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.
Michael Aitkens | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1947 United Kingdom |
| Occupation | Actor / Writer |
| Years active | 1971 to present |
| Known for | The Henderson Kids |
Early life
editMichael 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
editIn the mid-1980s, Aitkens featured in the Australian children's television series The Henderson Kids as Walter Mullens, the long lost father of Tam and Steve Henderson.
More than 150 of his scripts have been produced in the United Kingdom, United States and Australia. He now lives in London, where he works as a writer/producer, mainly of his own original series, and formed an independent production company, DAISYLU. He is also an occasional humorous newspaper columnist.
He was a core writer for Midsomer Murders from 2006–2014.
Acting credits
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Demonstrator | Haler - Youth | Feature film |
| 1972 | The Man Who Shot the Albatross | TV movie | |
| 1973 | The Affray at Fogg's Humpy | Trooper Hosie | Short film |
| 1975 | Armchair Cinema: Tully | Barman | TV movie |
| 1976 | Deathcheaters | Police Car Driver | Feature film |
| 1978 | Long Weekend | Bartender | Feature film |
| 1979 | The Mismatch | TV movie | |
| 1979 | Harvest of Hate | David | TV movie |
| 1980 | A Toast to Melba | Charles Armstrong | TV movie |
| 1981 | Airhawk | The Cowboy | TV movie |
| 1982 | The Highest Honor | Major R.M. Ingleton | TV movie |
| 1982 | Runaway Island | Joe Dunn | TV movie |
| 1984 | Relatives | Peter Peterson | Feature film |
| 1984 | Run Chrissie Run! | Riley | Feature film |
| 1985 | Time's Raging | Cam | TV movie |
| 1985 | Slip-Up | Hinch | TV movie |
| 1988 | Backstage | Robert Landau | Feature film |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | The Comedy Game | Arthur Potter | TV series, 1 episode: "Arthur" |
| 1972–73 | Division 4 | Andy Hill / Les Williams / Dave Ross / Harry Roberts / Chopper Hughes | TV series, 5 episodes |
| 1974 | Ryan | Bernie Wood | TV series, 1 episode: "A Deep Dark Place" |
| 1972–74 | Homicide | Alan 'Chick' Palmer / Jack Devine / Charlie Bennett | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 1972–75 | Behind the Legend | TV series, 2 episodes | |
| 1972–75 | Matlock Police | Rod Clark / Hank Anderson / Ralph Peterson / Max | TV series, 4 episodes |
| 1975 | Ben Hall | Troy | TV miniseries, 2 episodes |
| 1976 | Shannon's Mob | TV series, 1 episode: "You've Got to Have Credentials" | |
| 1976 | Rush | Charlie Clune | TV series, 1 episode: "Farrar's Pride" |
| 1976 | Luke's Kingdom | Brash | TV miniseries, 1 episode: "The Adam and the Damned" |
| 1976 | Power Without Glory | Piggy Lewis | TV series, 12 episodes |
| 1976 | The Lost Islands | TV series, 2 episodes | |
| 1977 | Bluey | Mike Scott | TV series, 1 episode: "It's Worth the Risk" |
| 1978 | The Truckies | Chris | TV series, 12 episodes |
| 1978 | Run From the Morning | Harry Blake | TV miniseries, 6 episodes |
| 1979 | Skyways | Frank Harper | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1979 | Ride on Stranger | John Terry | TV miniseries, 2 episodes |
| 1979 | One Day Miller | TV series, 7 episodes | |
| 1980 | Trial By Marriage | Various characters | TV 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 Rankin | TV series, 8 episodes |
| 1984 | Five Mile Creek | McStay | TV series, 1 episode: "The Hangman's Noose" |
| 1984 | Carson’s Law | Det. Sgt. Cam Neil | TV series, 4 episodes |
| 1984–85 | Runaway Island | Joe Dunn | TV series, 4 episodes |
| 1982–85 | A Country Practice | Jonathan Hawthorn / Eric Brewer | TV series, 10 episodes |
| 1985 | The Henderson Kids | Walter 'Wal' Mullens | TV series, 8 episodes |
| 1986 | Screen Two | Rod Blue | TV series, 1 episode: "The McGuffin" |
| 1987 | The Henderson Kids II | Walter 'Wal' Mullens | TV series, 6 episodes |
| 1988 | The Return of Sherlock Holmes | Reverend Roundhay | TV series, 1 episode: "The Devil's Foot" |
| 1988 | Rumpole of the Bailey | Thomas Campion | TV series, 1 episode: "Rumpole and the Age of Miracles" |
| 1989 | Storyboard | Foreign Office Mole | TV series, 1 episode: "Making News" |
| 1991 | Roy's Raiders | Theatre Director | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1992 | Moon and Sun | Roger Stacpoole | TV series: "Crystal Clear it's Murder" |
Stage
edit| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | The Man Who Shot the Albatross | Princess Theatre for MTC | |
| 1971 | The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail | John | Ensemble Theatre, Sydney |
| 1971 | Madly in Love | AMP Theatrette, Sydney | |
| 1971 | Land 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 | |
| 1974 | Gordon Chater's Scandals of '74 | Macleay Theatre, Sydney | |
| Trial by Marriage | JDC | ||
| 1976 | The Gift | Stables Theatre, Sydney, Victorian College of the Arts | |
| 1976 | The Shoemaker’s Holiday | Hammon | Sydney Opera House |
| 1977 | Son of Naked Vicar | The Speakeasy, Sydney | |
| 1979 | Roots III | The Speakeasy, Sydney |
Radio
edit| Year | Title | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Laura and the Angel | Capt Thistlewaite | ABC Radio Sydney |
| 1979 | The Moth Affair | Kate's Lover | ABC Radio Sydney |
| 1979 | Episode on a Thursday Evening | Jerry | ABC Radio Sydney |
| 1979 | A Night with Hamlet | Orpheus / Mennippus | ABC Radio Sydney |
| 1979 | The Fire on the Snow | Bowers | ABC Radio Sydney |
Writing credits
editTelevision
edit| Year | Title | Credit | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | The Comedy Game | Writer | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1973 | Matlock Police | Writer | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1978 | The Truckies | Writer | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1978 | Tickled Pink | Writer | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1980–82 | Trial by Marriage | Writer | TV series, 13 episodes |
| 1984 | Singles | Writer | TV miniseries, 1 episode |
| 1984 | Matthew and Son | Story | TV movie |
| 1982–85 | A Country Practice | Writer | TV series, 7 episodes |
| 1985 | Special Squad | Writer | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1986 | Call Me Mister | Writer | TV series, S1 E2: "Tour de Force" |
| 1988 | Touch the Sun: Top Enders | Writer | TV movie |
| 1987–88 | Bust | Writer | TV series, 8 episodes |
| 1988 | The River | Creator | TV series, 6 episodes |
| 1989 | Knastmusik | Writer | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1989 | A Fine Romance | Writer | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1989 | Storyboard | Writer | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1989 | The Paradise Club | Writer | TV series, 1 episode |
| 1990 | Making News | Writer | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1991 | Roy's Raiders | Writer | TV series, 6 episodes |
| 1990–91 | Stay Lucky | Writer | TV series, 5 episodes |
| 1992 | Moon and Son | Writer | TV series, 2 episodes |
| 1990–94 | Waiting for God | Writer | TV series, 47 episodes |
| 1994 | Honey for Tea | Writer | TV series, 7 episodes |
| 1994–95 | Class Act | Writer | TV series, 12 episodes |
| 1997 | A Perfect State | Writer | TV series, 7 episodes |
| 1998 | Minty | Writer | TV series, 3 episodes |
| 2001 | Life as We Know It | Writer | TV series, 7 episodes |
| 2000–02 | Harry and the Wrinklies | Writer | TV series, 21 episodes |
| 2003 | Sweet Medicine | Writer | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2004 | The Last Detective | Writer | TV series, 1 episode |
| 2004 | Murder in Suburbia | Writer | TV series, S1 E2: "Stag Night" |
| 2006–14 | Midsomer Murders | Writer (screenplay) | TV series, 9 episodes |
| 2007 | Fear, Stress & Anger | Writer | TV series, 6 episodes |
Stage
edit| Year | Title | Credit | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Bloody Harry | Playwright | Independent Theatre Sydney, Canberra |
| 2017 | Waiting for God | Playwright | Broadway 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[4] |
| 2019–20 | Waiting for God | Playwright | Unicorn 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[5] |
| 2024 | Waiting for God | Playwright | Guide Bridge Theatre, Manchester, New Norfolk Memorial Hall, Tasmania |
References
edit- ^ "Michael Aitkens | United Agents".
- ^ "AusStage".
- ^ "AusStage".
- ^ "Waiting for God". 28 December 2016.
- ^ "Waiting for God - the 1812 Theatre". 22 October 2022.