Jane Harris (producer)
Encyclopedia
Jane Harris is a British
television director
and producer
, best known for her contributions to soap opera
s, including EastEnders
and Family Affairs
.
play Cathy Come Home
in 1966. The play was produced by Tony Garnett
, who Harris has described as her mentor. She later moved to America where she worked on the soap opera General Hospital
and the successful action series The A-Team
.
When she returned to the UK she worked for the BBC soap opera EastEnders
. In 1988 she was the serial’s programme editor, but rose to producer in 1995, and eventually took control of the show as the Series/Executive producer in 1996, following the departure of Corinne Hollingworth
. At EastEnders Harris was responsible for introducing the di Marco
family, the Flahertys, Irene Hills
, Lorna Cartwright
and bringing back Frank Butcher
and Dot Cotton as fulltime characters. Axings included characters such as Ted Hills
, Frankie Pierre and Felix Kawalski. Storylines that aired under her tenure included Phil Mitchell
’s alcoholism, Ricky Butcher
and Bianca Jackson
’s wedding, the critically panned Ireland episodes, and Cindy Beale
’s attempted assassination of Ian Beale
, which brought in an audience of 23m in 1996, roughly 4m more than rival Coronation Street
. Harris's contributions to the soap were awarded in 1997 when EastEnders won the BAFTA for "Best Drama Series." She shared the award with producer, Corrinne Hollingworth. She left the series at the end of 1997 and was succeeded by Matthew Robinson.
Following this, Harris moved to channel five to become the Series Producer of its flagship soap opera Family Affairs
, taking over from co-creator and her former EastEnders boss, Corinne Hollingworth. She has also worked as an assistant director on various programmes including the police dramas Mersey Beat
(2001) and Beech is Back
(2001).
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...
television director
Television director
A television director directs the activities involved in making a television program and is part of a television crew.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or recorded to video tape or video server .In both types of productions, the...
and producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
, best known for her contributions to 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,...
s, including EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
and Family Affairs
Family Affairs
Family Affairs was a British soap opera broadcast on Five, from 1997 to 2005. It was the second programme to be broadcast on the channel on 30 March 1997, the channel's launch night...
.
Career
Harris worked on the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
play Cathy Come Home
Cathy Come Home
Cathy Come Home is a 1966 BBC television play by Jeremy Sandford, produced by Tony Garnett and directed by Ken Loach, about homelessness. An industry poll rated it as the best British television drama ever made. Filmed in a gritty, realistic drama documentary style, it was first broadcast on 16...
in 1966. The play was produced by Tony Garnett
Tony Garnett
Tony Garnett is a film producer who has worked in feature films and on British television. He was born in Birmingham, England, and studied psychology at the University of London....
, who Harris has described as her mentor. She later moved to America where she worked on the soap opera General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
and the successful action series The A-Team
The A-Team
The A-Team is an American action adventure television series about a fictional group of ex-United States Army Special Forces personnel who work as soldiers of fortune, while on the run from the Army after being branded as war criminals for a "crime they didn't commit". The A-Team was created by...
.
When she returned to the UK she worked for the BBC soap opera EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
. In 1988 she was the serial’s programme editor, but rose to producer in 1995, and eventually took control of the show as the Series/Executive producer in 1996, following the departure of Corinne Hollingworth
Corinne Hollingworth
Corinne Hollingworth is a British television producer and executive, best known for her contributions to British soap operas, including BBC's EastEnders and five's Family Affairs...
. At EastEnders Harris was responsible for introducing the di Marco
Gianni di Marco
Gianni di Marco is a fictional character from the BBC serial drama EastEnders, played by Marc Bannerman from 1998 to 2000.-Storylines:Gianni arrived in Walford along with the rest of the di Marco family in 1998. Gianni was the younger of the two brothers in the family, the other being Beppe di Marco...
family, the Flahertys, Irene Hills
Irene Raymond
Irene Constance Ethel Raymond is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Roberta Taylor. Introduced in 1997 as the matriarch of the Hills family, Irene remained in the serial until 2000, when the actress opted to leave...
, Lorna Cartwright
Lorna Cartwright
Lorna Cartwright is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Janet Dibley intermittently between 1997 and 1998. Lorna was introduced primarily as a catalyst to break up the marriage of the characters Phil and Kathy Mitchell...
and bringing back Frank Butcher
Frank Butcher
Francis Aloysius "Frank" Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by the late Mike Reid. Frank made his first appearance on-screen as a guest character in 1987 but, due to a positive viewer reception, he was reintroduced in 1988 as a regular. Reid took a long...
and Dot Cotton as fulltime characters. Axings included characters such as Ted Hills
Ted Hills
Ted Hills is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Brian Croucher. He was introduced in 1995 as the patriarch of the Hills family, who were the extended family of established character Kathy Beale. Ted was axed in 1997....
, Frankie Pierre and Felix Kawalski. Storylines that aired under her tenure included Phil Mitchell
Phil Mitchell
Philip James "Phil" Mitchell is a long-running fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Steve McFadden.Phil first arrived in Albert Square on 20 February 1990, and was soon joined by his brother, Grant, sister Sam and mother Peggy...
’s alcoholism, Ricky Butcher
Ricky Butcher
Richard Francis "Ricky" Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Sid Owen. Introduced as a school boy in 1988, Ricky is one of the longest-running, male protagonists to feature in EastEnders. Owen originally left the role in 2000 to pursue a music career...
and Bianca Jackson
Bianca Jackson
Bianca Butcher is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Patsy Palmer. The character was introduced by executive producer Leonard Lewis and appeared initially from 1993 to 1999, when Palmer opted to leave. In 2002 executive producer John Yorke brought the character...
’s wedding, the critically panned Ireland episodes, and Cindy Beale
Cindy Beale
Cindy Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Michelle Collins.Cindy always had an eye for the lotharios of Walford and despite trying to settle down repeatedly with the more reliable Ian Beale, she was unable to remain faithful to him. She had a selfish...
’s attempted assassination of Ian Beale
Ian Beale
Ian Albert Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Adam Woodyatt. He is the longest-serving character and the only remaining original character to have appeared continuously since the first episode on 19 February 1985...
, which brought in an audience of 23m in 1996, roughly 4m more than rival Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
. Harris's contributions to the soap were awarded in 1997 when EastEnders won the BAFTA for "Best Drama Series." She shared the award with producer, Corrinne Hollingworth. She left the series at the end of 1997 and was succeeded by Matthew Robinson.
Following this, Harris moved to channel five to become the Series Producer of its flagship soap opera Family Affairs
Family Affairs
Family Affairs was a British soap opera broadcast on Five, from 1997 to 2005. It was the second programme to be broadcast on the channel on 30 March 1997, the channel's launch night...
, taking over from co-creator and her former EastEnders boss, Corinne Hollingworth. She has also worked as an assistant director on various programmes including the police dramas Mersey Beat
Mersey Beat
Mersey Beat was a music publication in Liverpool, England in the early 1960s. It was founded by Bill Harry, who was one of John Lennon's classmates at Liverpool Art College...
(2001) and Beech is Back
Beech is Back
Beech is Back was a six-part mini-series spin-off from The Bill revolving around the corrupt Don Beech played by Billy Murray.The series was preceded by a regular episode of The Bill, entitled Beech on the Run, which was broadcast on 19 August 2001...
(2001).