153:, third child and second son of Alfred John Henry Willis (1882-1957), a bus washer who later became a bus driver, and Maria Harriet, née Meek. He recalled that when leaving school aged fourteen: "I had a two-second 'career interview' with my Headmaster. He asked me what I wished to do for the future and I told him that I intended to become a writer. His response was a cackle followed by the remark: 'You will never make a writer in a hundred years. You haven't got the imagination for it or the intelligence. Go away and learn a good trade.'"
320:
327:
1276:
260:
as the world's most prolific writer for television; he also wrote 34 stage plays and a number of feature films. In the 1970s he turned to novels, including a spy story,
1296:
1251:
1241:
1271:
1236:
883:
1226:
897:
1246:
1231:
254:, Willis was responsible for a huge proportion of scriptwriting for British television drama in the 1950s. He was listed in the
161:
1266:
572:
297:
1028:
1261:
1256:
672:
220:
189:
in favour of opening a second front, in order to help the Red Army, which was bearing the brunt of the Nazi onslaught.
1291:
1286:
1190:
170:
165:
416:
160:
as the candidate of the left in 1937. In 1939, along with much of the League of Youth leadership, he joined the
1281:
1162:
1139:
712:
231:
24:
914:
376:
Willis married the London-based actress Audrey Hale in 1944 and they had a son and a daughter. He died of a
219:
policeman with whom he was great friends; the series ran for more than twenty years. He was
Chairman of the
225:
20:
620:
182:
564:
168:. In 1941 he became the General Secretary of the Young Communist League. He was drama critic for the
988:
588:
580:
468:
659:
643:
423:
1033:
596:
520:
256:
976:
Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang: The Boom in
British Thrillers from Casino Royale to The Eagle Has Landed
688:
198:
1221:
1216:
1154:
1008:
680:
604:
36:
8:
1131:
651:
476:
452:
211:
133:
19:"Baron Willis" and "Ted Willis" redirect here. For other people titled Lord Willis, see
1013:
993:
389:
306:
202:
88:
1158:
1135:
1113:
874:
Willis, Ted ‘’Whatever
Happened to Tom Mix?, ’’ London: Cassell & Co., 1970, p186
508:
431:
128:
663:
612:
528:
186:
357:
On either side a Willet (Common Snipe) proper supporting with the beak a Quill Or
178:
157:
1038:
131:. He created several television series, including the long-running police drama
1060:
825:
556:
548:
536:
460:
302:
289:
251:
1210:
696:
628:
484:
319:
237:
1081:
223:
from 1958 to 1964. Willis created several
British television series such as
847:
830:
704:
377:
277:
243:
206:
124:
1182:
381:
285:
216:
72:
1109:
116:
957:
937:
935:
Roberts, Alison (23 December 1992). "Creator of Dixon dies aged 78".
898:"The Writers' Action Group Is a Model for Today's Fight for the Arts"
501:
150:
146:
57:
326:
120:
197:
His passion for drama first manifested in plays he wrote for the
385:
76:
1128:
Whatever
Happened to Tom Mix? The Story of One of My Lives
863:
Could Do Better: School
Reports and Memories of the Famous
845:
Sutton, Shaun (23 December 1992). "Obituary: Ted Willis".
16:
British playwright, novelist and screenwriter (1914–1992)
1277:
Military personnel from the London
Borough of Haringey
280:, which was created on 21 January 1964 with the title
209:. He was best known for writing the television series
345:
In front of a
Weeping Willow Tree a Well Head proper
115:(13 January 1914 – 22 December 1992) was an English
215:, based on the stories of Gordon Snashall, a local
351:Or a Saltire Gules on a Chief Vert three Fountains
127:who was also politically active in support of the
1208:
494:(1951, documentary about disabled war veterans)
276:Announced on 23 December 1963 he was awarded a
1151:Evening All: Fifty Years Over a Hot Typewriter
997:(Supplement). 23 December 1963. p. 10533.
140:
500:(1951, documentary about the development of
388:in December 1992 aged 78, and was buried at
23:. For other people named Edward Willis, see
828:(23 December 1992). "Obituary:Ted Willis".
1297:Young Communist League of Britain members
930:
928:
926:
313:Coat of arms of Ted Willis, Baron Willis
1252:Communist Party of Great Britain members
1007:
987:
824:
185:. He often spoke at meetings during the
950:
948:
934:
1242:British Army personnel of World War II
1209:
1148:
1125:
970:
968:
923:
895:
844:
271:
181:in 1939, subsequently serving in the
945:
775:The Most Beautiful Girl In The World
1021:
965:
156:Willis was elected Chairman of the
13:
1272:Life peers created by Elizabeth II
1237:20th-century English screenwriters
325:
318:
14:
1308:
1227:20th-century English male writers
1103:
400:
301:in 1959 when he was surprised by
192:
113:Edward Henry Willis, Baron Willis
896:Landin, Conrad (28 March 2021).
763:The Buckingham Palace Connection
371:
292:, on a Labour Party nomination.
201:, based in a former chapel near
166:Communist Party of Great Britain
1247:British male television writers
1119:
1074:
1053:
1017:. 21 January 1964. p. 571.
1001:
981:
309:, in London's Shepherd's Bush.
221:Writers' Guild of Great Britain
1232:20th-century English novelists
908:
889:
884:Labour Youth Movement Part One
877:
868:
855:
838:
818:
713:The Adventures of Black Beauty
636:
232:The Adventures of Black Beauty
25:Edward Willis (disambiguation)
1:
811:
727:Whatever Happened to Tom Mix?
1267:Labour Party (UK) life peers
787:Problem for Mother Christmas
226:Virgin of the Secret Service
21:Lord Willis (disambiguation)
7:
961:. London. 23 December 1992.
10:
1313:
1262:English television writers
1257:English male screenwriters
1189:National Secretary of the
793:The Green Leaves of Summer
781:Spring at the Winged Horse
488:(original treatment, 1950)
395:
295:Willis was the subject of
183:Army Kinematograph Service
164:, the youth branch of the
141:Early life and War service
69:22 December 1992 (aged 78)
18:
1197:
1187:
1179:
1174:
955:"Lord Willis: Obituary".
720:
415:(1957, from the novel by
305:in the club at the BBC's
264:, and a wartime thriller
102:
94:
84:
65:
46:
34:
1292:Television show creators
1287:Royal Fusiliers soldiers
1175:Party political offices
1110:Ted Willis, Baron Willis
589:The Young and the Guilty
581:Woman in a Dressing Gown
469:A Boy, a Girl and a Bike
445:
439:Woman in a Dressing Gown
257:Guinness Book of Records
751:The Left-Handed Sleeper
644:The Pattern of Marriage
262:The Left-Handed Sleeper
177:Willis enlisted in the
145:Ted Willis was born in
1191:Young Communist League
1082:"Ted Willis born here"
1034:British Film Institute
745:The Churchill Commando
673:Tell It to the Marines
597:No Trees in the Street
573:It's Great to Be Young
498:A Story of Achievement
330:
323:
162:Young Communist League
158:Labour League of Youth
1282:People from Tottenham
733:Death May Surprise Us
689:The Sullavan Brothers
329:
322:
1149:Willis, Ted (1991).
1126:Willis, Ted (1970).
1086:www.shadyoldlady.com
605:Flame in the Streets
514:Blueprint for Danger
37:The Right Honourable
1061:"Life Peerages - W"
861:Patrick Dickinson:
799:The Bells of Autumn
652:Dixon of Dock Green
477:The Huggetts Abroad
413:Doctor in the House
314:
212:Dixon of Dock Green
134:Dixon of Dock Green
51:Edward Henry Willis
1014:The London Gazette
994:The London Gazette
769:The Lions of Judah
390:Tottenham Cemetery
339:Coronet of a Baron
331:
324:
312:
307:Lime Grove Studios
272:Honours and awards
266:The Lions of Judah
89:Tottenham Cemetery
1205:
1204:
1198:Succeeded by
1041:on 5 January 2008
805:Plume of Feathers
432:The Scent of Fear
369:
368:
298:This Is Your Life
110:
109:
1304:
1180:Preceded by
1172:
1171:
1168:
1145:
1097:
1096:
1094:
1092:
1078:
1072:
1071:
1069:
1067:
1057:
1051:
1050:
1048:
1046:
1037:. Archived from
1025:
1019:
1018:
1005:
999:
998:
985:
979:
972:
963:
962:
952:
943:
942:
932:
921:
912:
906:
905:
893:
887:
881:
875:
872:
866:
859:
853:
852:
842:
836:
835:
822:
664:Armchair Theatre
660:Hot Summer Night
613:The Horsemasters
529:Trouble in Store
424:Hot Summer Night
315:
311:
187:Second World War
32:
31:
1312:
1311:
1307:
1306:
1305:
1303:
1302:
1301:
1207:
1206:
1201:
1194:
1185:
1165:
1142:
1122:
1106:
1101:
1100:
1090:
1088:
1080:
1079:
1075:
1065:
1063:
1059:
1058:
1054:
1044:
1042:
1027:
1026:
1022:
1006:
1002:
986:
982:
973:
966:
954:
953:
946:
933:
924:
919:The Independent
913:
909:
894:
890:
882:
878:
873:
869:
860:
856:
843:
839:
826:Pattullo, Polly
823:
819:
814:
739:Westminster One
723:
639:
521:Top of the Form
448:
403:
398:
380:at his home in
374:
274:
195:
179:Royal Fusiliers
143:
80:
70:
61:
55:
54:13 January 1914
53:
52:
42:
41:The Lord Willis
39:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1310:
1300:
1299:
1294:
1289:
1284:
1279:
1274:
1269:
1264:
1259:
1254:
1249:
1244:
1239:
1234:
1229:
1224:
1219:
1203:
1202:
1199:
1196:
1195:1941 - c.1946
1186:
1181:
1177:
1176:
1170:
1169:
1163:
1146:
1140:
1121:
1118:
1117:
1116:
1105:
1104:External links
1102:
1099:
1098:
1073:
1052:
1020:
1000:
980:
978:(2017), p. 397
964:
944:
922:
907:
888:
876:
867:
854:
837:
816:
815:
813:
810:
809:
808:
802:
796:
790:
784:
778:
772:
766:
760:
754:
748:
742:
736:
730:
722:
719:
718:
717:
709:
701:
693:
685:
677:
669:
656:
648:
638:
635:
634:
633:
625:
621:Bitter Harvest
617:
609:
601:
593:
585:
577:
569:
561:
557:Up to His Neck
553:
549:Burnt Evidence
545:
537:The Large Rope
533:
525:
517:
505:
495:
492:The Undefeated
489:
481:
473:
465:
461:Good-Time Girl
457:
447:
444:
443:
442:
436:
428:
420:
417:Richard Gordon
410:
402:
401:Selected plays
399:
397:
394:
373:
370:
367:
366:
365:
364:
361:
358:
355:
352:
349:
346:
343:
340:
337:
332:
303:Eamonn Andrews
290:County of Kent
273:
270:
252:Berkely Mather
194:
193:Writing career
191:
142:
139:
108:
107:
104:
100:
99:
96:
92:
91:
86:
82:
81:
71:
67:
63:
62:
56:
50:
48:
44:
43:
40:
35:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1309:
1298:
1295:
1293:
1290:
1288:
1285:
1283:
1280:
1278:
1275:
1273:
1270:
1268:
1265:
1263:
1260:
1258:
1255:
1253:
1250:
1248:
1245:
1243:
1240:
1238:
1235:
1233:
1230:
1228:
1225:
1223:
1220:
1218:
1215:
1214:
1212:
1193:
1192:
1184:
1178:
1173:
1166:
1160:
1156:
1152:
1147:
1143:
1137:
1133:
1129:
1124:
1123:
1115:
1111:
1108:
1107:
1087:
1083:
1077:
1062:
1056:
1040:
1036:
1035:
1030:
1029:"WILLIS, Ted"
1024:
1016:
1015:
1010:
1004:
996:
995:
990:
984:
977:
974:Mike Ripley.
971:
969:
960:
959:
951:
949:
940:
939:
931:
929:
927:
920:
916:
911:
903:
899:
892:
885:
880:
871:
864:
858:
851:. Manchester.
850:
849:
841:
834:. Manchester.
833:
832:
827:
821:
817:
806:
803:
800:
797:
794:
791:
788:
785:
782:
779:
776:
773:
770:
767:
764:
761:
758:
757:The Naked Sun
755:
752:
749:
746:
743:
740:
737:
734:
731:
728:
725:
724:
715:
714:
710:
707:
706:
702:
699:
698:
697:Sergeant Cork
694:
691:
690:
686:
683:
682:
678:
675:
674:
670:
667:
665:
661:
657:
654:
653:
649:
646:
645:
641:
640:
631:
630:
629:Our Miss Fred
626:
623:
622:
618:
615:
614:
610:
607:
606:
602:
599:
598:
594:
591:
590:
586:
583:
582:
578:
575:
574:
570:
567:
566:
565:One Good Turn
562:
559:
558:
554:
551:
550:
546:
543:
542:The Long Rope
539:
538:
534:
531:
530:
526:
523:
522:
518:
515:
511:
510:
506:
503:
499:
496:
493:
490:
487:
486:
485:The Blue Lamp
482:
479:
478:
474:
471:
470:
466:
463:
462:
458:
455:
454:
450:
449:
440:
437:
434:
433:
429:
426:
425:
421:
418:
414:
411:
408:
405:
404:
393:
391:
387:
383:
379:
372:Personal life
362:
359:
356:
353:
350:
347:
344:
341:
338:
335:
334:
333:
328:
321:
317:
316:
310:
308:
304:
300:
299:
293:
291:
287:
283:
279:
269:
267:
263:
259:
258:
253:
248:
246:
245:
240:
239:
238:Sergeant Cork
234:
233:
228:
227:
222:
218:
214:
213:
208:
204:
200:
199:Unity Theatre
190:
188:
184:
180:
175:
173:
172:
167:
163:
159:
154:
152:
148:
138:
136:
135:
130:
126:
122:
118:
114:
105:
101:
97:
93:
90:
87:
85:Resting place
83:
78:
74:
68:
64:
59:
49:
45:
38:
33:
30:
26:
22:
1188:
1150:
1127:
1120:Bibliography
1089:. Retrieved
1085:
1076:
1064:. Retrieved
1055:
1043:. Retrieved
1039:the original
1032:
1023:
1012:
1003:
992:
983:
975:
956:
936:
918:
910:
901:
891:
886:marxists.org
879:
870:
862:
857:
848:The Guardian
846:
840:
831:The Guardian
829:
820:
804:
798:
792:
786:
780:
774:
768:
762:
756:
750:
744:
738:
732:
726:
711:
705:Mrs Thursday
703:
695:
687:
679:
671:
658:
650:
642:
627:
619:
611:
603:
595:
587:
579:
571:
563:
555:
547:
541:
535:
527:
519:
513:
507:
497:
491:
483:
475:
467:
459:
453:Holiday Camp
451:
438:
430:
422:
412:
406:
378:heart attack
375:
296:
294:
282:Baron Willis
281:
278:life peerage
275:
265:
261:
255:
249:
244:Mrs Thursday
242:
236:
230:
224:
210:
196:
176:
171:Daily Worker
169:
155:
144:
132:
129:Labour Party
125:screenwriter
112:
111:
29:
1222:1992 deaths
1217:1914 births
1200:Bill Brooks
1183:John Gollan
1009:"No. 43225"
989:"No. 43190"
716:(1972–1974)
708:(1966–1967)
700:(1963–1969)
692:(1964–1965)
684:(1963–1964)
676:(1959–1960)
655:(1955–1976)
637:Selected TV
382:Chislehurst
286:Chislehurst
250:Along with
217:Chislehurst
98:Audrey Hale
73:Chislehurst
1211:Categories
1164:0333546865
1153:. London:
1141:0304936758
1130:. London:
1066:2 December
812:References
509:The Wallet
354:Supporters
348:Escutcheon
203:St Pancras
117:playwright
1155:Macmillan
1045:20 August
958:The Times
941:. London.
938:The Times
502:margarine
363:Will well
205:, during
151:Middlesex
147:Tottenham
79:, England
60:, England
58:Tottenham
915:Obituary
121:novelist
103:Children
1132:Cassell
1091:9 March
902:Tribune
544:, 1953)
516:, 1952)
396:Credits
336:Coronet
288:in the
207:the war
1161:
1138:
865:(1992)
807:(1993)
801:(1991)
795:(1989)
789:(1986)
783:(1985)
777:(1982)
771:(1981)
765:(1980)
759:(1980)
753:(1977)
747:(1977)
741:(1975)
735:(1974)
729:(1970)
721:Novels
668:(1959)
647:(1953)
632:(1972)
624:(1963)
616:(1961)
608:(1961)
600:(1959)
592:(1958)
584:(1957)
576:(1956)
568:(1955)
560:(1954)
552:(1954)
532:(1953)
524:(1953)
480:(1949)
472:(1949)
464:(1948)
456:(1947)
441:(1964)
435:(1959)
427:(1958)
409:(1943)
407:Buster
95:Spouse
681:Taxi!
540:(US:
446:Films
360:Motto
342:Crest
284:, of
1159:ISBN
1136:ISBN
1114:IMDb
1093:2023
1068:2023
1047:2013
512:(US
386:Kent
241:and
123:and
77:Kent
66:Died
47:Born
1112:at
1213::
1157:.
1134:.
1084:.
1031:.
1011:.
991:.
967:^
947:^
925:^
917:,
900:.
392:.
384:,
268:.
247:.
235:,
229:,
174:.
149:,
137:.
119:,
75:,
1167:.
1144:.
1095:.
1070:.
1049:.
904:.
666:)
662:(
504:)
419:)
106:2
27:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.