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Willy (William Martin Russell) Russell

Born in Whiston, Lancashire, August 23, 1947. Educated at schools in Knowsley and Rainford, Lancashire; Childwall College of Further Education, Lancashire, 1969-70; St. Katharine's College of Higher Education, Liverpool, 1970-73, CertEd. Married Ann Margaret Seagroatt in 1969; one son and two daughters. Ladies' hairdresser, Liverpool and Kirkby, 1963-68; labourer, Bear Brand warehouse, 1968-69, and teacher, Shorefields Comprehensive, 1973-74, Liverpool. Since 1974 freelance writer. Associate director, 1981-83, and since 1983 honorary director, Liverpool Playhouse; since 1982 founding director, Quintet Films, London. Writer-in-residence, C.F. Mott College of Education, Liverpool, 1976; fellow in creative writing, Manchester Polytechnic, 1977-79. Also folk song composer and singer: performances (with group Kirbytown Three) in clubs and on radio and television since 1965. Recipient: Arts Council bursary, 1974; Evening Standard award, 1974; London Theatre Critics award, 1974; Society of West End Theatre award, 1980, 1983, 1988; Golden Globe award, 1984; Ivor Novello award, 1985. M.A.: Open University, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, 1983.

Stage Works

1. Keep Your Eyes Down (produced 1971).
2. Blind Scouse (produced 1972; revised version of Sam O'Shanker, music by Russell, produced 1973).
3. Tam Lin (for children), music by Russell (produced 1972).
4. When the Reds, adaptation of the play The Tigers Are Coming-O.K.? by Alan Plater (produced 1973).
5. Terraces 1979.
6. John, Paul, George, Ringo and Bert (produced 1974).
7. The Cantril Tales, with others (produced 1975).
8. Breezeblock Park (produced 1975). 1978.
9. Break In (televised 1975)
10. I Read the News Today (broadcast 1976)
11. One for the Road (as Painted Veg and Parkinson, produced 1976; as Dennis the Menace, produced 1978; as Happy Returns, produced 1978; as One for the Road, produced 1979). 1980; revised version (produced 1986), 1985.
12. Our Day Out (televised 1977). revised version, songs and music by Bob Eaton, Chris Mellors, and Russell (produced 1983), 1984.
13. Stags and Hens (produced 1978). 1985.
14. Lies (televised 1978)
15. Politics and Terror (televised 1978)
16. The Boy with the Transistor Radio (televised 1980)
17. Educating Rita (produced 1980). 1981.
18. Blood Brothers (produced 1981; revised version, music and lyrics by Russell, produced 1983). 1986.
19. Shirley Valentine (produced 1986)

SCREENPLAYS:

• Educating Rita, 1983;
• Shirley Valentine, 1989;
• Dancin' thru the Dark, from Stags and Hens, 1990.

RADIO PLAY:

• I Read the News Today, 1976.

TELEVISION PLAYS:

• King of the Castle, 1973;
• Break In, 1975;
• The Death of a Young, Young Man, 1975;
• Our Day Out, 1977;
• Lies, 1978;
• Politics and Terror, 1978;
• The Daughters of Albion, 1979;
• The Boy with the Transistor Radio, 1980;
• One Summer series, 1983.

VERSE

• Sam O'Shanker: A Liverpool Tale. 1978.

OTHER

PUBLISHED MUSIC:

• I Will Be Your Love and OOee boppa OOee boppa, RSO, 1974;
• Dance the Night, Paternoster, 1980;
• Blood Brothers, Paternoster Russell Music, 1983;
• The Show, Timeact-Russell Music-Paternoster, 1985;
• Mr. Love, Russell Music-Warner Brothers, 1986.

FILM MUSIC:

• Shirley Valentine, with George Hatzinassios, 1989.

CRITICAL STUDY:

• "Willy Russell: The First Ten Years" by Timothy Charles, in Drama, Summer 1983.