Alan Bennett, 1978 (photo)

Alan Bennett (born 1934) Popular English playwright, screenwriter, actor and author. Started as an academic but turned to full-time writing after taking part in the satirical revue Beyond the Fringe (1960) which bought him instant fame. His first play, Forty Years On, was produced in 1968. Many stage, television and radio plays followed, as well as numerous appearances as an actor. His stage plays include The Old Country (1977), The Madness of George III (1991) and The History Boys (2004). Perhaps best known for Talking Heads, a series of self-revelatory monologues for television which were later performed on stage. They are characterised by a mixture of pathos and dark, North-of-England humour. He has won numerous awards,