Alan Hackney
Encyclopedia
Alan Charles Langley Hackney (b. 10 September 1924, Manchester
– d. 15 May 2009, Hertfordshire
) was an English novelist and screenwriter.. He was educated at Thornleigh College, Bolton
, and while at Manchester University was called up to the army. After demobilisation he proceeded to New College, Oxford
where he read Politics, Philosophy and Economics under the tutelage of Isaiah Berlin
.
He was best known for his two novels Private's Progress and Private Life, which were both adapted into films, the former as Private's Progress
(1956) and the latter as I'm All Right Jack
(1959). Hackney also co-wrote the script of I'm All Right Jack
, which was a satire of trade unions. He was also a frequent contributor to Punch
.
At around this time the British film industry collapsed and Hackney’s career was never to hit such heights again. A further two children meant that he had to travel to write and he had spells in Canada, Italy (with the RAI
TV series K 2 +1, directed by Luciano Emmer
, starring the German Kessler Sisters and the Italian-American crooner Johnny Dorelli
) and Hollywood as well as working for British television and continuing to contribute to Punch.
In recent years he worked with the composer Howard Blake on a musical version of I'm All Right Jack
.
His best-remembered films are Two-Way Stretch
(1960), starring Peter Sellers
, and You Must Be Joking (1965), directed by Michael Winner
.
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
– d. 15 May 2009, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
) was an English novelist and screenwriter.. He was educated at Thornleigh College, Bolton
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
, and while at Manchester University was called up to the army. After demobilisation he proceeded to New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
where he read Politics, Philosophy and Economics under the tutelage of Isaiah Berlin
Isaiah Berlin
Sir Isaiah Berlin OM, FBA was a British social and political theorist, philosopher and historian of ideas of Russian-Jewish origin, regarded as one of the leading thinkers of the twentieth century and a dominant liberal scholar of his generation...
.
He was best known for his two novels Private's Progress and Private Life, which were both adapted into films, the former as Private's Progress
Private's Progress
Private's Progress is a 1956 British comedy film based on the novel by Alan Hackney. It was directed and produced by John and Roy Boulting, from a script by John Boulting and Frank Harvey.-Plot:...
(1956) and the latter as I'm All Right Jack
I'm All Right Jack
I'm All Right Jack is a 1959 British comedy film directed and produced by John and Roy Boulting from a script by Frank Harvey, John Boulting and Alan Hackney, based on the novel Private Life by Hackney...
(1959). Hackney also co-wrote the script of I'm All Right Jack
I'm All Right Jack
I'm All Right Jack is a 1959 British comedy film directed and produced by John and Roy Boulting from a script by Frank Harvey, John Boulting and Alan Hackney, based on the novel Private Life by Hackney...
, which was a satire of trade unions. He was also a frequent contributor to Punch
Punch (magazine)
Punch, or the London Charivari was a British weekly magazine of humour and satire established in 1841 by Henry Mayhew and engraver Ebenezer Landells. Historically, it was most influential in the 1840s and 50s, when it helped to coin the term "cartoon" in its modern sense as a humorous illustration...
.
At around this time the British film industry collapsed and Hackney’s career was never to hit such heights again. A further two children meant that he had to travel to write and he had spells in Canada, Italy (with the RAI
RAI
RAI — Radiotelevisione italiana S.p.A. known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane, is the Italian state owned public service broadcaster controlled by the Ministry of Economic Development. Rai is the biggest television company in Italy...
TV series K 2 +1, directed by Luciano Emmer
Luciano Emmer
Luciano Emmer was an Italian film director. He was born in Milan. He won a Golden Globe in 1951 for Pictura...
, starring the German Kessler Sisters and the Italian-American crooner Johnny Dorelli
Johnny Dorelli
Johnny Dorelli is an Italian actor, singer and showman.Born as Giorgio Guidi in Meda, he debuted as singer in the late 1950s for CGD label. In 1958 he won the Sanremo Festival in duo with Domenico Modugno, with the songs "Nel blu dipinto di blu" and "Piove "...
) and Hollywood as well as working for British television and continuing to contribute to Punch.
In recent years he worked with the composer Howard Blake on a musical version of I'm All Right Jack
I'm All Right Jack
I'm All Right Jack is a 1959 British comedy film directed and produced by John and Roy Boulting from a script by Frank Harvey, John Boulting and Alan Hackney, based on the novel Private Life by Hackney...
.
His best-remembered films are Two-Way Stretch
Two-Way Stretch
Two-Way Stretch, sometimes titled Nothing Barred, is a 1960 British comedy film, about a group of prisoners who plan to break out of jail, commit a robbery, and then break back into jail again, thus giving them the perfect alibi – that they were behind bars when the robbery occurred...
(1960), starring Peter Sellers
Peter Sellers
Richard Henry Sellers, CBE , known as Peter Sellers, was a British comedian and actor. Perhaps best known as Chief Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther film series, he is also notable for playing three different characters in Dr...
, and You Must Be Joking (1965), directed by Michael Winner
Michael Winner
Michael Robert Winner is a British film director and producer, active in both Europe and the United States, also known as a food critic for the Sunday Times.-Early life and early career :...
.