Michael Aitkens

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Michael Aitkens
Born1947
United Kingdom
OccupationActor / Writer
Years active1971 to present
Known for The Henderson Kids
Spouse Veronica Lang (div.)
Family Daisy Aitkens (daughter)

Michael Aitkens (born 1947) is a British actor and writer of drama scripts for movies, television and stage. His BBC situation comedy Waiting for God , first shown in 1990, was BAFTA nominated.

Contents

Early life

Michael Aitkens was educated at Haileybury in England. He then lived in Australia for ten years and Los Angeles, United States, for two years, graduating from the AFI Conservatory (Los Angeles) in 1981.

Career

Aitkens has worked in film, television and theatre since the late 1960s. More than 150 of his scripts have been produced in the UK, United States and Australia. [1]

Wanting to hone his skills in television, he moved to Australia in the early 1970s where he established himself as an actor in l series such as Homicide (1972-74), Division 4 (1972-73), Ryan (1974), Matlock Police (1975), Rush (1976), Power Without Glory (1976), Bluey (1977) and Skyways (1979. He also started as a writer, on The Comedy Game (1971) and Matlock Police . [2]

From 1980 to 1981, Aitkens studied at the AFI Conservatory in Los Angeles, after which he returned to Australia to worked as a writer on several television series including A Country Practice (1982-1984) and Special Squad (1985). He also had acting roles in A Country Practice as Jonathon Hawthorn, and popular children's series The Henderson Kids as Walter Mullens, the long lost father of main protagonists Tam and Steve Henderson (also featuring a young Kylie Minogue and Ben Mendelsohn). Film roles included Run Chrissie Run! (1986) and Backstage (1987). [3]

Since 1989, Aitkens has lived back in the UK, where he works as a writer/producer, mainly of his own original series, and formed an independent production company, Daisylu. His British writing credits include The Last Detective Waiting for God , The River, Roy's Raiders, Making News , Stay Lucky , Honey for Tea , Class Act, A Perfect State , Harry and the Wrinklies and Life As We Know It. He was a core writer for Midsomer Murders from 2006 to 2014. [4]

Aitkens is also an occasional humorous newspaper columnist. [5]

Personal life

Aitkens was married to Australian actress Veronica Lang. He has two daughters, including actress, writer and director Daisy Aitkens.

Acting credits

Film

YearTitleRoleType
1971 Demonstrator Haler - YouthFeature film
1972 The Man Who Shot the Albatross TV movie
1973The Affray at Fogg's HumpyTrooper HosieShort film
1975 Armchair Cinema : Tully BarmanTV movie
1976 Deathcheaters Police Car DriverFeature film
1978 Long Weekend BartenderFeature film
1979 The Mismatch TV movie
1979 Harvest of Hate DavidTV movie
1980 A Toast to Melba Charles ArmstrongTV movie
1981 Airhawk The CowboyTV movie
1982 The Highest Honor Major R.M. IngletonTV movie
1982 Runaway Island Joe DunnTV movie
1984 Relatives Peter PetersonFeature film
1984 Run Chrissie Run! RileyFeature film
1985 Time's Raging CamTV movie
1985Slip-UpHinchTV movie
1988 Backstage Robert LandauFeature film

Television

YearTitleRoleType
1971 The Comedy Game Arthur PotterTV series, 1 episode: "Arthur"
1972–73 Division 4 Andy Hill / Les Williams / Dave Ross / Harry Roberts / Chopper HughesTV series, 5 episodes
1974 Ryan Bernie WoodTV series, 1 episode: "A Deep Dark Place"
1972–74 Homicide Alan 'Chick' Palmer / Jack Devine / Charlie BennettTV series, 3 episodes
1972–75 Behind the Legend TV series, 2 episodes
1972–75 Matlock Police Rod Clark / Hank Anderson / Ralph Peterson / MaxTV series, 4 episodes
1975 Ben Hall TroyTV miniseries, 2 episodes
1976 Shannon's Mob TV series, 1 episode: "You've Got to Have Credentials"
1976 Rush Charlie CluneTV series, 1 episode: "Farrar's Pride"
1976 Luke's Kingdom BrashTV miniseries, 1 episode: "The Adam and the Damned"
1976 Power Without Glory Piggy LewisTV series, 12 episodes
1976 The Lost Islands TV series, 2 episodes
1977 Bluey Mike ScottTV series, 1 episode: "It's Worth the Risk"
1978 The Truckies ChrisTV series, 12 episodes
1978 Run From the Morning Harry BlakeTV miniseries, 6 episodes
1979 Skyways Frank HarperTV series, 2 episodes
1979 Ride on Stranger John TerryTV miniseries, 2 episodes
1979One Day MillerTV series, 7 episodes
1980Trial By MarriageVarious charactersTV series, 7 episodes
1980 Secret Valley TV series, 1 episode: "Big City"
1981 Daily at Dawn TV series, 1 episode: "My Favourite Nightmares"
1979–81 Cop Shop David Hurley / Kevin Dalton / Craig Latimer / Paul RankinTV series, 8 episodes
1984 Five Mile Creek McStayTV series, 1 episode: "The Hangman's Noose"
1984 Carson’s Law Det. Sgt. Cam NeilTV series, 4 episodes
1984–85 Runaway Island Joe DunnTV series, 4 episodes
1982–85 A Country Practice Jonathan Hawthorn / Eric BrewerTV series, 10 episodes
1985 The Henderson Kids Walter 'Wal' MullensTV series, 8 episodes
1986 Screen Two Rod BlueTV series, 1 episode: "The McGuffin"
1987 The Henderson Kids II Walter 'Wal' MullensTV series, 6 episodes
1988 The Return of Sherlock Holmes Reverend RoundhayTV series, 1 episode: "The Devil's Foot"
1988 Rumpole of the Bailey Thomas CampionTV series, 1 episode: "Rumpole and the Age of Miracles"
1989 Storyboard Foreign Office MoleTV series, 1 episode: "Making News"
1991Roy's RaidersTheatre DirectorTV series, 1 episode
1992 Moon and Sun Roger StacpooleTV series: "Crystal Clear it's Murder"

[6]

Stage

YearTitleRoleType
1971 The Man Who Shot the Albatross Princess Theatre for MTC
1971 The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail John Ensemble Theatre, Sydney
1971Madly in LoveAMP Theatrette, Sydney
1971Land of Dreaming UNSW, Parade Theatre, Sydney
1971 The National Health or Nurse Norton’s Affair UNSW, Parade Theatre, Sydney
1971 Lasseter UNSW, Parade Theatre, Sydney
1974Gordon Chater's Scandals of '74Macleay Theatre, Sydney
Trial by MarriageJDC
1976The Gift Stables Theatre, Sydney, Victorian College of the Arts
1976 The Shoemaker’s Holiday Hammon Sydney Opera House
1977Son of Naked VicarThe Speakeasy, Sydney
1979Roots IIIThe Speakeasy, Sydney

[7]

Radio

YearTitleRoleType
1979Laura and the AngelCapt Thistlewaite ABC Radio Sydney
1979The Moth AffairKate's Lover ABC Radio Sydney
1979Episode on a Thursday EveningJerry ABC Radio Sydney
1979A Night with HamletOrpheus / Mennippus ABC Radio Sydney
1979 The Fire on the Snow Bowers ABC Radio Sydney

[8]

Writing credits

Television

YearTitleCreditType
1971 The Comedy Game WriterTV series, 1 episode
1973 Matlock Police WriterTV series, 1 episode
1978 The Truckies WriterTV series, 1 episode
1978 Tickled Pink WriterTV series, 1 episode
1980–82Trial by MarriageWriterTV series, 13 episodes
1984 Singles WriterTV miniseries, 1 episode
1984 Matthew and Son StoryTV movie
1982–85 A Country Practice WriterTV series, 7 episodes
1985 Special Squad WriterTV series, 1 episode
1986 Call Me Mister WriterTV series, S1 E2: "Tour de Force"
1988 Touch the Sun: Top Enders WriterTV movie
1987–88 Bust WriterTV series, 8 episodes
1988 The River CreatorTV series, 6 episodes
1989KnastmusikWriterTV series, 2 episodes
1989 A Fine Romance WriterTV series, 1 episode
1989StoryboardWriterTV series, 1 episode
1989The Paradise ClubWriterTV series, 1 episode
1990 Making News WriterTV series, 2 episodes
1991Roy's RaidersWriterTV series, 6 episodes
1990–91 Stay Lucky WriterTV series, 5 episodes
1992 Moon and Son WriterTV series, 2 episodes
1990–94 Waiting for God WriterTV series, 47 episodes
1994 Honey for Tea WriterTV series, 7 episodes
1994–95 Class Act WriterTV series, 12 episodes
1997 A Perfect State WriterTV series, 7 episodes
1998 Minty WriterTV series, 3 episodes
2001 Life as We Know It WriterTV series, 7 episodes
2000–02 Harry and the Wrinklies WriterTV series, 21 episodes
2003 Sweet Medicine WriterTV series, 1 episode
2004 The Last Detective WriterTV series, 1 episode
2004 Murder in Suburbia WriterTV series, S1 E2: "Stag Night"
2006–14 Midsomer Murders Writer (screenplay)TV series, 9 episodes
2007 Fear, Stress & Anger WriterTV series, 6 episodes

Stage

YearTitleCreditType
1975Bloody HarryPlaywright Independent Theatre Sydney, Canberra
Private Lives, Public MomentsLondon's West End
2017 Waiting for God PlaywrightBroadway Theatre, Letchworth, Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford, New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich, Theatre Royal, Bath, Festival Theatre, Malvern, Lighthouse, Poole, Theatre Royal, Windsor, Grand Theatre, Blackpool, Oxford Playhouse, The Lowry, Salford Quays (UK tour) with Seabright Productions [9]
2019–20 Waiting for God PlaywrightUnicorn Theatre, Melbourne, Titirangi Theatre, Auckland, Hutt Repertory Theatre
2022–23 Waiting for God Playwright Brighton Open Air Theatre with Sarah Mann Company, St. Johns Hall Berkshire with Mortimer Dramatic Society, Rotorua Little Theatre, 1812 Theatre, Victoria [10]
2024 Waiting for God PlaywrightGuide Bridge Theatre, Manchester, New Norfolk Memorial Hall, Tasmania

References

  1. ↑ "Michael Aitkens". Auslit.
  2. ↑ "Michael Aitkens". Auslit.
  3. ↑ "Michael Aitkens". Auslit.
  4. ↑ "Fear, Stress and Anger". www.bbc.co.uk. 1 February 2007.
  5. ↑ "Michael Aitkens". Auslit.
  6. ↑ "Michael Aitkens | United Agents".
  7. ↑ "AusStage".
  8. ↑ "AusStage".
  9. ↑ "Waiting for God". 28 December 2016.
  10. ↑ "Waiting for God - the 1812 Theatre". 22 October 2022.
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