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Carla Lane

Romana Barrack OBE (5 August 1928 – 31 May 2016),[1] known professionally as Carla Lane, was an English television writer responsible for several successful British sitcoms, including The Liver Birds (co-creator, 1969–1979), Butterflies (1978–1983), and Bread (1986–1991).[2]

Carla Lane
OBE
BornRomana Barrack
(1928-08-05)5 August 1928
West Derby, Liverpool, England
Died31 May 2016(2016-05-31) (aged 87)
Mossley Hill, Liverpool, England
OccupationScreenwriter
NationalityBritish
Period1969–2016
GenreTelevision
Notable works
Spouse
Eric Arthur Hollins
(m. 1948; div. 1981)
Children2

Lane was described as "the television writer who dared to make women funny"; much of her work focused on strong women characters,[3] including "frustrated housewives and working class matriarchs".[4] In later years, she became well known as an animal welfare advocate.

Early life and education

Lane was born in West Derby, Liverpool, in the United Kingdom on 5 August 1928.[5][6] Her father was Gordon De Vince Barrack,[7][8] a Welsh-Italian steward in the merchant navy, and her mother was Ivy Amelia (née Foran). She had a younger brother, Ramon, and a sister, Marna.[9] Lane grew up in West Derby and Heswall.[10] She attended a convent school and, aged seven, won a school poetry prize.[11] She left school aged 14, and worked in nursing.[1]

After leaving school, she worked first in a baby linen shop, then at Bonmarché, and finally at a factory in Prescot.[9] According to her autobiography, she married Eric Arthur Hollins at 17 and had two sons by the age of 19,[11] though official records indicate that she was 19 when she married on 27 March 1948.[6][9]

Writing career

In the 1960s, Lane wrote short stories and radio scripts.[12] Her first successes came in collaboration with Myra Taylor, whom she had met at a writers' workshop in Liverpool.[12] Lane and Taylor would often meet at the Adelphi Hotel in Liverpool City Centre to write. She said that she used a pseudonym, "Carla Lane", because of her modesty about revealing that she was a writer.[13]

With Taylor, she submitted some comedy sketch scripts to the BBC, where they were seen by Michael Mills, the head of comedy at the time. He encouraged them to write a half-hour script, which was broadcast as a pilot episode of The Liver Birds in April 1969. A short first series followed to little acclaim, leading Mills to decline to produce a second series, changing his mind only when Lane and Taylor wrote a series of new scripts. The series became one of the most popular of the time, characterised by Lane's "ability to conjure laughs out of pathos and life's little tragedies". Upon Mills' departure from the position of head of comedy at the BBC in 1972, Lane took sole responsibility for writing the scripts beginning in 1973.[1]

Her successful screenwriting career continued through the 1970s and 1980s, in particular with the 1978–1983 sitcom Butterflies and the 1986–1991 sitcom Bread.

In Butterflies, described as "undoubtedly ... her finest work", she addressed the lead character's desires for freedom from her "decent but dull" husband.[3] Wendy Craig, who starred in Butterflies, said of Lane: "Her greatest gift was that she understood women and wrote the truth about them ... She spoke about what others didn't. In the case of [Craig's lead character], it was all about what was going on inside her – and many other women at the time."[14]

In Bread, which ran for seven series,[4] "she became the first woman to mine television comedy from sexual and personal relationships through a galère of expertly-etched contemporary characters, developed against a backdrop of social issues such as divorce, adultery and.. alcoholism." In the late 1980s, Bread had the third-highest viewing figures on British television, beaten only by EastEnders and Neighbours.[1] However, Bread was criticised by some in Liverpool for portraying a stereotypical view of people in the city,[15] an opinion that Lane rejected.[14]

Animal welfare

 
St. Tudwal's Island East (foreground), known for its wildlife and purchased by Lane

Lane had been a vegetarian dedicated to the care and welfare of animals since 1965,[1] She established the "Animal Line" trust in 1990 with her friends Rita Tushingham and Linda McCartney.[1] In 1991, she bought Saint Tudwal's Island East off the coast of Wales, to protect its wildlife.[1] In 1993, Lane converted the grounds of her mansion, Broadhurst Manor in Horsted Keynes, Sussex, into a 25-acre animal sanctuary.[13] She operated the sanctuary for 15 years before having to close operations due to financial constraints.[16]

In 2002, Lane returned her OBE to then prime minister Tony Blair in protest against animal cruelty.[2] In 2013, an animal sanctuary named after her was opened in Melling, Merseyside.[17]

Later life and death

Lane published her autobiography, Someday I'll Find Me: Carla Lane's Autobiography, in 2006. She returned to Liverpool in 2009.[14] Lane died, aged 87, at Stapley Nursing Home in Mossley Hill, in Liverpool, on 31 May 2016.[2]

Television series

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Carla Lane, television scriptwriter – obituary". The Daily Telegraph. 1 June 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  2. ^ a b c "Television sitcom writer Carla Lane dies, aged 87". BBC News. 31 May 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  3. ^ a b Lawrence, Ben (1 June 2016). "Carla Lane: the television writer who dared to make women funny". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  4. ^ a b "Carla Lane dies: Stars pay tribute to TV sitcom writer". BBC News. 1 June 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  5. ^ "Roma Barrack: Births". FindMyPast.co.uk. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  6. ^ a b "Roma Barrack: Marriage record". FindMyPast.co.uk. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  7. ^ "Gordon Barrack: Births". FindMyPast.co.uk. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  8. ^ "Barrack/Foran: Marriages". FindMyPast.co.uk. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  9. ^ a b c Charters, David (2020). "Lane, Carla [real name Roma Barrack] (1928–2016), television scriptwriter and animal rights campaigner". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. doi:10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.111341. ISBN 978-0-19-861412-8. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  10. ^ "Liver Birds and Bread creator Carla Lane has died aged 87". Liverpool Echo. 31 May 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  11. ^ a b Carla Lane (31 October 2006). Someday I'll Find Me: Carla Lane's Autobiography. Robson Books. ISBN 1-86105-973-6.
  12. ^ a b c d e "Lane, Carla (1937–) – Biography". British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  13. ^ a b Ellen, Barbara (16 November 2008). "Going to a good home". The Observer. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  14. ^ a b c Stanford, Peter (1 June 2016). "'Her greatest gift was that she understood women' – Wendy Craig remembers Carla Lane". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  15. ^ Bronwyn Jones, "Carla Lane's sitcom Bread and its legacy in Liverpool", BBC News, 3 June 2016. Retrieved 3 June 2016
  16. ^ Thompson, Jody (8 July 2008). "Carla Lane forced to close her animal rescue centre". Mirror.co.uk. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  17. ^ Mortimer, Caroline (31 May 2016). "Carla Lane dead: The Liver Birds and Bread creator who returned OBE dies aged 87". The Independent. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  18. ^ a b c d e Jeffries, Stuart (1 June 2016). "Carla Lane obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  19. ^ "Lane, Carla (1937–) – Film & TV Credits". British Film Institute. Retrieved 1 June 2016.

External links

carla, lane, romana, barrack, august, 1928, 2016, known, professionally, english, television, writer, responsible, several, successful, british, sitcoms, including, liver, birds, creator, 1969, 1979, butterflies, 1978, 1983, bread, 1986, 1991, obebornromana, b. Romana Barrack OBE 5 August 1928 31 May 2016 1 known professionally as Carla Lane was an English television writer responsible for several successful British sitcoms including The Liver Birds co creator 1969 1979 Butterflies 1978 1983 and Bread 1986 1991 2 Carla LaneOBEBornRomana Barrack 1928 08 05 5 August 1928West Derby Liverpool EnglandDied31 May 2016 2016 05 31 aged 87 Mossley Hill Liverpool EnglandOccupationScreenwriterNationalityBritishPeriod1969 2016GenreTelevisionNotable worksThe Liver Birds 1969 1979 1996 Bless This House 1971 76 Butterflies 1978 1983 Solo 1981 82 The Mistress 1985 87 Bread 1986 1991 Luv 1993 94 SpouseEric Arthur Hollins m 1948 div 1981 wbr Children2Lane was described as the television writer who dared to make women funny much of her work focused on strong women characters 3 including frustrated housewives and working class matriarchs 4 In later years she became well known as an animal welfare advocate Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Writing career 3 Animal welfare 4 Later life and death 5 Television series 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksEarly life and education EditLane was born in West Derby Liverpool in the United Kingdom on 5 August 1928 5 6 Her father was Gordon De Vince Barrack 7 8 a Welsh Italian steward in the merchant navy and her mother was Ivy Amelia nee Foran She had a younger brother Ramon and a sister Marna 9 Lane grew up in West Derby and Heswall 10 She attended a convent school and aged seven won a school poetry prize 11 She left school aged 14 and worked in nursing 1 After leaving school she worked first in a baby linen shop then at Bonmarche and finally at a factory in Prescot 9 According to her autobiography she married Eric Arthur Hollins at 17 and had two sons by the age of 19 11 though official records indicate that she was 19 when she married on 27 March 1948 6 9 Writing career EditIn the 1960s Lane wrote short stories and radio scripts 12 Her first successes came in collaboration with Myra Taylor whom she had met at a writers workshop in Liverpool 12 Lane and Taylor would often meet at the Adelphi Hotel in Liverpool City Centre to write She said that she used a pseudonym Carla Lane because of her modesty about revealing that she was a writer 13 With Taylor she submitted some comedy sketch scripts to the BBC where they were seen by Michael Mills the head of comedy at the time He encouraged them to write a half hour script which was broadcast as a pilot episode of The Liver Birds in April 1969 A short first series followed to little acclaim leading Mills to decline to produce a second series changing his mind only when Lane and Taylor wrote a series of new scripts The series became one of the most popular of the time characterised by Lane s ability to conjure laughs out of pathos and life s little tragedies Upon Mills departure from the position of head of comedy at the BBC in 1972 Lane took sole responsibility for writing the scripts beginning in 1973 1 Her successful screenwriting career continued through the 1970s and 1980s in particular with the 1978 1983 sitcom Butterflies and the 1986 1991 sitcom Bread In Butterflies described as undoubtedly her finest work she addressed the lead character s desires for freedom from her decent but dull husband 3 Wendy Craig who starred in Butterflies said of Lane Her greatest gift was that she understood women and wrote the truth about them She spoke about what others didn t In the case of Craig s lead character it was all about what was going on inside her and many other women at the time 14 In Bread which ran for seven series 4 she became the first woman to mine television comedy from sexual and personal relationships through a galere of expertly etched contemporary characters developed against a backdrop of social issues such as divorce adultery and alcoholism In the late 1980s Bread had the third highest viewing figures on British television beaten only by EastEnders and Neighbours 1 However Bread was criticised by some in Liverpool for portraying a stereotypical view of people in the city 15 an opinion that Lane rejected 14 Animal welfare Edit St Tudwal s Island East foreground known for its wildlife and purchased by Lane Lane had been a vegetarian dedicated to the care and welfare of animals since 1965 1 She established the Animal Line trust in 1990 with her friends Rita Tushingham and Linda McCartney 1 In 1991 she bought Saint Tudwal s Island East off the coast of Wales to protect its wildlife 1 In 1993 Lane converted the grounds of her mansion Broadhurst Manor in Horsted Keynes Sussex into a 25 acre animal sanctuary 13 She operated the sanctuary for 15 years before having to close operations due to financial constraints 16 In 2002 Lane returned her OBE to then prime minister Tony Blair in protest against animal cruelty 2 In 2013 an animal sanctuary named after her was opened in Melling Merseyside 17 Later life and death EditLane published her autobiography Someday I ll Find Me Carla Lane s Autobiography in 2006 She returned to Liverpool in 2009 14 Lane died aged 87 at Stapley Nursing Home in Mossley Hill in Liverpool on 31 May 2016 2 Television series Edit1969 1979 1996 The Liver Birds with Myra Taylor and others 18 1971 1976 Bless This House with Myra Taylor and others 18 1974 No Strings 1 1975 Going Going Gone Free 12 1977 Three Piece Suite 19 1978 1983 2000 Butterflies 18 1981 1983 The Last Song 12 1981 1982 Solo 18 1984 1985 Leaving 12 1985 1987 The Mistress 1 1985 1986 I Woke Up One Morning 1 1986 1991 Bread 18 1992 Screaming 1 1993 1994 Luv 1 1995 Searching 1 See also EditList of animal rights advocatesReferences Edit a b c d e f g h i j k l m Carla Lane television scriptwriter obituary The Daily Telegraph 1 June 2016 Retrieved 1 June 2016 a b c Television sitcom writer Carla Lane dies aged 87 BBC News 31 May 2016 Retrieved 24 April 2022 a b Lawrence Ben 1 June 2016 Carla Lane the television writer who dared to make women funny The Daily Telegraph Retrieved 2 June 2016 a b Carla Lane dies Stars pay tribute to TV sitcom writer BBC News 1 June 2016 Retrieved 24 April 2022 Roma Barrack Births FindMyPast co uk Retrieved 31 May 2016 a b Roma Barrack Marriage record FindMyPast co uk Retrieved 31 May 2016 Gordon Barrack Births FindMyPast co uk Retrieved 31 May 2016 Barrack Foran Marriages FindMyPast co uk Retrieved 31 May 2016 a b c Charters David 2020 Lane Carla real name Roma Barrack 1928 2016 television scriptwriter and animal rights campaigner Oxford Dictionary of National Biography doi 10 1093 odnb 9780198614128 013 111341 ISBN 978 0 19 861412 8 Retrieved 2 August 2021 Liver Birds and Bread creator Carla Lane has died aged 87 Liverpool Echo 31 May 2016 Retrieved 31 May 2016 a b Carla Lane 31 October 2006 Someday I ll Find Me Carla Lane s Autobiography Robson Books ISBN 1 86105 973 6 a b c d e Lane Carla 1937 Biography British Film Institute Retrieved 1 June 2016 a b Ellen Barbara 16 November 2008 Going to a good home The Observer Retrieved 31 May 2016 a b c Stanford Peter 1 June 2016 Her greatest gift was that she understood women Wendy Craig remembers Carla Lane The Telegraph Retrieved 2 June 2016 Bronwyn Jones Carla Lane s sitcom Bread and its legacy in Liverpool BBC News 3 June 2016 Retrieved 3 June 2016 Thompson Jody 8 July 2008 Carla Lane forced to close her animal rescue centre Mirror co uk Retrieved 1 June 2016 Mortimer Caroline 31 May 2016 Carla Lane dead The Liver Birds and Bread creator who returned OBE dies aged 87 The Independent Retrieved 30 August 2019 a b c d e Jeffries Stuart 1 June 2016 Carla Lane obituary The Guardian Retrieved 1 June 2016 Lane Carla 1937 Film amp TV Credits British Film Institute Retrieved 1 June 2016 External links EditCarla Lane at the BFI s Screenonline Carla Lane at IMDb Carla Lane at British Comedy Guide Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Carla Lane amp oldid 1116931994, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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