Peter Ling
Encyclopedia
Peter Ling was a British
writer in many media, but best known for his work in television
, where he was the co-creator of the soap opera
Crossroads.
Ling was born in Thornton Heath
, Surrey
, England
, on 27 May 1926, the son of a stage magician and a teacher, and was educated at Whitgift School
. As a child he appeared in the Radio Luxembourg
children's show The Ovaltinies, and wrote an article for Good Housekeeping
magazine at the age of 14.
He was conscripted to work in the coal mines as a "Bevin Boy
" during the Second World War, but was transferred the Army Pay Corps due to ill-health. After the war, recovering from tuberculosis
in a British Legion Sanatorium, he published his first novel, Voices Offstage (1947), and began submitting comedy scripts to BBC radio
, selling some to Jon Pertwee
's radio show Waterlogged Spa. This led to work on television, including the BBC's children's show Whirligig (1950), where he met actress Sheilah Ward, whom he married in 1954.
In 1952 he was invited to write comic strips for the Eagle
, including the schoolboy series "The Three J's", illustrated by Peter Kay (1953-59), which was adapted for television in 1958. With Sheilah Ward, he also co-wrote strips for Eagle' s sister title Girl
, including "Two Pairs of Skates" (1956-57) and "Penny Starr" (1957). The couple also wrote a Girl spin-off novel, Angela has Wings, based on the comic strip "Angela Air Hostess", created by Betty Roland
.
In 1955 he joined Associated-Rediffusion
as script editor, working on shows including Murder Bag, Crime Sheet and Jango, and was later appointed Head of Children's Series. He and Hazel Adair co-wrote Compact
, a soap set in magazine publishing, for the BBC from 1962 to 1965. The two writers followed this up with Crossroads, a soap set in a motel, which launched on ITV in 1964 and lasted until 1988, and Champion House
, a Yorkshire family saga set in the textiles industry, shown on BBC from 1967 to 1968. Ling also wrote for Dixon of Dock Green
, Sexton Blake
, No Hiding Place
, Doctor Who
("The Mind Robber
", 1968), and, with Sheilah Ward, The Avengers ("Ashes of Roses", "Dance with Death", and "Box of Tricks"). He continued to write for radio, including adaptations of Sherlock Holmes
and Gideon Fell
stories and the Arnold Bennett
novel Imperial Palace
, and launched the Radio 2 soap Waggoner's Walk in 1969.
He published several novels, including the novelisation of his Doctor Who serial "The Mind Robber" for Target Books
; three novels in the "Crown House" series, Crown House (1988), Crown Papers (1989) and Crown Wars (1996); three in the "Docklands Saga" or "Watermen" series, High Water (1991), Flood Water (1992) and Storm Water (1993); two stand-alone novels, Halfway to Heaven (1994) and Happy Tomorrow (1995); and bodice-rippers under the name Petra Lee. He also wrote songs, including "Why Not Now?", which was a hit for Matt Monro
in 1961. He died on 4 September 2006 after a long struggle with Alzheimers disease.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
writer in many media, but best known for his work in television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, where he was the co-creator of the soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Crossroads.
Ling was born in Thornton Heath
Thornton Heath
Thornton Heath is a district of south London, England, in the London Borough of Croydon. It is situated south-southeast of Charing Cross.-Geography:...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, on 27 May 1926, the son of a stage magician and a teacher, and was educated at Whitgift School
Whitgift School
Whitgift School is an independent day school educating approximately 1,400 boys aged 10 to 18 in South Croydon, London in a parkland site.- History and grounds :...
. As a child he appeared in the Radio Luxembourg
Radio Luxembourg
Radio Luxembourg may refer to:*Radio Luxembourg , a Long Wave commercial radio station that began broadcasting from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg in 1933...
children's show The Ovaltinies, and wrote an article for Good Housekeeping
Good Housekeeping
Good Housekeeping is a women's magazine owned by the Hearst Corporation, featuring articles about women's interests, product testing by The Good Housekeeping Institute, recipes, diet, health as well as literary articles. It is well known for the "Good Housekeeping Seal," popularly known as the...
magazine at the age of 14.
He was conscripted to work in the coal mines as a "Bevin Boy
Bevin Boys
Bevin Boys were young British men conscripted to work in the coal mines of the United Kingdom, from December 1943 until 1948. Chosen at random from conscripts but also including volunteers, nearly 48,000 Bevin Boys performed vital but largely unrecognised service in the mines, many of them...
" during the Second World War, but was transferred the Army Pay Corps due to ill-health. After the war, recovering from tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
in a British Legion Sanatorium, he published his first novel, Voices Offstage (1947), and began submitting comedy scripts to BBC radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
, selling some to Jon Pertwee
Jon Pertwee
John Devon Roland Pertwee , was an English actor. Pertwee is best known for his role in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, in which he played the third incarnation of the Doctor from 1970 to 1974, and as the title character in the series Worzel Gummidge...
's radio show Waterlogged Spa. This led to work on television, including the BBC's children's show Whirligig (1950), where he met actress Sheilah Ward, whom he married in 1954.
In 1952 he was invited to write comic strips for the Eagle
Eagle (comic)
Eagle was a seminal British children's comic, first published from 1950 to 1969, and then in a relaunched format from 1982 to 1994. It was founded by Marcus Morris, an Anglican vicar from Lancashire. Morris edited a parish magazine called The Anvil, but felt that the church was not communicating...
, including the schoolboy series "The Three J's", illustrated by Peter Kay (1953-59), which was adapted for television in 1958. With Sheilah Ward, he also co-wrote strips for Eagle
Girl (comic)
Girl was a weekly comic for girls published from 1951 to 1964. It was launched by Hulton Press on 2 November 1951 as a sister paper to the Eagle, and lasted through Hultons' acquisition by Odhams Press in 1959 and Odhams' merger into IPC in 1963. Its final issue was dated 3 October 1964, after...
, including "Two Pairs of Skates" (1956-57) and "Penny Starr" (1957). The couple also wrote a Girl spin-off novel, Angela has Wings, based on the comic strip "Angela Air Hostess", created by Betty Roland
Betty Roland
Betty Roland was an Australian writer of plays, screenplays, novels, children's books and comics.-Early years:Betty Roland was born Mary Isobel Maclean at Kaniva, Victoria, the daughter of Roland and Matilda Maclean...
.
In 1955 he joined Associated-Rediffusion
Associated-Rediffusion
Associated-Rediffusion, later Rediffusion, London, was the British ITV contractor for London and parts of the surrounding counties, on weekdays between 1954 and 29 July 1968. Transmissions started on 22 September 1955.-Formation:...
as script editor, working on shows including Murder Bag, Crime Sheet and Jango, and was later appointed Head of Children's Series. He and Hazel Adair co-wrote Compact
Compact (TV series)
Compact is a British television soap opera shown by the BBC between 1962 and 1965. The series was created by Hazel Adair and Peter Ling, who together went on to devise Crossroads....
, a soap set in magazine publishing, for the BBC from 1962 to 1965. The two writers followed this up with Crossroads, a soap set in a motel, which launched on ITV in 1964 and lasted until 1988, and Champion House
Champion House
Champion House is a BBC television drama series.The series dealt with the Yorkshire-based Champion family and the dramas surrounding the family textiles firm, Champion Mills. Two series were made between 1967 and 1968...
, a Yorkshire family saga set in the textiles industry, shown on BBC from 1967 to 1968. Ling also wrote for Dixon of Dock Green
Dixon of Dock Green
Dixon of Dock Green was a popular BBC television series that ran from 1955 to 1976, and later a radio series. Despite being a drama series, it was initially produced by the BBC's light entertainment department.-Overview:...
, Sexton Blake
Sexton Blake
Sexton Blake is a fictional detective who appeared in many British comic strips and novels throughout the 20th century. He was described by Professor Jeffrey Richards on the BBC in The Radio Detectives in 2003 as "the poor man's Sherlock Holmes"...
, No Hiding Place
No Hiding Place
No Hiding Place is a British television series that was produced at Wembley Studios by Associated-Rediffusion for the ITV network between 16 September 1959 and 22 June 1967....
, Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
("The Mind Robber
The Mind Robber
The Mind Robber is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in five weekly parts from September 14 to October 12, 1968...
", 1968), and, with Sheilah Ward, The Avengers ("Ashes of Roses", "Dance with Death", and "Box of Tricks"). He continued to write for radio, including adaptations of Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
and Gideon Fell
Gideon Fell
Doctor Gideon Fell is a fictional character created by John Dickson Carr. He is the protagonist of 23 novels from 1933 through 1967 as well as a few short stories. Carr was an American who lived most of his adult life in England; Dr. Fell is an Englishman who lives in the London suburbs.Dr...
stories and the Arnold Bennett
Arnold Bennett
- Early life :Bennett was born in a modest house in Hanley in the Potteries district of Staffordshire. Hanley is one of a conurbation of six towns which joined together at the beginning of the twentieth century as Stoke-on-Trent. Enoch Bennett, his father, qualified as a solicitor in 1876, and the...
novel Imperial Palace
Imperial Palace (novel)
Imperial Palace is the last and longest novel by author Arnold Bennett.Published in 1930, the year before Bennett's death, the novel follows the daily workings of a hotel modelled on the Savoy Hotel in London...
, and launched the Radio 2 soap Waggoner's Walk in 1969.
He published several novels, including the novelisation of his Doctor Who serial "The Mind Robber" for Target Books
Target Books
Target Books was a British publishing imprint, established in 1973 by Universal-Tandem Publishing Co Ltd, a paperback publishing company. The imprint was established as a children's imprint to complement the adult Tandem imprint, and became well known for their highly successful range of...
; three novels in the "Crown House" series, Crown House (1988), Crown Papers (1989) and Crown Wars (1996); three in the "Docklands Saga" or "Watermen" series, High Water (1991), Flood Water (1992) and Storm Water (1993); two stand-alone novels, Halfway to Heaven (1994) and Happy Tomorrow (1995); and bodice-rippers under the name Petra Lee. He also wrote songs, including "Why Not Now?", which was a hit for Matt Monro
Matt Monro
Matt Monro was an English singer who became one of the most popular entertainers on the international music scene during the 1960s...
in 1961. He died on 4 September 2006 after a long struggle with Alzheimers disease.