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John McGrath

John McGrath

Writer · 1935–2002 · Birkenhead, Cheshire, England, UK

IMDb

Biography

Born in Birkenhead from Irish Catholic stock, John McGrath was a British playwright, screenwriter. producer, director and socialist who took up the cause of Scottish independence and the principles of a radical, popular theatre with the creation of the 7:84 theatre company alongside his wife, Elizabeth MacLennan, and brother-in-law, David MacLennan. His most famous plays are arguably The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil which was brought to television in 1974 by John Mackenzie for the Play for Today strand, and Events While Guarding The Bofors Gun which was made into the film The Bofors Gun in 1968. He also wrote the screenplays for films such as Billion Dollar Brain, The Virgin Soldiers, The Reckoning, The Dressmaker and 1991's Robin Hood, and produced films such as Carrington and Aberdeen.

Wrote 19

1990s

  1. 1996

    Half the Picture

    Writer

  2. 1993

    The Long Roads

    Writer

  3. 1991

    Robin Hood

    Writer

    57
  4. 1990

    Border Warfare

    Writer

1980s

  1. 1988

    The Dressmaker

    Writer

  2. 1986

    Blood Red Roses

    Writer

  3. 1985

    Screen Two

    Writer

  4. 1980

    The Adventures of Frank: Seeds of Ice

    Writer

  5. The Adventures of Frank: Everybody's Fiddling Something

    Writer

1970s

  1. 1974

    The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil

    Writer

  2. 1972

    The Bouncing Boy

    Writer

  3. 1971

    Orkney

    Writer

  4. 1970

    Play for Today

    Writer

    73

  5. The Reckoning

    Screenplay

1960s

  1. 1969

    The Virgin Soldiers

    Writer

  2. 1968

    The Bofors Gun

    Writer

  3. 1967

    Billion Dollar Brain

    Screenplay

    56
  4. 1964

    The Diary of a Nobody

    Writer

  5. Diary of a Young Man

    Writer

Produced 9

2000s

  1. 2000

    Aberdeen

    Co-Producer

1990s

  1. 1997

    My Life in Pink

    Co-Producer

  2. 1996

    Half the Picture

    Producer

  3. 1995

    Carrington

    Producer

  4. 1993

    The Long Roads

    Executive Producer

1980s

  1. 1988

    The Dressmaker

    Executive Producer

1960s

  1. 1966

    Exit 19

    Producer

  2. 1965

    The Day of Ragnarok

    Producer

  3. 1964

    The Diary of a Nobody

    Producer

Directed 9

1990s

  1. 1990

    Border Warfare

    Director

1980s

  1. 1986

    Blood Red Roses

    Director

  2. 1980

    The Adventures of Frank: Seeds of Ice

    Director

  3. The Adventures of Frank: Everybody's Fiddling Something

    Director

1960s

  1. 1969

    Double Bill

    Director

  2. 1965

    The Day of Ragnarok

    Director

  3. 1964

    The Wednesday Play

    Director

  4. 1962

    Z-Cars

    Director

Acted in 2

1970s

  1. 1974

    The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil

    Various

  2. 1970

    Play for Today

    Writer / Director · 1 episode

    73

Created 1

1990s

  1. 1990

    Border Warfare

    Creator

Appearances1

2020s

  1. 2023

    imagine... The Factory: Made in Manchester

    Self - interviewed guest