| Intro | English comedy writer |
| Is | Writer Screenwriter |
| From | United Kingdom |
| Type | Film, TV, Stage & Radio Literature |
| Gender | male |
| Birth | 28 January 1930, Austerfield |
| Age: | 90 years |
Roy Clarke OBE (born 28 January 1930) is an English comedy writer best known for creating the sitcoms Last of the Summer Wine, Keeping Up Appearances, Open All Hours and its sequel series, Still Open All Hours.
Early life
Clarke was born in Austerfield, West Riding of Yorkshire. His jobs before becoming a writer included teacher, policeman, taxi driver, salesman and also soldier in the Royal Corps of Signals of the British Army.
Career
Clarke was the sole writer of Last of the Summer Wine, which at its peak had over 18 million viewers. During its long run it featured Bill Owen, Peter Sallis, Brian Wilde, Kathy Staff and Dame Thora Hird in leading roles. Clarke was not involved in casting the actors, but he wrote the character named Clegg with Sallis specifically in mind.
He also wrote a prequel, First of the Summer Wine, as well as The Misfit, starring Ronald Fraser; Open All Hours, starring Ronnie Barker and David Jason; Keeping Up Appearances, starring Patricia Routledge; and Ain’t Misbehavin.
He created and wrote the short-lived fantasy drama, The Wanderer starring Bryan Brown, for Sky One. He also created the sitcom Oh No, It’s Selwyn Froggitt! in 1974, writing the pilot episode, though Alan Plater wrote the eventual series. Clarke has also worked in film penning the screenplay to Hawks (1988) and he wrote the acclaimed drama A Foreign Field (1993).
In 2003, Clarke adapted his Last of the Summer Wine chronicle The Moonbather for a world premiere performance at the Scunthorpe Little Theatre Club.
He received an OBE for his contribution to British comedy. In 1994, Clarke was granted the Freedom of the Borough of Doncaster; the highest honour the Council can bestow. He was awarded the lifetime achievement award at the 2010 British Comedy Awards.
In 2013, he resurrected Open All Hours for a sequel series, Still Open All Hours starring David Jason. So far two series have been broadcast, with a third currently in the works.
In 2016, he created a prequel to Keeping Up Appearances titled Young Hyacinth. The one-off episode premiered on 2 September 2016 on BBC One.
Personal life
Horton Rounds – the house on a circle
He currently resides in rural Goole, East Riding of Yorkshire. For some years he owned Horton Rounds in Northamptonshire, a Grade II listed house designed by Northamptonshire architect Arthur AJ Marshman.
