Howard Griffiths (screenwriter)
Encyclopedia
Howard Griffiths was a screen and television writer born in Wales
who wrote Licensed to Kill (1965 film)
and many Australian television
shows.
, Griffiths earned a scholarship to Oxford University with the highest entry results in Wales. He studied Classics
at Trinity College, Oxford
..
Griffiths did his National Service
in the Royal Air Force
as a Russian linguist with RAF Intelligence
in West Germany
listening to Soviet Air Force
pilots radio transmissions. Griffiths recalled one Russian pilot wishing "A happy Christmas to our British listeners!"
After leaving the military he edited a personnel magazine for Business Publications London where he met his future wife who was Australian. After his marriage he worked for the World Book Encyclopedia
that transferred him to Sydney, Australia to develop an Australian version of the encyclopedia
.
Griffith's first screenplay was Licensed to Kill
. After emigrating to Australia he wrote extensively for Australian television series such as the spy series Hunter
(1967), and police shows Division 4
, Homicide, and Blue Heelers
.
From 1975 to 1980 Griffiths was a script editor with the Australian Broadcasting Commission and received Awgie Awards for episodes of Frank Hardy
's Power Without Glory
and Truckies. Griffith also co-wrote Becca (1988) an Australian Welsh television co-production of an 1840's Welshman transported to Australia as well as writing the teleplay to Outbreak of Love from the novel by Martin Boyd
.
In addition to writing, Griffiths interviewed many survivors of RAF Bomber Command
for the 1987 ABC Documentary Wings of the Storm and donated all his footage to the Australian War Memorial
.
Griffiths also held teaching positions with the Australian Film Television and Radio School
in Sydney and the Victorian College of the Arts
and was a Victorian delegate of the Australian Writers Guild.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
who wrote Licensed to Kill (1965 film)
Licensed to Kill (1965 film)
Licensed to Kill is a 1965 superspy imitation James Bond film starring Tom Adams as British secret agent Charles Vine. It was directed and co-written by Lindsay Shonteff. Producer Joseph E...
and many Australian television
Australian television
Television in Australia began experimentally as early as 1929 in Melbourne with stations 3DB and 3UZ using the Radiovision system by Gilbert Miles and Donal McDonald, and later from other locations, such as Brisbane in 1934....
shows.
Biography
Born in SwanseaSwansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
, Griffiths earned a scholarship to Oxford University with the highest entry results in Wales. He studied Classics
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
at Trinity College, Oxford
Trinity College, Oxford
The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope , or Trinity College for short, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It stands on Broad Street, next door to Balliol College and Blackwells bookshop,...
..
Griffiths did his National Service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
as a Russian linguist with RAF Intelligence
RAF Intelligence
Intelligence services in the Royal Air Force is delivered by Officers of the Royal Air Force Operations Support Intelligence Branch and Airmen from the Intelligence Analyst Trade and Intelligence Analyst Trade...
in West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
listening to Soviet Air Force
Soviet Air Force
The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces...
pilots radio transmissions. Griffiths recalled one Russian pilot wishing "A happy Christmas to our British listeners!"
After leaving the military he edited a personnel magazine for Business Publications London where he met his future wife who was Australian. After his marriage he worked for the World Book Encyclopedia
World Book Encyclopedia
The World Book Encyclopedia is an encyclopedia published in the United States. It is self-described as "the number-one selling print encyclopedia in the world." The encyclopedia is designed to cover major areas of knowledge uniformly, but it shows particular strength in scientific, technical, and...
that transferred him to Sydney, Australia to develop an Australian version of the encyclopedia
Encyclopedia
An encyclopedia is a type of reference work, a compendium holding a summary of information from either all branches of knowledge or a particular branch of knowledge....
.
Griffith's first screenplay was Licensed to Kill
Licensed to Kill (1965 film)
Licensed to Kill is a 1965 superspy imitation James Bond film starring Tom Adams as British secret agent Charles Vine. It was directed and co-written by Lindsay Shonteff. Producer Joseph E...
. After emigrating to Australia he wrote extensively for Australian television series such as the spy series Hunter
Hunter (Australian Crawfords TV series)
Hunter was an Australian espionage adventure television series screened by the Nine Network from 5 July 1967 to 1969. The series was created by Ian Jones and produced by Crawford Productions....
(1967), and police shows Division 4
Division 4
Division 4 was an Australian television police drama series made by Crawford Productions for the Nine Network between 1969 and 1975 for 300 episodes....
, Homicide, and Blue Heelers
Blue Heelers
Blue Heelers is an Australian police drama series which depicted the lives of police officers stationed at the fictional Mount Thomas police station in a small town in Victoria.- Overview :...
.
From 1975 to 1980 Griffiths was a script editor with the Australian Broadcasting Commission and received Awgie Awards for episodes of Frank Hardy
Frank Hardy
Francis Joseph Hardy, or Frank, was an Australian left-wing novelist and writer best known for his controversial novel Power Without Glory. He also was a political activist bringing the plight of Aboriginal Australians to international attention with the publication of his book, The Unlucky...
's Power Without Glory
Power Without Glory
Power Without Glory is a 1950 novel written by Australian writer Frank Hardy. It was later adapted into a mini-series by the Australian Broadcasting Commission .- Publication :...
and Truckies. Griffith also co-wrote Becca (1988) an Australian Welsh television co-production of an 1840's Welshman transported to Australia as well as writing the teleplay to Outbreak of Love from the novel by Martin Boyd
Martin Boyd
Martin à Beckett Boyd was a member of Australia’s most prolific artistic dynasty of painters, sculptors, potters, writers, architects, graphic designers and musicians....
.
In addition to writing, Griffiths interviewed many survivors of RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
for the 1987 ABC Documentary Wings of the Storm and donated all his footage to the Australian War Memorial
Australian War Memorial
The Australian War Memorial is Australia's national memorial to the members of all its armed forces and supporting organisations who have died or participated in the wars of the Commonwealth of Australia...
.
Griffiths also held teaching positions with the Australian Film Television and Radio School
Australian Film Television and Radio School
The Australian Film, Television and Radio School is the Australian national centre for professional education and advanced training in film, television, radio and digital media. The School is an Australian Commonwealth government statutory authority...
in Sydney and the Victorian College of the Arts
Victorian College of the Arts
The Faculty of the VCA and Music is a faculty of the University of Melbourne, in Victoria . VCAM is located near the Melbourne central business district, on two campuses, one - the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music - on the Parkville campus of the University of Melbourne, and the other - the...
and was a Victorian delegate of the Australian Writers Guild.