Carla Lane
Encyclopedia
Carla Lane, OBE
(born Romana Barrack, 5 August 1937) is an English television writer
responsible for many successful sitcoms, including The Liver Birds
(1969–78), Butterflies
(1978–82), and Bread
(1986–91).
Lane is also known for her animal rights
activism and, until 2009, ran an animal sanctuary, Animaline, in Horsted Keynes, West Sussex. Animal rights is a theme that has appeared in her writing; for example, the character Darwin in Luv is a member of an animal rights group. Lane was awarded an OBE in 1989, but returned it in protest at the CBE
awarded to the managing director of Huntingdon Life Sciences
, a contract animal testing
laboratory.
and radio
script
s. Her first successes came in collaboration with Myra Taylor
, whom she had met at a writers' workshop in Liverpool, before she embarked on a solo career. Carla and Myra would often meet at the Adelphi hotel in Liverpool to write.
to Brian Cass
, managing director of Huntingdon Life Sciences
. HLS has been at the centre of numerous animal rights protests for its use of animals in the development and testing of drugs. Upon returning her award, she received a handwritten reply from Tony Blair
who said that she deserved the honour and that it would be kept in case she changed her mind and wanted it back.
In 1997, she was deceived by Chris Morris
and his satirical TV show, Brass Eye
, into taking part in a fake discussion, where she claimed that before one of her pet guinea pigs died, it had "washed its little face". It remains unclear whether she actually said this, or whether it was the result of editing by Morris, who uses such techniques in other episodes .
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born Romana Barrack, 5 August 1937) is an English television writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
responsible for many successful sitcoms, including The Liver Birds
The Liver Birds
The Liver Birds is a British situation comedy, set in Liverpool, Merseyside, North-West of England, which aired on BBC1 from 1969 to 1978, and again in 1996. It was created by Carla Lane and Myra Taylor. The two Liverpool housewives had met at a local writers club and decided to pool their talents...
(1969–78), Butterflies
Butterflies (TV series)
Butterflies is a British sitcom written by Carla Lane broadcast on BBC2 from 1978–83.The situation is the day-to-day life of the Parkinson family in a bittersweet style. There are both traditional comedy sources and more unusual sources such as Ria's unconsummated relationship with the...
(1978–82), and Bread
Bread (TV series)
Bread was a British television sitcom, written by Carla Lane, produced by the BBC and screened on BBC1 from 1 May 1986 to 3 November 1991....
(1986–91).
Lane is also known for her animal rights
Animal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
activism and, until 2009, ran an animal sanctuary, Animaline, in Horsted Keynes, West Sussex. Animal rights is a theme that has appeared in her writing; for example, the character Darwin in Luv is a member of an animal rights group. Lane was awarded an OBE in 1989, but returned it in protest at the CBE
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
awarded to the managing director of Huntingdon Life Sciences
Huntingdon Life Sciences
Huntingdon Life Sciences is a contract animal-testing company founded in 1952 in England, with facilities in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire; Eye, Suffolk; New Jersey in the U.S., and Japan...
, a contract animal testing
Animal testing
Animal testing, also known as animal experimentation, animal research, and in vivo testing, is the use of non-human animals in experiments. Worldwide it is estimated that the number of vertebrate animals—from zebrafish to non-human primates—ranges from the tens of millions to more than 100 million...
laboratory.
Background
In the 1960s she wrote short storiesShort Stories
Short Stories may refer to:*A plural for Short story*Short Stories , an American pulp magazine published from 1890-1959*Short Stories, a 1954 collection by O. E...
and radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
script
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
s. Her first successes came in collaboration with Myra Taylor
Myra Taylor
Myra Taylor was a British television scriptwriter.She jointly created The Liver Birds with Carla Lane whom she met at a writers' club, although she only wrote a few of the early episodes before going her own way...
, whom she had met at a writers' workshop in Liverpool, before she embarked on a solo career. Carla and Myra would often meet at the Adelphi hotel in Liverpool to write.
OBE protest
Lane returned her OBE in 2002 in protest at the award of a CBECBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
to Brian Cass
Brian Cass
Brian Cass is the managing director of Huntingdon Life Sciences , an animal-testing research company based in Huntingdon, England, and New Jersey in the United States. Before moving to HLS, Cass was a director of Covance...
, managing director of Huntingdon Life Sciences
Huntingdon Life Sciences
Huntingdon Life Sciences is a contract animal-testing company founded in 1952 in England, with facilities in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire; Eye, Suffolk; New Jersey in the U.S., and Japan...
. HLS has been at the centre of numerous animal rights protests for its use of animals in the development and testing of drugs. Upon returning her award, she received a handwritten reply from Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
who said that she deserved the honour and that it would be kept in case she changed her mind and wanted it back.
In 1997, she was deceived by Chris Morris
Chris Morris (satirist)
Christopher Morris is an English satirist, writer, director and actor. A former radio DJ, he is best known for anchoring the spoof news and current affairs television programmes The Day Today and Brass Eye, as well as his frequent engagement with controversial subject matter.In 2010 Morris...
and his satirical TV show, Brass Eye
Brass Eye
Brass Eye is a UK television series of satirical spoof documentaries. A series of six aired on Channel 4 in 1997, and a further episode in 2001....
, into taking part in a fake discussion, where she claimed that before one of her pet guinea pigs died, it had "washed its little face". It remains unclear whether she actually said this, or whether it was the result of editing by Morris, who uses such techniques in other episodes .
Television series
- 1969–78, 96 The Liver BirdsThe Liver BirdsThe Liver Birds is a British situation comedy, set in Liverpool, Merseyside, North-West of England, which aired on BBC1 from 1969 to 1978, and again in 1996. It was created by Carla Lane and Myra Taylor. The two Liverpool housewives had met at a local writers club and decided to pool their talents...
(with Myra Taylor and others) - 1971–76 Bless This House (with Myra Taylor and others)
- 1974 No Strings
- 1975 Going, Going, Gone... Free?
- 1977 Three Piece Suite
- 1978–83, 2000 ButterfliesButterflies (TV series)Butterflies is a British sitcom written by Carla Lane broadcast on BBC2 from 1978–83.The situation is the day-to-day life of the Parkinson family in a bittersweet style. There are both traditional comedy sources and more unusual sources such as Ria's unconsummated relationship with the...
- 1981–83 The Last Song
- 1981–82 SoloSolo (TV series)Solo is a British sitcom that aired on BBC1 from 1981 to 1982. Starring Felicity Kendal, Solo was written by Carla Lane, a writer well known for having previously written the sitcom Butterflies....
- 1984–85 Leaving
- 1985–87 The Mistress
- 1985 I Woke Up One Morning
- 1986–91 BreadBread (TV series)Bread was a British television sitcom, written by Carla Lane, produced by the BBC and screened on BBC1 from 1 May 1986 to 3 November 1991....
- 1992 Screaming
- 1993–94 LuvLuv (TV series)Luv is a British television sitcom made by the BBC in 1993 which ran for 18 episode. The writer and executive producer was Carla Lane. The main character, Terese Craven, was played by Sue Johnston....
- 1995 Searching