HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Peter McDougall (born 1947,
Greenock Greenock (; ; , ) is a town in Inverclyde, Scotland, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. The town is the administrative centre of Inverclyde Council. It is a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, and forms ...
,
Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
) is a Scottish television
playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes play (theatre), plays, which are a form of drama that primarily consists of dialogue between Character (arts), characters and is intended for Theatre, theatrical performance rather than just Readin ...
whose major success was in the 1970s. McDougall claims to have had very little schooling and to rarely read books. He began his working life at the age of fourteen in the shipyards of Greater
Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...
and
Greenock Greenock (; ; , ) is a town in Inverclyde, Scotland, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. The town is the administrative centre of Inverclyde Council. It is a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, and forms ...
with future
comedian A comedian (feminine comedienne) or comic is a person who seeks to entertainment, entertain an audience by making them laughter, laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting foolishly (as in slapstick), or employing prop c ...
and
actor An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...
Billy Connolly Sir William Connolly (born 24 November 1942) is a Scottish actor, musician, television presenter, artist and retired stand-up comedian. He is sometimes known by the Scots nickname the Big Yin ("the Big One"). Known for his idiosyncratic and of ...
. Depressed by the harsh conditions and unfulfilled by the menial work, he left Scotland and moved to London, where he worked as a house-painter. It was while painting
Colin Welland Colin Welland (born Colin Edward Williams; 4 July 1934 – 2 November 2015) was an English actor and screenwriter. He won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance as Mr Farthing in '' Kes'' (1969) and the Academy A ...
's house that McDougall impressed the
actor An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...
and
writer A writer is a person who uses written words in different writing styles, genres and techniques to communicate ideas, to inspire feelings and emotions, or to entertain. Writers may develop different forms of writing such as novels, short sto ...
when relating tales of being the drum major in the
Orange walk Orange walks, or Orange marches, are a series of parades by members of the Orange Order and other Protestantism, Protestant Fraternal organization, fraternal societies, held during the summer months in various Commonwealth of Nations, Commonw ...
as a teenager. He was advised to try writing a
television play A television play is a television programming genre which is a drama performance broadcast from a multi-camera television studio, usually live in the early days of television but later recorded to tape. This is in contrast to a television movi ...
about this and the result was '' Just Another Saturday'', which McDougall wrote in secret and hid even from his first wife, a teacher nearly a decade his senior. Once completed, the script was sent to the BBC ''
Play for Today ''Play for Today'' is a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC1 from 1970 to 1984. During the run, more than three hundred programmes, featuring original television plays, and adaptations of stage ...
'' team, who were enormously impressed but rejected the play because of the sensitive subject matter. McDougall was however asked to try again, and wrote a more intimate piece ''Just Your Luck'' (1972) based on his sister's wedding, again exploring the
sectarian Sectarianism is a debated concept. Some scholars and journalists define it as pre-existing fixed communal categories in society, and use it to explain political, cultural, or religious conflicts between groups. Others conceive of sectarianism a ...
divide in its story of a
Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
girl who finds herself pregnant by a
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
boy. The play caused a furore in Scotland, many people appalled by its portrayal of the people's earthiness and prejudice. However, there was much positive praise too, one viewer even going so far as to say it was "the most exciting debut since ''
Look Back in Anger ''Look Back in Anger'' (1956) is a realist play written by John Osborne. It focuses on the life and marital struggles of an intelligent and educated but disaffected young man of working-class origin, Jimmy Porter, and his equally competent yet i ...
''." At that point, the director John Mackenzie began enquiring after the script of ''Just Another Saturday'' and managed to get the play into production, only to then find the piece banned after the head of the
Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...
police said that the script would cause "bloodshed on the streets in the making and in the showing". After a year Mackenzie managed to persuade the Head of BBC Television Alasdair Milne to press ahead with the play, although some scenes were eventually filmed in
Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...
to minimise controversy. The finished film, the script of which was barely changed from the first draft, won massive acclaim on its first transmission in 1975, gained several repeats, and won its author the
Prix Italia The Prix Italia is an international television, radio-broadcasting and web award. It was established in 1948 by RAI – Radiotelevisione Italiana (in 1948, RAI had the denomination RAI – Radio Audizioni Italiane) in Capri and is honoured with th ...
. McDougall followed this success up with a short kitchen comedy for
BBC2 BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's second flagship channel, and it covers a wide range of subject matter, incorporating genres such as comedy, drama and ...
, ''A Wily Couple'' (1976), part of the ''Centre Play'' series and another ''Play for Today'', ''The Elephants' Graveyard'' (1976). During this time McDougall got the opportunity to work with talented and influential producers such as Graeme Macdonald, who later became overall Head Of Drama at the BBC in the 1980s. Several other television projects ensued, including an aborted sitcom, until McDougall and Mackenzie collaborated again on their final ''
Play for Today ''Play for Today'' is a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC1 from 1970 to 1984. During the run, more than three hundred programmes, featuring original television plays, and adaptations of stage ...
'', '' Just a Boys' Game'' (1979). Starring blues singer Frankie Miller this was the story of
Greenock Greenock (; ; , ) is a town in Inverclyde, Scotland, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. The town is the administrative centre of Inverclyde Council. It is a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, and forms ...
razor gangs and specifically of one man's life of alcohol and violence over a twenty-four-hour period. His most violent piece, ''Just A Boy's Game'' the film was also notable for supporting performances from a then unknown Gregor Fisher, Ken Hutchison,
comedian A comedian (feminine comedienne) or comic is a person who seeks to entertainment, entertain an audience by making them laughter, laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting foolishly (as in slapstick), or employing prop c ...
Hector Nicol and Jean Taylor Smith.
Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November17, 1942) is an American filmmaker. One of the major figures of the New Hollywood era, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Martin Scorsese, many accolades, including an Academ ...
has since stated that the bar room brawl scene and its bleak moody atmosphere made the film the Scottish equivalent of ''
Mean Streets ''Mean Streets'' is a 1973 American crime drama film directed by Martin Scorsese, co-written by Scorsese and Mardik Martin, and starring Robert De Niro and Harvey Keitel. It is produced by Warner Bros. The film premiered at the New York Fil ...
''. McDougall also wrote the BBC supernatural drama ''Tarry-Dan Tarry-Dan Scarey Old Spooky Man'' set in Cornwall about a troubled teenager experiencing dreams of an ancient family curse. Only broadcast once in May 1978 and directed by John Reardon. Mackenzie and McDougall's last collaboration was on the STV film ''
A Sense of Freedom ''A Sense of Freedom'' is a 1981 Scottish crime film directed by John Mackenzie for Scottish Television. The film stars David Hayman and featured Jake D'Arcy, Sean Scanlan, Hector Nicol, Alex Norton and Fulton Mackay. It is based on the au ...
'' (also 1979), based on the autobiography of Glaswegian gangster Jimmy Boyle, detailing his crimes and subsequent reform. McDougall's subsequent plays ''Shoot For The Sun'' (1986), a bleak BBC drama starring
Jimmy Nail James Michael Aloysius Bradford (born 16 March 1954), known as Jimmy Nail, is an English singer-songwriter, actor, film producer, and television writer. He played the role of Leonard "Oz" Osborne in the television show ''Auf Wiedersehen, Pet'' ( ...
and Brian Cox about Edinburgh's heroin problem, and '' Down Where the Buffalo Go'' (1988) starring
Harvey Keitel Harvey Keitel ( ; born May 13, 1939) is an American actor and film producer, known for his portrayal of morally ambiguous and "tough guy" characters. He rose to prominence during the New Hollywood movement, and has held a long-running associatio ...
, and ''Down Among The Big Boys'' (1993) did not meet with as significant critical acclaim. However he has remained good friends since with Keitel, who played the lead in '' Down Where the Buffalo Go''. Keitel was caught wearing a “Get Me Peter” T-shirt during the filming of ''Down Where the Buffalo Go'' in a declaration of disillusionment with the director Ian Knox, and his bond with McDougall. In 1994, McDougall was caught remarking upon the appointment of BBC's new Head of Drama, future ''
Last King Of Scotland ''The Last King of Scotland'' is a novel by journalist Giles Foden, published by Faber and Faber in 1998. Focusing on the rise of Ugandan President Idi Amin and his reign as dictator from 1971 to 1979, the novel, which interweaves fiction and ...
'' producer
Andrea Calderwood Andrea Calderwood is a British film and television producer. She produced ''Mrs Brown'' and ''The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind'' which was distributed by Netflix. Life Calderwood was born in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Paisley, Scotland. She won a Brit ...
, that the BBC should never had given the job to a "wee lassie". The two later made up and Calderwood was later invited round McDougall's for dinner, with
Billy Connolly Sir William Connolly (born 24 November 1942) is a Scottish actor, musician, television presenter, artist and retired stand-up comedian. He is sometimes known by the Scots nickname the Big Yin ("the Big One"). Known for his idiosyncratic and of ...
and Brian Cox present. McDougall was assaulted in Glasgow's West End in 1995, with an assailant brandishing a knife whilst walking home with his son. He was stabbed above the eye and taken to the Western Infirmary, where his wounds required more than 20 stitches. In 2004, McDougall wrote three short dramas for the stage, starring - amongst others -
Robbie Coltrane Anthony Robert McMillan (30 March 195014 October 2022), known professionally as Robbie Coltrane, was a Scottish actor. He gained worldwide recognition in the 2000s for playing Rubeus Hagrid in the ''Harry Potter'' film series. He was appointe ...
and Sean Scanlan, which were presented at the Òran Mór in Glasgow as part of the lunchtime theatre event A Play, A Pie and A Pint. He was at this point working on remakes of the Ealing films ''
The Maggie ''The 'Maggie (U.S. title: ''High and Dry''; also known as ''Highland Fling'') is a 1954 British comedy film directed by Alexander Mackendrick and starring Paul Douglas, Alex Mackenzie and James Copeland. It was written by William Rose and ...
'' and '' Whisky Galore'' but spoke out furiously when his proposed casting of Robbie Coltrane and
Robert Carlyle Robert Carlyle (born 14 April 1961) is a Scottish actor. His film work includes: '' Trainspotting'' (1996), '' The Full Monty'' (1997), '' Ravenous'' and ''The World Is Not Enough'' (both 1999), '' There's Only One Jimmy Grimble'' (2000), '' ...
was passed on in favour of English actors. A company, Whiskey Galore Films, was established which included producer Stephen Evans to develop '' Whisky Galore''. In October 2007, a DVD boxed set featuring most of McDougall's work, "The Peter McDougall Collection" was released by John Williams Productions. This collection featured three ''
Play for Today ''Play for Today'' is a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and transmitted on BBC1 from 1970 to 1984. During the run, more than three hundred programmes, featuring original television plays, and adaptations of stage ...
'' titles:'' Just Another Saturday'', ''The Elephant's Graveyard'', ''Just A Boy's Game'', and a ''
Screen One ''Screen One'' is a British television anthology drama series, produced by the BBC and distributed by BBC Worldwide, that was transmitted on BBC One from 1989 to 1998. A total of six series were broadcast, incorporating sixty individual films, s ...
'' drama: ''Down Among the Big Boys''. McDougall was finally awarded with a
BAFTA The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA, ) is an independent trade association and charity that supports, develops, and promotes the arts of film, television and video games in the United Kingdom. In addition to its annual awa ...
in 2008 when he received a lifetime achievement award - for "Outstanding contribution to Scottish broadcasting". A retrospective multiple screening of John Mackenzie and McDougall's collaborations was also shown at the
Edinburgh International Festival The Edinburgh International Festival is an annual arts festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, spread over the final three weeks in August. Notable figures from the international world of music (especially european classical music, classical music) and ...
in 2009. McDougall was also one of a number of prominent Scots who attended the 2010 funeral of Trade Union Leader Jimmy Reid. As of 2011, McDougall has written a screenplay adaptation of the James Hogg novel ''
The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner ''The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner: Written by Himself: With a detail of curious traditionary facts and other evidence by the editor'' is a novel by the Scottish author James Hogg, published anonymously in 1824. The p ...
'', which has garnered interest from long-time friends Billy Connolly and Robbie Coltrane as well as
Kelly Macdonald Kelly Macdonald (born 23 February 1976) is a Scottish actress. Known for her performances on film and television, she has received various accolades including a BAFTA Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and four Screen Actors Guild Awards. Macdona ...
. The script is currently being viewed by
Robert Pattinson Robert Douglas Thomas Pattinson (born 13 May 1986) is an English actor. #Filmography, His filmography often sees him portraying eccentric characters across a diverse range of genres. Known for starring in both major studio productions and in ...
and would lead to a remarkable comeback if taken into development. Scottish filmmaker Eleanor Yule has also made a documentary for the BBC "Late Show" on the work of McDougall. McDougall currently lives in the West End of Glasgow with his partner, acclaimed director and writer Morag Fullarton, and often can be seen frequenting the Òran Mór theatre pub in the West of Glasgow.


Further reading

* Mathieson, Kenny (1987), ''Peter McDougall: An Endless Boy's Game'' in ''
Cencrastus ''Cencrastus'' was a magazine devoted to Scottish and international literature, arts and affairs, founded after the Referendum of 1979 by students, mainly of Scottish literature, at Edinburgh University, and with support from Cairns Craig, then a ...
'' No. 28, Winter 87/88, pp. 1 - 4,


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:McDougall, Peter 1947 births Living people Writers from Greenock Prix Italia winners Scottish dramatists and playwrights