Colin Welland
Encyclopedia
Colin Welland is a British actor
and screenwriter
. He won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for his script for Chariots of Fire
(1981),,,.
Born in Leigh
in Lancashire, Welland grew up as a child in Kensington
, Liverpool
before moving to Newton-le-Willows
, Lancashire
. His parents were Jack and Nora Williams.
As an actor, Welland appeared as PC David Graham in the BBC Television
series Z-Cars
as well as a villain in the 1970's drama The Sweeney
. In films, he appeared in Kes
(1969), before also concentrating on screenwriting. He also appeared in the film Dancin' Thru the Dark
in 1990. He also appeared in the 1980 series 'Cowboys' with Roy Kinnear, a comedy about a dodgy builder.
Welland's writing credits include the 1979 film Yanks
, starring Vanessa Redgrave
and Richard Gere
, and directed by John Schlesinger
. The same year he appeared as an actor in Dennis Potter
's Blue Remembered Hills
, playing the character of Willie.
Welland won the award for Best Original Screenplay for Chariots of Fire
at the 1982 Academy Awards, and his acceptance speech famously included the phrase: "The British are coming!" (a quotation from Paul Revere
). In the film Chariots of Fire, the sign outside the Church of Scotland
in Paris shows the preacher for the 9 am worship to be "CM Welland"; he also played a vicar in Straw Dogs (1971).
In Kes (1969), Welland had played an English schoolteacher, an occupation in which (like fellow Kes actor Brian Glover
and its writer Barry Hines
) he had been employed, teaching art at Manchester Road Secondary Modern school in Leigh
, where he was known as "Ted" Williams because of his Teddy Boy
curly hair style. Amongst his pupils was the future author of Psychic Pets and numerous other books on the paranormal, John G. Sutton, who was once "slippered
" by "Ted" for talking during school meals.
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
. He won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for his script for Chariots of Fire
Chariots of Fire
Chariots of Fire is a 1981 British film. It tells the fact-based story of two athletes in the 1924 Olympics: Eric Liddell, a devout Scottish Christian who runs for the glory of God, and Harold Abrahams, an English Jew who runs to overcome prejudice....
(1981),,,.
Born in Leigh
Leigh, Greater Manchester
Leigh is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It is southeast of Wigan, and west of Manchester. Leigh is situated on low lying land to the north west of Chat Moss....
in Lancashire, Welland grew up as a child in Kensington
Kensington, Liverpool
Kensington is an inner city area of Liverpool, England. It is located immediately to the east of Liverpool city centre, and is bordered by Everton to the north, Fairfield to the east and Edge Hill to the south....
, Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
before moving to Newton-le-Willows
Newton-le-Willows
Newton-le-Willows is a small market town within the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, in Merseyside, England. Historically a part of Lancashire, it is situated about midway between the cities of Manchester and Liverpool, to the east of St Helens, to the north of Warrington and to the south of...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. His parents were Jack and Nora Williams.
As an actor, Welland appeared as PC David Graham in the BBC Television
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
series Z-Cars
Z-Cars
Z-Cars is a British television drama series centred on the work of mobile uniformed police in the fictional town of Newtown, based on Kirkby in the outskirts of Liverpool in Merseyside. Produced by the BBC, it debuted in January 1962 and ran until September 1978.-Origins:The series was developed by...
as well as a villain in the 1970's drama The Sweeney
The Sweeney
The Sweeney is a 1970s British television police drama focusing on two members of the Flying Squad, a branch of the Metropolitan Police specialising in tackling armed robbery and violent crime in London...
. In films, he appeared in Kes
Kes (film)
Kes is a 1969 British film from director Ken Loach and producer Tony Garnett. The film is based on the novel A Kestrel for a Knave, written by the Barnsley-born author Barry Hines in 1968...
(1969), before also concentrating on screenwriting. He also appeared in the film Dancin' Thru the Dark
Dancin' Thru the Dark
Dancin' thru the Dark is a 1990 British film directed by Mike Ockrent and written by Willy Russell. It is based on the play Stags and Hens by the same author. The film stars Con O'Neill, Claire Hackett, Simon O'Brien, Julia Deakin and Mark Womack....
in 1990. He also appeared in the 1980 series 'Cowboys' with Roy Kinnear, a comedy about a dodgy builder.
Welland's writing credits include the 1979 film Yanks
Yanks
Yanks is a 1979 John Schlesinger film, set in World War II in the village of Dobcross, in Greater Manchester, England. Starring Richard Gere, Vanessa Redgrave, William Devane, Lisa Eichhorn, Rachel Roberts and Tony Melody....
, starring Vanessa Redgrave
Vanessa Redgrave
Vanessa Redgrave, CBE is an English actress of stage, screen and television, as well as a political activist.She rose to prominence in 1961 playing Rosalind in As You Like It with the Royal Shakespeare Company and has since made more than 35 appearances on London's West End and Broadway, winning...
and Richard Gere
Richard Gere
Richard Tiffany Gere is an American actor. He began acting in the 1970s, playing a supporting role in Looking for Mr. Goodbar, and a starring role in Days of Heaven. He came to prominence in 1980 for his role in the film American Gigolo, which established him as a leading man and a sex symbol...
, and directed by John Schlesinger
John Schlesinger
John Richard Schlesinger, CBE was an English film and stage director and actor.-Early life:Schlesinger was born in London into a middle-class Jewish family, the son of Winifred Henrietta and Bernard Edward Schlesinger, a physician...
. The same year he appeared as an actor in Dennis Potter
Dennis Potter
Dennis Christopher George Potter was an English dramatist, best known for The Singing Detective. His widely acclaimed television dramas mixed fantasy and reality, the personal and the social. He was particularly fond of using themes and images from popular culture.-Biography:Dennis Potter was born...
's Blue Remembered Hills
Blue Remembered Hills
Blue Remembered Hills is a television play by Dennis Potter, originally broadcast on January 30, 1979 as part of the BBC's Play for Today series....
, playing the character of Willie.
Welland won the award for Best Original Screenplay for Chariots of Fire
Chariots of Fire
Chariots of Fire is a 1981 British film. It tells the fact-based story of two athletes in the 1924 Olympics: Eric Liddell, a devout Scottish Christian who runs for the glory of God, and Harold Abrahams, an English Jew who runs to overcome prejudice....
at the 1982 Academy Awards, and his acceptance speech famously included the phrase: "The British are coming!" (a quotation from Paul Revere
Paul Revere
Paul Revere was an American silversmith and a patriot in the American Revolution. He is most famous for alerting Colonial militia of approaching British forces before the battles of Lexington and Concord, as dramatized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, Paul Revere's Ride...
). In the film Chariots of Fire, the sign outside the Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
in Paris shows the preacher for the 9 am worship to be "CM Welland"; he also played a vicar in Straw Dogs (1971).
In Kes (1969), Welland had played an English schoolteacher, an occupation in which (like fellow Kes actor Brian Glover
Brian Glover
Brian Glover was an English character actor, writer and wrestler. Glover was a professional wrestler, teacher, and finally a film, television and stage actor. He once said, "You play to your strengths in this game. My strength is as a bald-headed, rough-looking Yorkshireman".-Early life:Glover was...
and its writer Barry Hines
Barry Hines
Melvin Barry Hines, FRSL is a British author who has written several popular novels and television scripts.-Early life:Born in the mining village of Hoyland Common near Barnsley, England, he attended Ecclesfield Grammar School and played football for the England Grammar Schools team...
) he had been employed, teaching art at Manchester Road Secondary Modern school in Leigh
Leigh, Greater Manchester
Leigh is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It is southeast of Wigan, and west of Manchester. Leigh is situated on low lying land to the north west of Chat Moss....
, where he was known as "Ted" Williams because of his Teddy Boy
Teddy Boy
The British Teddy Boy subculture is typified by young men wearing clothes that were partly inspired by the styles worn by dandies in the Edwardian period, styles which Savile Row tailors had attempted to re-introduce in Britain after World War II...
curly hair style. Amongst his pupils was the future author of Psychic Pets and numerous other books on the paranormal, John G. Sutton, who was once "slippered
Corporal punishment
Corporal punishment is a form of physical punishment that involves the deliberate infliction of pain as retribution for an offence, or for the purpose of disciplining or reforming a wrongdoer, or to deter attitudes or behaviour deemed unacceptable...
" by "Ted" for talking during school meals.