Geoffrey Lancashire (12 March 1933 – 3 October 2004) was a British television scriptwriter. He is best remembered for writing television comedy series such as ''

The Lovers The Lovers (VI) is the sixth trump (card games), trump or Major Arcana card in most traditional Tarot decks. It is used in Tarot card games, game playing as well as in Tarot reading, divination. Interpretation According to A. E. Waite's 191 ...

'' and '' The Cuckoo Waltz''. He also wrote 171 episodes of ITV soap opera ''

Coronation Street ''Coronation Street'' (colloquially referred to as ''Corrie'') is a British television soap opera created by ITV Granada, Granada Television and shown on ITV (TV network), ITV since 9 December 1960. The programme centres on a cobbled, terraced ...

'' during the 1960s.

Early life

Geoffrey Lancashire was born in

Oldham Oldham is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers River Irk, Irk and River Medlock, Medlock, southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of Manchester. It is the administrative cent ...

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated ''Lancs'') is a ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Cumbria to the north, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire to the east, Greater Manchester and Merseyside to the south, and the Irish Sea to ...

on 12 March 1933 and was educated at the local high school until the age of 15.

Career

Lancashire began his career as a journalist with the ''

Oldham Evening Chronicle The ''Oldham Evening Chronicle'' was a daily newspaper published each weekday evening. It served the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, England. There were also four sister editions, called the ''Oldham Extra'', ''Saddleworth ...

'' newspaper and prior to working in London for national Sunday newspapers, he with a journalist colleague, Roy Bottomley, founded the '' Oldham Mirror'' newspaper. Lancashire was a freelance journalist before joining

Granada Television ITV Granada, formerly known as Granada Television, is the ITV (TV network), ITV franchisee for the North West of England and Isle of Man. From 1956 to 1968 it broadcast to both the north west and Yorkshire on weekdays only, as ABC Weekend TV, ...

as a continuity scriptwriter days before the company began broadcasting in 1956. He went on to write 171 episodes of ''Coronation Street'', working alongside Tony Warren and

Jack Rosenthal Jack Morris Rosenthal (8 September 1931 – 29 May 2004) was an English playwright. He wrote 129 early episodes of the ITV (TV network), ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'' and over 150 screenplays, including original television plays, featur ...

. Lancashire also wrote other television series including ''

Inheritance Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Offi ...

'' (1967), ''

'' (1970), '' Shabby Tiger'' (1973), '' The Cuckoo Waltz'' (1975) and ''

Foxy Lady "Foxy Lady" (or alternatively "Foxey Lady") is a song by The Jimi Hendrix Experience. It first appeared on their 1967 debut album '' Are You Experienced'' and was later issued as their third single in the U.S. with the alternate spelling. It is ...

'' (1982). He had an aptitude for writing and devising television comedy, and with Rosenthal won a Writers' Guild award for ''The Lovers''. Having become self-employed once again, Lancashire wrote for other television companies. His output included contributions to the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

's 1965-67 ''

United! ''United!'' is a British television series which was produced by the BBC between 1965 and 1967, and was broadcast twice-weekly on BBC One, BBC1. The theme tune was The Tops, a brass band march by Thomas J. Powell. The series followed the fortune ...

'', '' Man at the Top'' (

Thames Television Thames Television, commonly simplified to just Thames, was a franchise holder for a region of the British ITV television network serving London and surrounding areas from 30 July 1968 until the night of 31 December 1992. Thames Television broa ...

, 1970–72) and '' All Creatures Great and Small'' (BBC, 1978–1990).

Personal life

In February 1963, Lancashire married Hilda McCormack, a secretary at the Granada Television studios. He suffered a series of strokes late in his life. He never fully recovered and lived at

Denville Hall Denville Hall is a historic building in Northwood, a town in the London Borough of Hillingdon, England, which is used as a retirement home for professional actors, actresses and members of other theatrical professions. The present building in ...

, a nursing home for people from the television and theatrical professions. He died at Watford General Hospital on 3 October 2004 and was survived by Hilda, his actor daughter

Sarah Sarah (born Sarai) is a biblical matriarch, prophet, and major figure in Abrahamic religions. While different Abrahamic faiths portray her differently, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all depict her character similarly, as that of a pious woma ...

and her twin brother, and two other sons.

References

Notes Citations

External links

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televisionheaven.co.uk {{DEFAULTSORT:Lancashire, Geoffrey 1933 births 2004 deaths English television writers People from Oldham English journalists Soap opera writers British comedy writers 20th-century English screenwriters