Henry Livings (20 September 1929 – 20 February 1998) was an English playwright and screenwriter, who worked extensively in British television and theatre from the 1960s to the 1990s.
His first stage play, Stop It, Whoever You Are, about a washroom attendant in a factory, was performed in 1961. The Evening Standard Awards for 1961 named Livings as Most Promising Playwright of the Year for Stop It, Whoever You Are, jointly with Gwyn Thomas, author of The Keep. Among other plays by Livings are The Quick and the Dead Quick (1961), an unconventional historical drama about François Villon; Big Soft Nellie (1961), whose witless hero creates chaos in a radio repair shop; and the play and TV comedy Nil Carborundum (1962), based on his experience of National Service. His play Eh? was performed Off-Broadway in 1966, with Dustin Hoffman in the leading role. Livings won an Obie Award for Best Play for the production. Eh? was turned into the 1967 film Work Is a Four-Letter Word, starring David Warner and Cilla Black. Many of the actors in this film were also members of the Royal Shakespeare Company, including Elizabeth Spriggs in her first screen role, and it was directed by RSC founder Peter Hall. His Pongo plays, performed in England during the 1960s and 1970s, have been described as Kyogen adaptations in a music hall style.
Livings also wrote short stories, plays and screenplays, and contributed to the TV series Juliet Bravo (1980) and Bulman (1985).
He collaborated with his friend, songwriter Alex Glasgow, who wrote the songs and music for the successful musical play Close the Coal House Door by Alan Plater. Together they starred in a 1971 comedy sketch series for BBC2, Get The Drift, based on their stage show The Northern Drift. Livings also jointly translated, together with academic Gwynne Edwards, three works by Spanish poet and playwright Federico García Lorca-–The Public, Play Without a Title and Mariana Pineda.
Books by Livings include That the Medals and the Baton Be Put on View: Story of a Village Band, 1875–1975, which relates to Dobcross Band, two volumes of short stories, Pennine Tales (1985) and Flying Eggs and Things: more Pennine tales (1986), illustrated by his daughter Maria Livings, and his autobiography The Rough Side of the Boards (1994), also turned into a stage show, which featured Arthur Bostrom in its premiere.
Livings died on 20 February 1998 at Delph, near Oldham.
Six More Pongo Plays including Two for Children, 1974
Jug, 1975
Glorious Miles, 1975
Daft Sam, 1976
Two Days That Shook the Branch 1978
The Astounding Adventures of Tom Thumb, 1979
Don't Touch Him, He Might Resent It, 1984
This is My Dream: The Life and Times of Josephine Baker, 1987
The Great Camel Rumbles, and Groans and Spits, 1988
The Public, 1988
The Barber of Seville, 1989
Stop The Children's Laughter, 1990
Rough Side Of The Boards, 1997
Referencesedit
[1] Henry Livings - Complete guide to the Playwright and Plays at doollee.com, Playwrights Database
[2] Henry Livings entry at Britannica Online Encyclopedia
Henry Livings filmography at British Film Institute online database
A Set of Kyogen Adaptations: Henry Livings's Pongo Plays by Anthony Graham-White (Emeritus Professor, Department of Performing Arts, University of Illinois)
[5] Review of premiere of The Rough Side of the Boards, Octagon Theatre, Bolton, 1997.
[6] Parables in Farce by John Russell Taylor, extract from Anger and After
[7] Encore, May/June 1962: Review of Nil Carborundum by Irving Wardle
henry, livings, september, 1929, february, 1998, english, playwright, screenwriter, worked, extensively, british, television, theatre, from, 1960s, 1990s, contents, early, life, career, works, references, external, linksearly, life, career, editthis, section, . Henry Livings 20 September 1929 20 February 1998 was an English playwright and screenwriter who worked extensively in British television and theatre from the 1960s to the 1990s Contents 1 Early life and career 2 Works 3 References 4 External linksEarly life and career editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed June 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message Livings was born in Prestwich Lancashire England He won a scholarship from the Stand Grammar School in Whitefield to the University of Liverpool but attended for only two years leaving in 1950 without graduating He went on to serve in the Royal Air Force 1950 52 became an expert cook and held a number of jobs before going into the theatre He trained as an actor at Joan Littlewood s Theatre Workshop which he joined in 1956 Livings appeared in the first of the Carry On films Carry on Sergeant 1958 and as Wilf Haddon Martha Longhurst s son in law on Coronation Street in May 1964 His first stage play Stop It Whoever You Are about a washroom attendant in a factory was performed in 1961 The Evening Standard Awards for 1961 named Livings as Most Promising Playwright of the Year for Stop It Whoever You Are jointly with Gwyn Thomas author of The Keep Among other plays by Livings are The Quick and the Dead Quick 1961 an unconventional historical drama about Francois Villon Big Soft Nellie 1961 whose witless hero creates chaos in a radio repair shop and the play and TV comedy Nil Carborundum 1962 based on his experience of National Service His play Eh was performed Off Broadway in 1966 with Dustin Hoffman in the leading role Livings won an Obie Award for Best Play for the production Eh was turned into the 1967 film Work Is a Four Letter Word starring David Warner and Cilla Black Many of the actors in this film were also members of the Royal Shakespeare Company including Elizabeth Spriggs in her first screen role and it was directed by RSC founder Peter Hall His Pongo plays performed in England during the 1960s and 1970s have been described as Kyogen adaptations in a music hall style Livings also wrote short stories plays and screenplays and contributed to the TV series Juliet Bravo 1980 and Bulman 1985 He collaborated with his friend songwriter Alex Glasgow who wrote the songs and music for the successful musical play Close the Coal House Door by Alan Plater Together they starred in a 1971 comedy sketch series for BBC2 Get The Drift based on their stage show The Northern Drift Livings also jointly translated together with academic Gwynne Edwards three works by Spanish poet and playwright Federico Garcia Lorca The Public Play Without a Title and Mariana Pineda Books by Livings include That the Medals and the Baton Be Put on View Story of a Village Band 1875 1975 which relates to Dobcross Band two volumes of short stories Pennine Tales 1985 and Flying Eggs and Things more Pennine tales 1986 illustrated by his daughter Maria Livings and his autobiography The Rough Side of the Boards 1994 also turned into a stage show which featured Arthur Bostrom in its premiere Livings died on 20 February 1998 at Delph near Oldham Works editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed June 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message Stop It Whoever You Are 1961 Big Soft Nellie 1961 Nil Carborundum 1962 Kelly s Eye 1963 There s No Room for You Here for a Start 1964 The Day Dumbfounded Got His Pylon 1965 Eh 1964 London 1966 New York The Little Mrs Foster Show 1966 Good Grief 1967 After the Last Lamp 1968 Honour and Offer 1968 Reasons for Flying 1968 The Gamecock 1969 Rattel 1969 Variable Lengths and Longer 1969 Beewine 1970 The Boggart 1970 Conciliation 1970 The Ffinest Ffamily in the Land 1970 Mushrooms and Toadstools 1970 Rifle Volunteer 1970 Tiddles 1970 You re Free 1970 Brainscrew 1971 GRUP 1971 Pongo Plays 1 6 1971 Cinderella A Likely Tale 1972 Rent Man 1972 This Jockey Drives Late Nights 1972 Tailor s Britches 1973 Jack and the Beanstalk 1974 Jonah 1974 Six More Pongo Plays including Two for Children 1974 Jug 1975 Glorious Miles 1975 Daft Sam 1976 Two Days That Shook the Branch 1978 The Astounding Adventures of Tom Thumb 1979 Don t Touch Him He Might Resent It 1984 This is My Dream The Life and Times of Josephine Baker 1987 The Great Camel Rumbles and Groans and Spits 1988 The Public 1988 The Barber of Seville 1989 Stop The Children s Laughter 1990 Rough Side Of The Boards 1997References edit 1 Henry Livings Complete guide to the Playwright and Plays at doollee com Playwrights Database 2 Henry Livings entry at Britannica Online Encyclopedia 3 Henry Livings filmography at British Film Institute online database 4 A Set of Kyogen Adaptations Henry Livings s Pongo Plays by Anthony Graham White Emeritus Professor Department of Performing Arts University of Illinois 5 Review of premiere of The Rough Side of the Boards Octagon Theatre Bolton 1997 6 Parables in Farce by John Russell Taylor extract from Anger and After 7 Encore May June 1962 Review of Nil Carborundum by Irving WardleExternal links editHenry Livings at IMDb Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Henry Livings amp oldid 1081593177, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
