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David Andrews (director)

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Full Name
  
David Andrews

Years active
  
1959–2007


Name
  
David Andrews

Role
  
Television actor

Born
  
22 October 1935 (
1935-10-22
)

Occupation
  
Television director, actor, writer

Movies and TV shows
  
Dracula AD 1972, Casualty, The Adventures of Black B, A Place to Go, Theatre 625

Similar People
  
Basil Dearden, Paul Unwin, Jeremy Brock

David Andrews (born 22 October 1935) was a British television character actor from 1959 to 2007 who during the 1960s also became a director for television. His directing credits include The Revenue Men, Take The High Road, Jupiter Moon, EastEnders, Hollyoaks, and Grange Hill.

Contents

Career

David (aka Davy) Andrews was originally an actor and had considerable success on television throughout the 1960s. He also appeared on the West End stage, on film and on radio. He became a full-time television director is the early 1970s. Born in England of Scottish and Irish descent he spent his early childhood in Scotland. He was educated at Kings College, Taunton and the Whitgift Middle School, Croydon (now the Trinity School of John Whitgift). In 1958, after National Service in the RAF, he graduated from the Central (now the Royal Central) School of Speech and Drama, winning the Gold Medal and Rawlings Cup. He was invited by George Devine to join the English Stage Company at the Royal Court Theatre in London, taking part in an actors’ workshop to study Sandford Meisner’s improvisation technique under Anthony Page. That led to his first West End part in the historic Willis Hall play, “The Long and the Short and the Tall”. There followed several more West End roles and the beginning of his television career.

As an actor Andrews starred or featured in dozens of plays, drama series and serials both for BBC and ITV, most notably “Z-Cars”, “The Avengers”, “Armchair Theatre”, “Play of the Week”, “The Sunday Play” and “Play of the Month”. He was often heard in leading roles on BBC radio drama and appeared in several movies, starring in two: ‘Some People’ with Kenneth More and David Hemmings and “A Place to Go” with Mike Sarne, Rita Tushingham and Bernard Lee. His last starring television appearance was as Honore de St Just, in “Danton”, with Anthony Hopkins, directed by Stuart Burge for the BBC. Andrews worked with many distinguished directors and actors of his time, and several of his personal friends in the profession became knights and dames of the realm.

David Andrews’ work with Anthony Page at the Royal Court inspired him to become a director and whenever appropriate he applied Page’s teaching to his own work. Under the supervision of John Huntley and Michael Balcon, he wrote the screenplay and co-directed, with his then wife Tamara Hinchco, a film for the British Film Institute based on a John Arden one-act play. That led to an offer by John McGrath to write the screenplay and direct a 35mm film for BBC 2 based on a novella by Michael Hastings. Eventually he was granted a place on the BBC Television Directors’ Training Course by Sidney Newman, then BBC TV’s Head of Drama.

Andrews’ first job as a television director was on the BBC’s “Thirty Minute Theatre” anthology play series and “The Revenue Men” series for BBC Scotland. The legendary “Dr Finlay’s Casebook” series which was also for BBC Scotland (and in which he had appeared as an actor), followed. At Yorkshire Television he directed the “Gazette” series then went to Granada to direct a play in the “Murder” anthology play series.

In 1972 David Andrews joined the Central Office of Information where he directed documentaries for the Police, Prison and Fire Services. He produced promotional films for the Departments of Employment, Energy and Transport but his main portfolio consisted of recruiting commercials for the Army and Army Aviation, the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. That was followed by a year directing the “AfterNoon” magazine programme for Thames Television.

In 1978 he became a Senior Producer-Director on the staff of Scottish Television where he directed about 170 episodes of “Take the High Road”. He also directed the network drama series “Charles Endell Esq.” and “Skin Deep”, the award-winning play “Extras”, the “Preview” anthology play series and the award-winning 6-part serial for children, “Stookie”. He made a number of other prime time dramas for STV and many educational, news, current affairs, music and local programmes and programmes for the fast-growing Gaelic audience.

Leaving STV in 1990 Andrews returned to freelance work directing the drama series “Jupiter Moon”, “Grange Hill”, “EastEnders”, “Families”, “River City” and “Strathblair”. He was flagship director on “The Biz”, a six part BBC serial for “kidults”. In 1996 he joined Mersey Television as a Senior Director and Depute Producer, directing 220 episodes of “Hollyoaks”, 30 episodes of the new “Grange Hill” and producing 30 episodes of “Brookside”. He left Mersey TV in 2005 when it was sold to All-3-Media.

Living in Scotland, David continues working as a writer, doing voice-overs and taking occasional cameo roles on television. Better known in Scotland as Davy Andrews, he is also a singer and leads a traditional band in Glasgow.

Filmography

Director
1991
Grange Hill (TV Series) (11 episodes)
1996
Hollyoaks (TV Series) (20 episodes)
1993
Strathblair (TV Series) (2 episodes)
- Episode #2.6 (1993)
- Episode #2.5 (1993)
1992
Families (TV Series) (1 episode)
- Episode #1.197 (1992)
1991
EastEnders (TV Series) (2 episodes)
- Episode #1.675 (1991)
- Episode #1.674 (1991)
1990
Jupiter Moon (TV Series) (9 episodes)
- Episode #1.96 (1990)
- Episode #1.95 (1990)
- Episode #1.94 (1990)
- Episode #1.84 (1990)
- Episode #1.83 (1990)
- Episode #1.82 (1990)
- Episode #1.75 (1990)
- Episode #1.74 (1990)
- Episode #1.73 (1990)
1980
Take the High Road (TV Series) (64 episodes)
1987
First Sight (TV Series) (1 episode)
- Extras (1987)
1986
Dramarama (TV Series) (2 episodes)
- Maureen Reid, Where Are You? (1986)
- Wayfarers (1986)
1985
Stookie (TV Mini Series) (6 episodes)
- Episode #1.6 (1985)
- Episode #1.5 (1985)
- Episode #1.4 (1985)
- Episode #1.3 (1985)
- Episode #1.2 (1985)
- Episode #1.1 (1985)
1984
The Spaver Connection (TV Movie)
1979
Charles Endell, Esq (TV Series) (1 episode)
- The Moon Shines Bright on Charlie Endell (1979)
1973
The Sea Children (Short)
1973
The Adventures of Black Beauty (TV Series) (1 episode)
- Father and Son (1973)
1970
Dr. Finlay's Casebook (TV Series) (3 episodes)
- Itself and Friend (1970)
- Winter's Traces (1970)
- The Builders (1970)
1969
ITV Playhouse (TV Series) (1 episode)
- Murder: Return to Yesterday (1969)
1968
Gazette (TV Series) (3 episodes)
- Announcement (1968)
- Missing (1968)
- Turn a Blind Eye (1968)
1968
The First Lady (TV Series) (1 episode)
- Yes, But Who Am I? (1968)
1967
Thirty-Minute Theatre (TV Series) (3 episodes)
- Snakes and Reptiles (1968)
- Leave Me Alone (1967)
- Oldenberg (1967)
1967
The Revenue Men (TV Series) (3 episodes)
- Deadly Cargo (1967)
- Sometimes There's a Bonus (1967)
- You Can't Win (1967)
1965
Six (TV Series) (1 episode)
- Andy's Game (1965)
1962
Top Deck (Short)
Actor
1972
The Adventures of Black Beauty (TV Series) as
Ted Hewitt
- Mantrap (1972) - Ted Hewitt
1972
Dracula A.D. 1972 as
Detective Sergeant
1970
Biography (TV Series) as
St. Just
- Danton (1970) - St. Just
1967
Theatre 625 (TV Series) as
Student speaker
- The Single Passion (1967) - Student speaker
1965
No Hiding Place (TV Series) as
Jack Caulfield / Johnny Phillips
- Run, Johnny, Run (1965) - Jack Caulfield
- Truth or Dare (1965) - Johnny Phillips
1965
Mogul (TV Series) as
Willy Murtagh
- A Job for Willy (1965) - Willy Murtagh
1965
Legend of Death (TV Series) as
Theodore
- The Death Switch (1965) - Theodore
- The Black Return (1965) - Theodore
- The Moving Maze (1965) - Theodore
- Journey Into Danger (1965) - Theodore
- The Golden Intruder (1965) - Theodore
1965
Sherlock Holmes (TV Series) as
Vincent Spaulding
- The Red-Headed League (1965) - Vincent Spaulding
1965
Public Eye (TV Series) as
Jay Walker
- Dig You Later (1965) - Jay Walker
1962
Drama 61-67 (TV Series) as
Ian Bannerman / Stone
- Drama '64: The Trouble with England (1964) - Ian Bannerman
- Drama '62: The Frightened Sky (1962) - Stone
1964
The Sullavan Brothers (TV Series) as
Peter Karsch
- The Man from New York (1964) - Peter Karsch
1964
ITV Play of the Week (TV Series) as
Willie Deventer / Jeremy Tarrant / Silas
- A Tricycle Made for Two (1964) - Willie Deventer / Jeremy Tarrant / Silas
1963
Armchair Theatre (TV Series) as
The Son / Roy
- St Ernie: Leather Bound (1964) - The Son
- Long Past Glory (1963) - Roy
1964
Crane (TV Series) as
Marcel
- Murder Is Waiting (1964) - Marcel
1963
Dr. Finlay's Casebook (TV Series) as
Johnny Robb
- Odds on Johnny (1963) - Johnny Robb
1961
BBC Sunday-Night Play (TV Series) as
The Passenger / Clan Johnson / Flight-Lieutenant Westbourne
- Night Express (1963) - The Passenger
- Charlie Was My Darling (1962) - Clan Johnson
- Off Centre (1961) - Flight-Lieutenant Westbourne
1963
A Place to Go as
Jim
1962
Z Cars (TV Series) as
Dennis Gibbs / Harry Budd
- Trumpet Voluntary (1963) - Dennis Gibbs
- Day Trip (1962) - Harry Budd
1962
Top Deck (Short) as
Man Getting off Bus (uncredited)
1962
Some People as
Bill
1962
Suspense (TV Series) as
Joe
- Killer in the Band (1962) - Joe
1961
A Chance of Thunder (TV Series) as
Alan Brewer
- Episode #1.6 (1961) - Alan Brewer
- Episode #1.5 (1961) - Alan Brewer
1961
The Money (TV Movie) as
Frank
1961
Storyboard (TV Series) as
Sailor
- Tickets to Trieste (1961) - Sailor
1961
The Avengers (TV Series) as
Nigel
- The Frighteners (1961) - Nigel
1960
An Age of Kings (TV Mini Series) as
Lord Hastings / A Son / A Sea-Captain / ...
- Part Fifteen: The Boar Hunt (1960) - Lord Hastings
- Part Fourteen: The Dangerous Brother (1960) - Lord Hastings
- Part Thirteen: The Sun in Splendour (1960) - Lord Hastings
- Part Twelve: The Morning's War (1960) - A Son
- Part Eleven: The Rabble from Kent (1960) - A Sea-Captain
- Part Ten: The Fall of a Protector (1960) - Petitioner
- Part Nine: The Red Rose and the White (1960) - Bastard of Orleans
- Part Eight: The Band of Brothers (1960) - Earl of Salisbury
- Part Seven: Signs of War (1960) - Nym
- Part Five: The New Conspiracy (1960) - Lord Bardolph
- Part Four: The Road to Shrewsbury (1960) - Edmund Mortimer
- Part Three: Rebellion from the North (1960)
- Part Two: The Deposing of a King (1960)
- Part One: The Hollow Crown (1960) - Sir John Bushy
1960
Saturday Playhouse (TV Series) as
Gerry Roberts
- A Matter of Age (1960) - Gerry Roberts
1959
ITV Television Playhouse (TV Series) as
Sgt. Clarke
- Queen's Corporal (1959) - Sgt. Clarke
1959
Theatre Night (TV Series) as
632 Private Whitaker, S.
- The Long and the Short and the Tall (1959) - 632 Private Whitaker, S.
Writer
1968
Gazette (TV Series) (1 episode)
- Turn a Blind Eye (1968)
1965
Six (TV Series) (screenplay - 1 episode)
- Andy's Game (1965) - (screenplay)
Producer
1982
Brookside (TV Series) (producer - 1999)
Sound Department
1962
Top Deck (Short) (sound editor)
Self
1963
Meeting Point (TV Series documentary) as
The Prodigal
- The Prodigal Son (1963) - The Prodigal

References

David Andrews (director) Wikipedia


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