David Ashton (born David Scott on 10 November 1941, in Greenock, Scotland) is a Scottish actor and writer. Trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London, 1964–67, he has acted in a wide variety of film, television, theatre and radio roles. He has also developed a parallel career as a writer of fiction, film and television screenplays and plays for theatre and radio. His radio play The Old Ladies at the Zoo, which starred Peggy Mount and Liz Smith, won the Radio Times Drama Award in 1985.
Ashton made his acting debut on television in Z-Cars (1969) and took the lead role as Aeneas MacMaster in The New Road (1973). Other main roles include Lieutenant Wickham in The Voyage of Charles Darwin (1978); Doctor MacDuff in Brass, a social comedy series, set in 1930s Northern England (1982-1984 & 1990); Major Lennox in Sharpe’s Eagle (1993); Major Roddy Maclean in Hamish Macbeth[1] (1995–97); Harold Xavier in Monarch of the Glen (2000); Alex Gemmell in Glasgow Kiss (2000) and Professor MacManus in Vital Signs (2006).
Cousin Bazilio: Based on the novel by Portuguese author José Maria de Eça de Queirós, a tale of adultery, blackmail and lust set in 19th-century Lisbon. The script was commissioned by Lavender Films and is now with Trademark Films.
Django: a drama about the dangers faced by Django Reinhardt, the great gypsy jazz guitarist, in occupied Paris during the Second World War.
Television
Ashton was one of the early scriptwriters for EastEnders, the long-running BBC soap opera that first aired in February 1985. He wrote for series two of BBC hospital drama Casualty, becoming main writer for series three (1987–88). His monologue Stations (1988), broadcast as part of the BBC’s Play for One series, provided actor Andrew Keir with "a tour de force solo role" according to The Independent newspaper. Another one-off drama for BBC2 was The Other Side (1992), starring Frank Finlay and Richard E. Grant.
He wrote four episodes for series two of the BBC1 comedy-drama The Hello Girls (1996–98), as well as individual episodes of Badger (1999) , which featured Jerome Flynn as a police wildlife liaison officer, and Murder Rooms: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes (2001), both for BBC1. A television series based on his McLevy radio series and novels is currently under development.
Radio
Ashton is best known as creator of the ongoing BBC Radio 4 drama series McLevy,[2] based on the career of 19th-century Edinburgh detective James McLevy. A pilot episode was first broadcast in 1999 and twelve series of the Scottish thief-taker’s exploits have followed up to 2016. The dramas star Brian Cox as McLevy, Siobhan Redmond as Jean Brash, Michael Perceval-Maxwell as Mulholland, and Ashton himself as Lieutenant Roach.
In addition, Ashton has written more than 15 other radio plays, including The Old Ladies at the Zoo (1985), starring Peggy Mount and Liz Smith, which won the Radio Times Drama Award that year, and three Sherlock Holmes adaptations: The Naval Treaty, Black Peter and The Three Garridebs for BBC Radio 4. These were part of the complete recording of the Sherlock Holmes canon broadcast by the BBC between 1989 and 1998 and starring Clive Merrison as Holmes and Michael Williams as Watson. Recent plays have included The White Hart and Me… Dancing for RTÉ in Dublin; No Help When Dead (2010) for BBC Scotland; Maidens' Trip (2010) for BBC Radio 4 and The Quest of Donal Q (2011), starring Billy Connolly and Brian Cox, for BBC Scotland and Radio 4.
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This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification Please help by adding reliable sources Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately especially if potentially libelous or harmful Find sources David Ashton actor news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2013 Learn how and when to remove this template message David Ashton born David Scott on 10 November 1941 in Greenock Scotland is a Scottish actor and writer Trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London 1964 67 he has acted in a wide variety of film television theatre and radio roles He has also developed a parallel career as a writer of fiction film and television screenplays and plays for theatre and radio His radio play The Old Ladies at the Zoo which starred Peggy Mount and Liz Smith won the Radio Times Drama Award in 1985 David Ashton Contents 1 Acting 1 1 Theatre 1 2 Films 1 3 Television 2 Writing 2 1 Film 2 2 Television 2 3 Radio 2 4 Theatre 2 5 Books 3 References 4 External linksActing EditTheatre Edit Ashton started his professional career at Worcester Repertory theatre playing roles such as Marco in A View from the Bridge Jerry in Two for the Seesaw Harold Gorringe in Black Comedy and Charlie in Staircase At Ipswich Rep he played Bluntschli in Arms and the Man and Seamas Shields in The Shadow of a Gunman Other roles included Grigory Smirnov in Chekhov s The Bear at the Orange Tree Theatre London The Tramp in Synge s In the Shadow of the Glen Joxer in Juno and the Paycock Torvald in Ibsen s A Doll s House at the Crucible Theatre Sheffield the lead in Jean Claude Carriere s The File at the Liverpool Playhouse Gayev in The Cherry Orchard and then Kulyegin in The Three Sisters at the Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester At the Royal Court Theatre London he played John in Christopher Hampton s The Philanthropist with Alec McCowan and also appeared in the West End musical Happy as a Sandbag at the Ambassadors Theatre and portrayed Mister Mulleady in Behan s The Hostage at Greenwich Theatre Most recently he appeared as Sandy Sheridan in Uncle Varick John Byrne s version of Chekhov s Uncle Vanya at the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh He has also taught directed and lectured at the Central School of Speech and Drama Rose Bruford College the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts Films Edit 1981 Eye of the Needle Oban Radio Operator 1986 Just Us Parramatta Warder 1992 Freddie as F R O 7 Additional Voices 1996 Indian Summer Paris Mourner 1997 Tomorrow Never Dies First Sea Lord 1998 Stiff Upper Lips Dr Henry 2000 The House of Mirth Lawyer 2003 Winter Solstice 2006 The Last King of Scotland Dr Garrigan Senior 2009 The Silent CormorantTelevision Edit Ashton made his acting debut on television in Z Cars 1969 and took the lead role as Aeneas MacMaster in The New Road 1973 Other main roles include Lieutenant Wickham in The Voyage of Charles Darwin 1978 Doctor MacDuff in Brass a social comedy series set in 1930s Northern England 1982 1984 amp 1990 Major Lennox in Sharpe s Eagle 1993 Major Roddy Maclean in Hamish Macbeth 1 1995 97 Harold Xavier in Monarch of the Glen 2000 Alex Gemmell in Glasgow Kiss 2000 and Professor MacManus in Vital Signs 2006 He has also had featured roles in New Tricks 2008 Waking the Dead 2002 Waterfront Beat 1991 All Creatures Great and Small 1990 The Bill 1989 Ever Decreasing Circles 1986 Doctor Who as Kendron in the 1985 story Timelash Coronation Street 1985 and Juliet Bravo 1980 Series 1 ep 6 The Runner Writing EditFilm Edit 1989 Duck commissioned and broadcast by Channel 4 for its Short and Curlies series starring Jim Carter and Frances Barber 1990 God on the Rocks an adaptation of the novel by Jane Gardam starring Minnie Driver and Bill Paterson commissioned and broadcast by Channel 4 and made by Skreba Productions 1992 Freddie as F R O 7 an animated musical fantasy adventure made by Hollywood Road productions and featuring the voices of Ben Kingsley Jenny Agutter Brian Blessed and Billie Whitelaw In addition Ashton has written five commissioned scripts that have yet to go into full production Taj the love story behind the Taj Mahal commissioned by Sir Ben Kingsley s Lavender Films Tale a modern reworking of Shakespeare s The Winter s Tale commissioned by film director Peter Chelsom Hear My Song Funnybones Donal Q a contemporary reinterpretation of Don Quixote with Billy Connolly and Brian Cox commissioned by Left Bank Pictures Cousin Bazilio Based on the novel by Portuguese author Jose Maria de Eca de Queiros a tale of adultery blackmail and lust set in 19th century Lisbon The script was commissioned by Lavender Films and is now with Trademark Films Django a drama about the dangers faced by Django Reinhardt the great gypsy jazz guitarist in occupied Paris during the Second World War Television Edit Ashton was one of the early scriptwriters for EastEnders the long running BBC soap opera that first aired in February 1985 He wrote for series two of BBC hospital drama Casualty becoming main writer for series three 1987 88 His monologue Stations 1988 broadcast as part of the BBC s Play for One series provided actor Andrew Keir with a tour de force solo role according to The Independent newspaper Another one off drama for BBC2 was The Other Side 1992 starring Frank Finlay and Richard E Grant He wrote four episodes for series two of the BBC1 comedy drama The Hello Girls 1996 98 as well as individual episodes of Badger 1999 which featured Jerome Flynn as a police wildlife liaison officer and Murder Rooms The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes 2001 both for BBC1 A television series based on his McLevy radio series and novels is currently under development Radio Edit Ashton is best known as creator of the ongoing BBC Radio 4 drama series McLevy 2 based on the career of 19th century Edinburgh detective James McLevy A pilot episode was first broadcast in 1999 and twelve series of the Scottish thief taker s exploits have followed up to 2016 The dramas star Brian Cox as McLevy Siobhan Redmond as Jean Brash Michael Perceval Maxwell as Mulholland and Ashton himself as Lieutenant Roach In addition Ashton has written more than 15 other radio plays including The Old Ladies at the Zoo 1985 starring Peggy Mount and Liz Smith which won the Radio Times Drama Award that year and three Sherlock Holmes adaptations The Naval Treaty Black Peter and The Three Garridebs for BBC Radio 4 These were part of the complete recording of the Sherlock Holmes canon broadcast by the BBC between 1989 and 1998 and starring Clive Merrison as Holmes and Michael Williams as Watson Recent plays have included The White Hart and Me Dancing for RTE in Dublin No Help When Dead 2010 for BBC Scotland Maidens Trip 2010 for BBC Radio 4 and The Quest of Donal Q 2011 starring Billy Connolly and Brian Cox for BBC Scotland and Radio 4 Theatre Edit 1988 Passing By a trilogy at the Old Red Lion Theatre Islington directed by Dominic Dromgoole and starring Julie Covington The Eagle Traverse Theatre Edinburgh Stations Traverse Theatre Edinburgh and Tron Theatre Glasgow 1991 A Bright Light Shining Bush Theatre London directed by Dominic Dromgoole with John Hannah Ewen Bremner and Joanna Roth 1992 93 The Chinese Wolf Bush Theatre London directed by Dominic Dromgoole with Maureen Beattie and Desmond Barrit 1994 The Mark Cockpit Theatre London 1996 Buried Treasure The Lyric Theatre Hammersmith directed by Robin Lefevre with Alexander Morton and Jennifer Black 1997 The Golden Door a children s play performed at The National Theatre London 1998 Me Dancing The Other Place Stratford upon Avon His latest piece Couchsong in which a therapist hauls her couch out into the garden and the story takes off from there is yet to be performed Books Edit Ashton has chronicled further exploits of McLevy the character first introduced on the radio in a series of novels 3 2006 The Shadow of the Serpent 2007 Fall from Grace 2009 A Trick of the Light 2013 Nor Will He SleepAll are published by Polygon Birlinn References Edit Mavis Paul 21 November 2007 Hamish MacBeth Series Three DVD Talk Archived from the original on 15 July 2012 Summerhayes Linda 6 August 2008 Investigating the appeal of Capital s thief taker Edinburgh Evening News Archived from the original on 16 June 2011 Dick Sandra 30 May 2007 Meet James McLevy the original no1 detective The Scotsman Archived from the original on 21 September 2012 External links EditOfficial website David Ashton at IMDb Polygon Birlinn Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title David Ashton actor amp oldid 1096021815, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
