Dame ''Dame'' is a traditionally British honorific title given to women who have been admitted to certain orders of chivalry. It is the female equivalent of ''Sir'', the title used by knights. Baronet, Baronetesses Suo jure, in their own right also u ...

Catherine Ann Cookson (''née'' McMullen; 20 June 1906 – 11 June 1998), was a British writer. She is in the top 20 of the most widely read British novelists, with sales topping 100 million, while she retained a relatively low profile in the world of celebrity writers. Her books were inspired by her deprived youth in

South Shields South Shields () is a coastal town in South Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England; it is on the south bank of the mouth of the River Tyne. The town was once known in Roman Britain, Roman times as ''Arbeia'' and as ''Caer Urfa'' by the Early Middle Ag ...

(historically part of

County Durham County Durham, officially simply Durham, is a ceremonial county in North East England.UK General Acts 1997 c. 23Lieutenancies Act 1997 Schedule 1(3). From legislation.gov.uk, retrieved 6 April 2022. The county borders Northumberland and Tyne an ...

), North East England, the setting for her novels. With 104 titles written in her own name or two other

pen name A pen name or nom-de-plume is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name. A pen name may be used to make the author's na ...

s, she is one of the most prolific British novelists.

Early life

Cookson, registered as Catherine Ann Davies, was born on 20 June 1906 at 5 Leam Lane in

Tyne Dock Tyne Dock is a neighbourhood within the town of South Shields, Tyne and Wear, on the south bank of the River Tyne. It takes its name from the large dock on the river which was opened in 1859https://archive.today/20150416165316/http://www.sine.nc ...

, England. She was known as "Katie" as a child. She moved to East Jarrow, which would become the setting for one of her best-known novels, ''The Fifteen Streets''. The illegitimate child of an

alcoholic Alcoholism is the continued drinking of alcohol despite it causing problems. Some definitions require evidence of dependence and withdrawal. Problematic use of alcohol has been mentioned in the earliest historical records. The World Hea ...

named Kate Fawcett, she grew up thinking her unmarried mother was her sister, as she was brought up by her grandparents, Rose and John McMullen. Biographer Kathleen Jones tracked down her father, whose name was Alexander Davies, a

bigamist In a culture where only monogamous relationships are legally recognized, bigamy is the act of entering into a marriage with one person while still legally married to another. A legal or de facto separation of the couple does not alter their mari ...

and gambler from

Lanarkshire Lanarkshire, also called the County of Lanark (; ), is a Counties of Scotland, historic county, Lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area and registration county in the Central Lowlands and Southern Uplands of Scotland. The county is no l ...

, Scotland. She left school at 14 and, after a period of domestic service, took a

laundry Laundry is the washing of clothing and other textiles, and, more broadly, their drying and ironing as well. Laundry has been part of history since humans began to wear clothes, so the methods by which different cultures have dealt with this u ...

job at Harton

Workhouse In Britain and Ireland, a workhouse (, lit. "poor-house") was a total institution where those unable to support themselves financially were offered accommodation and employment. In Scotland, they were usually known as Scottish poorhouse, poorh ...

. In 1929, she moved south to run the laundry at

Hastings Hastings ( ) is a seaside town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to th ...

Workhouse, saving every penny to buy a large Victorian house, and then taking in lodgers to supplement her income. In June 1940, at the age of 34, she married Tom Cookson, a teacher at

Hastings Grammar School Hastings ( ) is a seaside town and borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to the north-west at Senlac Hill in 1066. ...

. After experiencing four

miscarriage Miscarriage, also known in medical terms as a spontaneous abortion, is an end to pregnancy resulting in the loss and expulsion of an embryo or fetus from the womb before it can fetal viability, survive independently. Miscarriage before 6 weeks ...

s late in pregnancy, it was discovered she was suffering from a rare

vascular Vascular can refer to: * blood vessels, the vascular system in animals * vascular tissue Vascular tissue is a complex transporting tissue, formed of more than one cell type, found in vascular plants. The primary components of vascular tissue ...

disease,

telangiectasia Telangiectasias (), also known as spider veins, are small dilated blood vessels that can occur near the surface of the skin or mucous membranes, measuring between 0.5 and 1 millimeter in diameter. These dilated blood vessels can develop anywhere ...

, which caused bleeding from the nose, fingers, and stomach and resulted in

anaemia Anemia (also spelt anaemia in British English) is a blood disorder in which the blood has a reduced ability to carry oxygen. This can be due to a lower than normal number of red blood cells, a reduction in the amount of hemoglobin availab ...

. A

mental breakdown A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness, a mental health condition, or a psychiatric disability, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. A mental disorder is ...

followed the miscarriages, from which it took her a decade to recover.

Writing career

She took up writing as a form of therapy in order to tackle her depression, and she became a founding member of the Hastings Writers' Group. Her first novel, ''Kate Hannigan'', was published in 1950. Though it was labelled a

romance novel A romance or romantic novel is a genre fiction novel that primarily focuses on the relationship and Romance (love), romantic love between two people, typically with an emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending. Authors who have contributed ...

, she expressed discontent with the stereotype. Her books were, she said,

historical novel Historical fiction is a literary genre in which a fictional plot takes place in the setting of particular real historical events. Although the term is commonly used as a synonym for historical fiction literature, it can also be applied to oth ...

s about people and conditions she knew. Cookson had little connection with the London literary circle. Cookson wrote almost 100 books, which sold more than 123 million copies, her novels being translated into at least 20 languages. She also wrote books under the

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true meaning ( orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individual's o ...

s Catherine Marchant and a name derived from her childhood name, Katie McMullen. She remained the most borrowed author from

public libraries ''Public Libraries'' is the official publication of the Public Library Association (PLA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). It is devoted exclusively to public libraries. The print edition is published six times a year and i ...

in the UK for 17 years, up until four years after her death, losing the top spot to Dame Jacqueline Wilson only in 2002.

Books in film, on television and on stage

Many of Cookson's novels have been adapted for film, radio, and the stage. The first film adaptation of her work was '' Jacqueline'' (1956), directed by

Roy Ward Baker Roy Ward Baker (born Roy Horace Baker; 19 December 1916 – 5 October 2010) was an English film director. He was known professionally as Roy Baker until 1967, when he adopted Roy Ward Baker as his screen credit. Early life Baker was born i ...

, based on her book ''A Grand Man''. It was followed by '' Rooney'' (1958), directed by George Pollock, based on her book ''Rooney''. Both films starred

John Gregson Harold Thomas Gregson (15 March 1919 – 8 January 1975), known professionally as John Gregson, was an English actor of stage, television and film, with 40 credited film roles. He was best known for his crime drama and comedy roles. Gregson w ...

. For commercial reasons, the action of both films was transferred from South Shields to Ireland. In 1983 '' Katie Mulholland'' was adapted into a stage musical by composer Eric Boswell and writer-director Ken Hill. Cookson attended the première. It was on television, however, that she had her greatest media success, with a series of dramas that appeared over the course of a decade on ITV and achieved huge ratings. Eighteen books were adapted for television between 1989 and 2001. They were all produced by Ray Marshall from Festival Film & TV who was given permission by Cookson in 1988 to bring her works to the screen. The first film to be made, ''The Fifteen Streets'' starring

Sean Bean Sean Bean (born Shaun Mark Bean; 17 April 1959) is an English actor. After graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he made his professional debut in a production of ''Romeo and Juliet'' in 1983 at The Watermill Theatre. Retaining his ...

and

Owen Teale Owen Teale (born 20 May 1961) is a Welsh character actor having appeared in many films, including ''Robin Hood'' (1991), '' The Hawk'' (1993), ''King Arthur'' (2004), '' The Last Legion'' (2007), '' Tolkien'' (2019), and '' Dream Horse'' (2020) ...

, was nominated for an

Emmy The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award catego ...

award in 1990. The second production, '' The Black Velvet Gown'', won an International

for Best Drama in 1991. The mini series regularly attracted over 10 million audiences and are still showing in the UK on Drama and the Yesterday Channel.

Philanthropy

In 1985, Cookson pledged more than £800,000 to the University of Newcastle. In gratitude, the university set up a lectureship in

hematology Hematology (American and British English spelling differences#ae and oe, spelled haematology in British English) is the branch of medicine concerned with the study of the cause, prognosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases related to bloo ...

. Some £40,000 was given to provide a laser to help treat bleeding disorders and £50,000 went to create a new post in ear, nose, and throat studies, with particular reference to the detection of

deafness Deafness has varying definitions in cultural and medical contexts. In medical contexts, the meaning of deafness is hearing loss that precludes a person from understanding spoken language, an audiological condition. In this context it is writte ...

in children. She had already given £20,000 towards the university's Hatton Gallery and £32,000 to its library. In recognition of this generosity, a building in the university medical faculty has been named after her. Her foundation continues to make donations to worthy causes in the UK, particularly those offering services to young people and cultural ventures, such as the Tyneside Cinema.

Honours

She was created an

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

in 1985, and was elevated to

Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

in 1993. Cookson received the Freedom of the Borough of

South Tyneside South Tyneside is a metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear, England. It is bordered by all four other boroughs in Tyne and Wear: Gateshead to the west, Sunderland in the south, North Tyneside to the north and Newcastl ...

, and an

honorary degree An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or '' ad hon ...

from the University of Newcastle. The

Variety Club of Great Britain Variety, the Children's Charity is a charitable organization founded in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1927. History On October 10, 1927, a group of eleven men involved in show business set up a social club which they named the "Variety Club". On ...

named her Writer of the Year, and she was voted Personality of the North East. She was the subject of '' This Is Your Life'' in 1982 when she was surprised by

Eamonn Andrews Eamonn Andrews, (19 December 1922 – 5 November 1987) was an Irish radio and television presenter, employed primarily in the United Kingdom from the 1950s to the 1980s. From 1960 to 1964 he chaired the Radio Éireann Authority (now the RTÉ ...

. Cookson was awarded an honorary fellowship at

St Hilda's College, Oxford St Hilda's College (full name = Principal and Council of St. Hilda's College, Oxford) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. The college is named after the Anglo-Saxon saint Hilda of Whitby and was founded in 1893 as a ...

in 1997 after donating £100,000 to the college, although she was too ill to travel to receive it.

Later life and death

In later life, Cookson and her husband, Tom, returned to the North East and settled first in Haldane Terrace,

Jesmond Jesmond ( ) is a suburb of Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England, situated north of the city centre and to the east of the Town Moor. Jesmond is considered to be one of the most affluent suburbs of Newcastle upon Tyne, with higher aver ...

Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne, or simply Newcastle ( , Received Pronunciation, RP: ), is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is England's northernmost metropolitan borough, located o ...

. They then moved to

Corbridge Corbridge is a village in Northumberland, England, west of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle and east of Hexham. Villages nearby include Halton, Northumberland, Halton, Acomb, Northumberland, Acomb, Aydon and Sandhoe. Etymology Corbridge was k ...

, a

market town A market town is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages, a market right, which allowed it to host a regular market; this distinguished it from a village or city. In Britain, small rura ...

near Newcastle, and later to

Langley, Northumberland Langley or Langley-on-Tyne is a small village in Northumberland, England, located to the west of Hexham. The village is on the A686 about south of Haydon Bridge. The skyline of Langley on Tyne is still dominated by the lead smelting chimney ...

, a small village nearby. As her health declined, they moved for a final time, back to Jesmond in 1989 to be nearer to medical facilities. For the last few years of her life she was bed-ridden, and she gave her final TV interview to '' North East Tonight'', the regional

ITV Tyne Tees ITV Tyne Tees, previously known as Tyne Tees, Channel 3 North East and Tyne Tees Television, is the ITV television franchisee for North East England and parts of North Yorkshire. Tyne Tees launched on 15 January 1959 from studios at a convert ...

news programme, from her sickbed. It was conducted by Mike Neville. Cookson died at the age of 91, nine days before her 92nd birthday, at her home in Newcastle. Her novels, many written from her sickbed, continued to be published posthumously until 2002. Her husband Tom died just 17 days later, on 28 June 1998. He had been

hospital A hospital is a healthcare institution providing patient treatment with specialized Medical Science, health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically ...

ised for a week and the cause of his death was not announced. He was 86 years old. The couple was married for 50 years.

Legacy

In 1992, the inaugural Catherine Cookson Prize took place and was won by author

Val Wood Val Wood, also known as Valerie Wood, is a British author of historical romance novels. She has written over 25 novels, all set in and around the city of Kingston upon Hull published by Transworld. She was born in Castleford and lives in Beve ...

and her debut novel, ''The Hungry Tide'', which subsequently went on to become a best-seller. In March 2008, the Dame Catherine Cookson Memorial Garden was unveiled in the grounds of South Tyneside District Hospital in

, based on the theme of a serpentine symbol, commonly used to symbolise health and caring. The hospital occupies the site of the Harton Workhouse, where Cookson worked from 1924 to 1929. The project was partly funded by the Catherine Cookson Trust. ''Tom and Catherine'', a musical about the couple's life, was written by local playwright Tom Kelly and opened in 1999. It played to sell-out crowds at the

Customs House A custom house or customs house was traditionally a building housing the offices for a jurisdictional government whose officials oversaw the functions associated with importing and exporting goods into and out of a country, such as collecting ...

in South Shields.

Portrayals in fiction

Cookson was portrayed by actress Kerry Browne in the 2018 award-winning film ''Our Catherine'', co-written by Tom Kelly.

Bibliography

Written as Catherine Cookson

* ''The Fifteen Streets'' (1952) * ''Colour Blind'' (1953) * ''Maggie Rowan'' (1954) * ''Rooney'' (1957) * ''The Menagerie'' (1958) * ''Fanny McBride'' (1959) * ''Fenwick Houses'' (1960) * ''The Garment'' (1962) * ''The Blind Miller'' (1963) * ''The Wingless Bird'' (1964) aka ''A Marriage of Scandal'' * ''Hannah Massey'' (1964) * ''The Mists of Memory'' (1965) * ''The Long Corridor'' (1965) * ''Matty Doolin'' (1965) * ''The Unbaited Trap'' (1966) * ''Slinky Jane'' (1967) * ''Katie Mulholland'' (1967) * ''The Round Tower'' (1968) * ''The Nice Bloke'' (1969) aka ''The Husband'' (1969) * ''The Glass Virgin'' (1969) * ''The Invitation'' (1970) * ''The Dwelling Place'' (1971) * ''Feathers in the Fire'' (1971) aka ''Her Secret Son'' * ''Pure as the Lily'' (1972) * ''The Invisible Cord'' (1975) * ''The Gambling Man'' (1975) * ''The Tide of Life'' (1976) * ''The Girl'' (1977) * ''

The Cinder Path ''The Cinder Path'' is a 1978 novel by British author Catherine Cookson. In 1994, it was adapted into a film directed by Simon Langton. Plot introduction In the English countryside of the early 20th century, the working-class protagonist mu ...

'' (1978) * ''The Man Who Cried'' (1979) * ''The Whip'' (1983) aka ''The Spaniard's Gift'' (1989) * ''The Black Velvet Gown'' (1984) * ''The Bannaman Legacy'' (1985) aka ''A Dinner of Herbs'' (1985) * ''The Moth'' (1986) a.k.a. ''The Thorman Inheritance'' (1989) * ''The Parson's Daughter'' (1987) * ''The Harrogate Secret'' (1988) aka ''The Secret'' aka ''The Smuggler's Secret'' * ''The Cultured Handmaiden'' (1988) * ''The Spaniard's Gift'' (1989) aka ''The Whip'' (1983) * ''The Black Candle'' (1989) * ''The Thorman Inheritance'' (1989) aka ''The Moth'' (1986) * ''The Gillyvors'' (1990) aka ''The Love Child'' (1991) * ''My Beloved Son'' (1991) * ''The Rag Nymph'' (1991) aka ''The Forester Girl'' (1993) aka ''The Rag Maid (2017) * ''The House of Women'' (1992) * ''The Maltese Angel'' (1992) * ''The Golden Straw'' (1993) aka ''The Hatmaker's Gift'' * ''The Forester Girl'' (1993) aka ''The Rag Nymph'' (1991) * ''The Year of the Virgins'' (1993) * ''The Tinker's Girl'' (1994) * ''Justice Is a Woman'' (1994) * ''A Ruthless Need'' (1995) * ''The Bonny Dawn'' (1996) * ''The Branded Man'' (1996) aka ''The Wayward Daughter'' (2022) * ''The Lady on my Left'' (1997) aka ''The Mists of Memory'' (1965) * ''The Obsession'' (1995) * ''The Upstart'' (1998) * ''The Blind Years'' (1998) * ''Riley'' (1998) * ''Solace of Sin'' (1998) * ''The Desert Crop'' (1999) aka ''An Unsuitable Match'' * ''The Thursday Friend'' (1999) * ''My Land of the North'' (1999) * ''A House Divided'' (2000) * ''Rosie of the River'' (2000) * ''The Simple Soul and Other Stories'' (2001) * ''The Silent Lady'' (2002)

The Kate Hannigan series

* ''Kate Hannigan'' (1950) * ''Kate Hannigan's Girl'' (2001)

The Mary Ann stories

* ''A Grand Man'' (1954) * ''The Lord and Mary Ann'' (1956) * ''The Devil and Mary Ann'' (1958) * ''Love and Mary Ann'' (1961) * ''Life and Mary Ann'' (1962) * ''Marriage and Mary Ann'' (1964) * ''Mary Ann's Angels'' (1965) * ''Mary Ann and Bill'' (1967)

The Mallen Novels

* ''The Mallen Streak'' (1973) * ''The Mallen Girl'' (1974) * ''The Mallen Litter'' (1974)

The Tilly Trotter trilogy

* ''Tilly Trotter'' aka ''Tilly'' (1980) * ''Tilly Trotter Wed'' aka ''Tilly Wed'' (1981) * ''Tilly Trotter Widowed'' aka ''Tilly Alone'' (1982)

The Hamilton series

* ''Hamilton'' (1983) * ''Goodbye Hamilton'' (1984) * ''Harold'' (1985)

The Bill Bailey trilogy

* ''Bill Bailey'' (1986) * ''Bill Bailey's Lot'' (1987) aka ''Bill Bailey's Litter'' * ''Bill Bailey's Daughter'' (1988) * ''The Bondage of Love'' (1997)

Children's stories

* ''Joe and the Gladiator'' (1968) * ''The Nipper'' (1970) * ''Blue Baccy'' (1972) aka ''Rory's Fortune'' (1988) * ''Our John Willie'' (1974) * ''Mrs Flannagan's Trumpet'' (1976) * ''Go Tell It to Mrs Golightly'' (1977) * ''Lanky Jones'' (1981) * ''Nancy Nutall and the Mongrel'' (1982) * ''Rory's Fortune'' (1988) aka ''Blue Baccy'' (1972) * ''Bill and The Mary Ann Shaughnessy'' (1991)

Autobiographies

* ''Our Kate'' (1969) * ''Catherine Cookson Country'' (1986) aka ''My Land of the North'' (1999) * ''Let Me Make Myself Plain'' (1988) * ''Plainer Still'' (1995) * ''Just A Saying'' (2002)

Written as Catherine Marchant

* ''Heritage of Folly'' (1961) aka ''Heritage of Folly'' (1961) by Katie McMullen * ''The Fen Tiger'' (1963) aka ''The House on the Fens'' (1963) * ''House of Men'' (1963) * ''The Mists of Memory'' (1965) aka ''The Lady on my Left'' (1997) by Catherine Cookson * ''The Iron Facade'' (1965) aka ''Evil at Rodgers Cross'' (1965) * ''Miss Martha Mary Crawford'' (1975) * ''The Slow Awakening'' (1976)

Written as Katie McMullen

* ''Heritage of Folly'' by Catherine Marchant

Biographies

* ''To Be a Lady: Biography of Catherine Cookson'' by Cliff Goodwin (1994) * ''The Girl From Leam Lane: The Life and Writing of Catherine Cookson'' by Piers Dudgeon (1997) * ''Catherine Cookson'' by Kathleen Jones (1999) * ''Kate's Daughter: The Real Catherine Cookson'' by Piers Dudgeon (2003) * ''Seeking Catherine Cookson's Da'' by Kathleen Jones (2004)

Documentary

* ''The Storyteller'' (1999) narrated by Mike Neville

Books in film and television

All titles from ''The Mallens'' onwards have been released on DVD in the UK and various other countries. * ''Jacqueline'' (1956) adaptation of ''A Grand Man'' with

, Kathleen Ryan, Noel Purcell and

Cyril Cusack Cyril James Cusack (26 November 1910 – 7 October 1993) was an Irish stage and screen actor with a career that spanned more than 70 years. During his lifetime, he was considered one of Ireland's finest thespians, and was renowned for his inte ...

* ''Rooney'' (1958) with

Muriel Pavlow Muriel Lilian Pavlow (27 June 1921 – 19 January 2019) was a British actress. Her mother was French and her father Russian. Early life Muriel was born in Lewisham, south-east London, to Boris Pavlov, a Russian émigré and salesman, and his ...

Barry Fitzgerald William Joseph Shields (10 March 1888 – 4 January 1961), known professionally as Barry Fitzgerald, was an Irish stage, film and television actor. In a career spanning almost forty years, he appeared in such notable films as ''Bringing Up Bab ...

and

June Thorburn Patricia June Thorburn-Smith (8 June 1931 – 4 November 1967) was a popular English actress whose career was cut short by her death in an air crash. Early life Thorburn was born in Karachi, then part of British India. She was the eldest ...

* ''Joe and the Gladiator'' (1971) with

James Garbutt James Garbutt (12 September 1925 – 6 April 2020) was a British actor who was active on television from the 1960s. Born in Houghton-le-Spring, County Durham in 1925, James was an RAF pilot and was trained in the United States and stationed in ...

Malcolm Terris Malcolm Hope Terris (11 January 1941 – 6 June 2020) was an English actor. He acted in many television programmes, including possibly his best-known role as Matt Headley in ''When the Boat Comes In'', a popular 1970s series. His film career ...

and

John Cazabon John Forde Cazabon (3 August 1914 – 22 June 1983) was an English actor and stage writer whose career began in Sydney, Australia. History Cazabon was born in Hertford, Hertfordshire, to violinist and composer Albert Cazabon (1883–1970) and N ...

* ''Romance: House of Men'' (1977) with

Michael Kitchen Michael Roy Kitchen (born 31 October 1948) is an English actor and television producer, best known for his starring role as Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle in the ITV drama '' Foyle's War'', which comprised eight series betwe ...

James Laurenson James Philip Laurenson (17 February 1940 – 18 April 2024) was a New Zealand stage and screen actor based in the UK. Early life Laurenson was born in Marton, New Zealand. He was a student at Canterbury University College in Christchurch (now ...

Alun Armstrong Alan Armstrong (born 17 July 1946), known professionally as Alun Armstrong, is an English character actor. He grew up in County Durham in North East England, and first became interested in acting through Shakespeare productions at his grammar ...

and

Joe Gladwin Joseph Gladwin (22 January 1906 – 11 March 1987) was an English actor, best known for his roles as Fred Jackson in Coronation Street, Stan Hardman in '' Nearest and Dearest'', and Wally Batty in the world's longest-running sitcom, ''Last o ...

* ''Our John Willie'' (1980) with

Ian Cullen George Ian Cullen (20 October 1939 – 12 November 2019) was a British actor. Cullen first became interested in acting when appearing in a pantomime aged four (late 1943). He trained at RADA with a scholarship when he was 16. An early televis ...

, David Burke,

John Malcolm Major-General Sir John Malcolm GCB, KLS (2 May 1769 – 30 May 1833) was a Scottish soldier, diplomat, East India Company administrator, statesman, and historian. Early life Sir John Malcolm was born in 1769, one of seventeen children of G ...

and

* '' The Mallens'' (1979–1980) with

John Hallam John William Francis Hallam (28 October 1941 – 14 November 2006) was a character actor from Northern Ireland, who frequently played hard men or military types. Early life John Hallam was born, the son of a superintendent at the Port o ...

John Duttine John Arthur Duttine (born 15 March 1949) is an English actor noted for his roles on stage, films and television. He is well known for his role as Sgt George Miller in '' Heartbeat'' and Bill Masen in the TV series '' The Day of the Triffids''. ...

David Rintoul David Rintoul (born David Wilson; 29 November 1948) is a Scottish stage and television actor. Rintoul was born in Aberdeen, Scotland. He studied at the University of Edinburgh, and won a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art ...

and

Juliet Stevenson Juliet Anne Virginia Stevenson, (born 30 October 1956) is an English actress of stage and screen. She is known for her role in the film '' Truly, Madly, Deeply'' (1991), for which she was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Le ...

* ''The Fifteen Streets'' (1989) with

Clare Holman Clare Margaret Holman (born 12 January 1964) is an English actress. She portrayed forensic pathologist Dr. Laura Hobson in the crime drama series ''Inspector Morse'' and its spin-off '' Lewis'' from 1995 to 2015. Career Holman started her ac ...

and

Jane Horrocks Barbara Jane Horrocks (born 18 January 1964) is a British actress. She portrayed Bubble and Katy Grin in the BBC sitcom '' Absolutely Fabulous''. She was nominated for the 1993 Olivier Award for Best Actress for the title role in the stage pl ...

* ''The Black Candle'' (1991) with

Nathaniel Parker Nathaniel Parker (born 18 May 1962) is an English stage and screen actor best known for playing the lead in the BBC crime drama series ''The Inspector Lynley Mysteries'', and List of Merlin characters#Agravaine de Bois, Agravaine de Bois in the ...

and

Samantha Bond Samantha Jane Bond (born 27 November 1961) is an English actress. She played Miss Moneypenny in four James Bond films during the Pierce Brosnan era, and appeared in ''Downton Abbey'' as the wealthy widow Lady Rosamund Painswick, sister of Rob ...

* '' The Black Velvet Gown'' (1991) with

Janet McTeer Janet McTeer (born 5 August 1961) is an English actress. She began her career training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before earning acclaim for playing diverse roles on stage and screen in both period pieces and modern dramas. She has r ...

Bob Peck Robert Peck (23 August 1945 – 4 April 1999) was an English actor who played Ronald Craven in the television serial ''Edge of Darkness'', for which he won the British Academy Television Award for Best Actor, BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor. He ...

Geraldine Somerville Geraldine Margaret Agnew-Somerville (born 19 May 1967) is an Irish-British actress. She is known for her roles in the film ''Gosford Park'' (2001) and the ''Harry Potter'' film series as an adult Lily Potter (2001–2011). Her other roles ha ...

won the

International Emmy The International Emmy Awards, or International Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based International Academy of Television Arts and Sc ...

award for best drama. * ''The Man Who Cried'' (1993) with

Ciarán Hinds Ciarán Hinds ( ; born 9 February 1953) is a British Northern Irish actor from Belfast, Northern Ireland. Hinds is known for a range of screen and stage roles. He has starred in feature films including '' The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Love ...

and

Amanda Root Amanda Root (born 1963) is an English actress. She is perhaps best known for her starring role as Anne Elliot in the 1995 BBC adaptation of ''Persuasion''. A familiar face on both stage and screen, she worked regularly with the Royal Shakesp ...

* ''

'' (1994) with

Catherine Zeta-Jones Catherine Zeta-Jones (; born 25 September 1969) is a Welsh actress. Recognised for her versatility, she has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and a Tony Award. In 2010, she was appointed Comm ...

* ''The Dwelling Place'' (1994) with Tracy Whitwell,

Julie Hesmondhalgh Julie Claire Hesmondhalgh ( ;) is an English actress and narrator. She is known for her role as Hayley Cropper in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' between 1998 and 2014. For this role she won "Best Serial Drama Performance" at the 20 ...

and

Ray Stevenson George Raymond Stevenson (25 May 196421 May 2023) was a Northern Ireland-born actor, best known for his film and television work. He had a starring role as legionary Titus Pullo on the BBC/HBO television series ''Rome'' (2005–2007), and port ...

* ''

The Glass Virgin ''The Glass Virgin'' is a British three-part television serial, or long TV movie, first broadcast in 1995, starring Emily Mortimer and Brendan Coyle, directed by Sarah Hellings, based on a novel by Catherine Cookson. Production Producer Ray Mar ...

'' (1995) with

Nigel Havers Nigel Allan Havers (born 6 November 1951) is an English actor and presenter. His film roles include Lord Andrew Lindsay in the 1981 British film ''Chariots of Fire'', which earned him a BAFTA nomination; as Dr. Rawlins in the 1987 Steven Spielb ...

Emily Mortimer Emily Kathleen Anne Mortimer (born 6 October 1971) is a British and American actress and filmmaker. She began acting in stage productions and has since appeared in several film and television roles. In 2003, she won an Independent Spirit Award ...

and

Brendan Coyle Brendan Coyle (born 2 December 1962) is a British-Irish actor. He won the Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role for '' The Weir'' in 1999. He also played Nicholas Higgins in the miniseries '' North & South'', Robert Timmins i ...

* '' The Gambling Man'' (1995) with

Robson Green Robson Golightly Green (born 18 December 1964) is an English actor, singer-songwriter and television presenter. His first major TV role was as hospital porter Jimmy Powell in BBC drama series '' Casualty'' in 1989. He then went on to portray F ...

* ''The Tide of Life'' (1996) with

Gillian Kearney Gillian Louise Kearney

, John Bowler,

and

James Purefoy James Brian Mark Purefoy (born 3 June 1964) is an English actor. He played Marcus Antonius in the HBO series ''Rome'', Nick Jenkins in '' A Dance to the Music of Time'', college professor turned serial killer Joe Carroll in the series '' The Fo ...

* ''The Girl'' (1996) with

Jonathan Cake Jonathan James Cake (born 31 August 1967) is an English actor who has worked on various TV programmes and films. His notable screen roles include Jack Favell in ''Rebecca'' (1997), Oswald Mosley in '' Mosley'' (1998), Japheth in the NBC televi ...

, Malcolm Stoddard, Jill Baker and Siobhan Flynn * ''The Wingless Bird'' (1997) with

Claire Skinner Claire Skinner (born 1965) is an English actress, known in the United Kingdom for her television career, particularly playing Sue Brockman from the BBC television series '' Outnumbered''. She is also known for her collaboration with director M ...

Anne Reid Anne Reid (born 28 May 1935) is an English stage, film and television actress, known for her roles as Valerie Barlow in the soap opera ''Coronation Street'' (1961–1971); Jean in the sitcom '' dinnerladies'' (1998–2000); and her role as C ...

and

Julian Wadham Julian Neil Rohan Wadham (born 7 August 1958) is an English actor of stage, film and television. Early life The third son of Rohan Nicholas Wadham DFC and Juliana Wadham (''née'' Macdonald Walker), Wadham was educated at Ampleforth College ...

* ''The Moth'' (1997) with

Jack Davenport Jack Arthur Davenport (born 1 March 1973) is an English actor. He is best known for his roles in the television series '' This Life'' and ''Coupling'', and as James Norrington in the ''Pirates of the Caribbean'' series. He has also appeared i ...

Juliet Aubrey Juliet Emma Aubrey (born 17 December 1966) is a British actress; She won the 1995 BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress for playing Dorothea in the BBC serial '' Middlemarch'' (1994). She is also known for her role as Helen Cutter in the ITV series ...

and Justine Waddell * ''The Rag Nymph'' (1997) with

Honeysuckle Weeks Honeysuckle Susan Weeks (born 1 August 1979) is a British actress best known for her role as Samantha Stewart (later Wainwright) in the ITV wartime drama series '' Foyle's War''. Early life Weeks was born in Cardiff, Wales, to Robin and Susan ...

Alec Newman Mark Alexander Newman (born 27 November 1974) is a Scottish actor best known for portraying Paul Atreides in the Sci Fi Channel's 2000 miniseries adaptation of Frank Herbert's ''Dune''. He played Adam Smasher in '' Cyberpunk 2077'' and '' Cyb ...

and

Val McLane Val McLane (born Valerie Bradford 25 February 1943, in Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland) is an English actress, scriptwriter, director and teacher. Early life She grew up in Walker and Benton. Her younger brother is actor and musician Jimm ...

* '' The Round Tower'' (1998) with

Emilia Fox Emilia Rose Elizabeth Fox (born 31 July 1974) is an English actress and presenter whose career is primarily in British television. Her feature film debut was in Roman Polanski's film ''The Pianist (2002 film), The Pianist'' (2002). Her other m ...

Ben Miles Benjamin Charles Miles (born 29 September 1966) is an English actor, best known for his starring role as Patrick Maitland in the television comedy '' Coupling'', from 2000 to 2004, as Montague Dartie in '' The Forsyte Saga'', from 2002 to 2003, ...

and

Denis Lawson Denis Stamper Lawson (born 27 September 1947) is a Scottish actor. He is known for his roles as Wedge Antilles in the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy (1977–1983) and as John Jarndyce in the television miniseries ''Bleak House'' (2005), the l ...

* ''Colour Blind'' (1998) with

Niamh Cusack Niamh Cusack ( ; born 20 October 1959) is an Irish actress. Born into a family with deep roots in the performing arts, she has performed extensively with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal National Theatre, and other prominent theatre ens ...

, Tony Armatrading,

Art Malik Athar ul-Haque Malik (; born 13 November 1952), known as Art Malik, is a Pakistani-British actor. He achieved international fame in the 1980s through his starring and supporting roles in assorted British television serials and films. His break ...

Dearbhla Molloy Dearbhla Molloy (; born 1946) is an Irish actress. Early life Molloy was born to John Molloy and Evelyn Ryan and grew up on Yellow Walls Road in Malahide, County Dublin, Ireland, the eldest of seven children. She attended an Irish-language s ...

, and

Carmen Ejogo Carmen Elizabeth Ejogo (; born 22 October 1973)

* ''Tilly Trotter'' (1999) with

Carli Norris Carli Jo Norris (born 23 June 1974) is an English actress, known for her roles as Anoushka Flynn in '' Doctors'', Martha Kane in ''Hollyoaks'' and taking over the role of Belinda Peacock in ''EastEnders''. Career In June 1997, just before o ...

Beth Goddard Elizabeth Jane Goddard (born 31 March 1969) is a British actress known for her role as Suze Littlewood in the BBC comedy series '' Gimme Gimme Gimme''. Early life Goddard grew up in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, and attended Clacton County High Sch ...

Sarah Alexander Sarah Alexander (''née'' Smith; 3 January 1971) is an English actress. She has appeared in British series including ''Armstrong and Miller'', ''Smack the Pony'', ''Coupling'', '' The Worst Week of My Life'', ''Green Wing'', '' Marley's Ghosts ...

Amelia Bullmore Amelia Mary Bullmore (born 31 January 1964) is an English actress, screenwriter and playwright. She is known for her roles in ''Coronation Street'' (1990–1992, 1995), '' I'm Alan Partridge'' (2002), '' Ashes to Ashes'' (2008–2009), '' Twenty ...

Rosemary Leach Rosemary Anne Leach (18 December 1935 – 21 October 2017) was a British stage, television and film actress. She won the 1982 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a New Play for '' 84, Charing Cross Road'' and was nominated for the BAFTA Award f ...

and

Simon Shepherd Simon Stephen Shepherd (born 20 August 1956) is an English actor best known to TV audiences from many appearances, including as Dr Will Preston in eight series of ITV's '' Peak Practice'' and Doctor Jonathan Barling in '' Casualty''. Shephe ...

* ''The Secret'' (2000) with Colin Buchanan,

Hannah Yelland Hannah Yelland (born in 1976) is a British-born actress. She lives and works in the United States. Early life Hannah Yelland was born in Hammersmith, west London, and brought up in Richmond, Surbiton and East Molesey. She is the daughter of Bri ...

, Elizabeth Carling,

Clare Higgins Clare Frances Elizabeth Higgins (born 10 November 1955) is an English actress. She is a three-time winner of the Olivier Award for Best Actress; for '' Sweet Bird of Youth'' (1995), ''Vincent in Brixton'' (2003), and ''Hecuba'' (2005). She mad ...

, and

Stephen Moyer Stephen John Moyer (né Emery; born 11 October 1969) is an English actor and film director. He is best known for portraying the vampire Bill Compton in the HBO television series '' True Blood''. This was followed by the television film ''Lord ...

* ''A Dinner of Herbs'' (2000) with

Jonathan Kerrigan Jonathan Kerrigan (born 14 October 1972) is an English actor well known for various leading roles on TV including '' In the Club'', ''Casualty'', '' Heartbeat'', ''Merseybeat, The Five'' and ''Reach For The Moon''. Films include '' Diana'', ''FL ...

Melanie Clark Pullen Melanie Clark Pullen (2 July 1975 – 29 March 2022) was an Irish actress, film producer and writer. Career Born and raised in Ireland, Clark Pullen attended Newpark Comprehensive School and then studied drama at Trinity College, Dublin. Shortl ...

Debra Stephenson Deborah Lee Duffield (' Stephenson; born 4 June 1972), known professionally as Debra Stephenson, is an English actress, comedian, impressionist and singer, best known for her roles as Diane Powell in '' Playing the Field'' (1999–2000), Shell ...

David Threlfall David John Threlfall (born 12 October 1953) is an English stage, film and television actor and director. He is best known for playing Frank Gallagher in Channel 4's series '' Shameless''. He has also directed several episodes of the show. In Ap ...

and

Billie Whitelaw Billie Honor Whitelaw (6 June 1932 – 21 December 2014) was an English actress. She worked in close collaboration with Irish playwright Samuel Beckett for 25 years and was regarded as one of the foremost interpreters of his works. She was als ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Cookson, Catherine 1906 births 1998 deaths 20th-century British novelists 20th-century British women writers 20th-century pseudonymous writers British Book Award winners British historical novelists British people of Scottish descent Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire People from Corbridge Writers from Northumberland People from South Shields Writers from Tyne and Wear Pseudonymous women writers British women historical novelists Writers of historical fiction set in the modern age ]