: Philip Phillips,
Mr Henry: Dewi Williams,
Miss Rogers: Gwenyth Petty,
Miss Lloyd: Emily Davies,
Senior Master: D C. Mills-Davies,
Gavin Howard Jones): Sion Probert,
Head Boy: Sion Probert,
Headmaster: Brinley Jenkins,
Cled Davies: Eric Ellis,
Boy: Gareth Armstrong,
Education Lecturer: Evan Morgan.
Home Service - 1961-05-01 MONDAY NIGHT AT HOME
Recorded wit, music and humour.
Introduced by Basil Boothroyd of ' Punch, with contributors Kenneth Williams, Lance Percival, Peter Cook, Peter Bull, R. W. Benn,
Kenneth Dight, Keith Buckley, Geoffrey Tetlow, Stan Wilson,
Ivor Cutler, Tom Watson, Kenneth Dight, Andrew Davies,
Charmian Innes, Piers Stephens, Tom Watson, Piers Stephens,
Dinu Lipatti, Robert Kemp, Joyce Grenfell, Alan Smethurst,
John Seymour, Derek Strahan, Robert Irwin. Produced by John Bridges.
The programme includes a sketch 'The Representative' by Andrew Davies, performed by Tom Watson and Kenneth Dight.
Nigel Deacon, Diversity Website
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