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James Mitchell (writer)

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James William Mitchell (12 March 1926, in South Shields – 15 September 2002, in Newcastle-upon-Tyne) was a British writer, principally of crime fiction and spy thrillers. He is best known for creating Callan (1967–1972) and When the Boat Comes In (1976–1981).

James Mitchell
BornJames William Mitchell
(1926-03-12)12 March 1926
South Shields, England
Died15 September 2002(2002-09-15) (aged 76)
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England
Pen namePatrick O. McGuire
James Munro
OccupationScreenwriter, novelist
Years active1957–2002
Notable worksCallan
When the Boat Comes In

Biography

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The son of a shipyard worker, Mitchell also wrote under the pseudonyms James Munro and Patrick O. McGuire. He received BA and MA degrees from Oxford. After graduating he tried numerous jobs, including shipyard worker and civil servant before taking up teaching, in his own words he taught, "for some 15 years in almost every kind of institution from secondary modern school to college of art". In 1968 Mitchell moved to London to concentrate on writing.[1][2]

Mitchell created the ITV spy thriller Callan, starring Edward Woodward as a remorseful secret service assassin, and the BBC period drama When the Boat Comes In, starring James Bolam as a World War I veteran returning to his Tyneside hometown.[3] These programmes proved to be his most notable, and acclaimed work.

He also wrote many other television scripts, including episodes of The Troubleshooters, the legal drama Justice and The Avengers.

Personal life and death

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He married twice and had two children. Mitchell died in Newcastle upon Tyne on 15 September 2002.[4] He was 76.[5]

Bibliography

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Novels

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  • Here's a Villain! (1957), US Title: The Lady is Waiting
  • A Way Back (1959), also published as: The Way Back
  • Steady, Boys, Steady (1960)
  • Among Arabian Sands (1963)
  • Ilion Like a Mist (1969), also published as: Venus in Plastic
  • The Winners (1970)
  • The Evil Ones (1982)
  • KGB Kill (1987)
  • A Woman to Be Loved (1990)
  • An Impossible Woman (1992)
  • Leading Lady (1993)
  • So Far from Home (1995)
  • Indian Summer (1996)
  • Dance for Joy (1997)

Callan

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  • A Magnum for Schneider (1969), US Title: A Red File for Callan
  • Russian Roulette (1973)
  • Death and Bright Water (1974)
  • Smear Job (1975)
  • Bonfire Night (2002)
  • Callan Uncovered (2014) and Callan Uncovered 2 (2015) - short story collections edited by Mike Ripley

When the Boat Comes In

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  • When the Boat Comes In
  • When the Boat Comes In: The Hungry Years
  • When the Boat Comes In: Upwards and Onwards

Ron Hogget

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  • Sometimes You Could Die (1985)
  • Dead Ernest (1986)
  • Dying Day (1988)

as Patrick O. McGuire

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  • A Time for Murder (1955)
  • Fiesta for Murder (1962)

as James Munro

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  • The Man Who Sold Death (1964)
  • Die Rich, Die Happy (1965)
  • The Money That Money Can't Buy (1967)
  • The Innocent Bystanders (1969)

The hero in his Munro books is a British agent named John Craig, who works, mostly reluctantly, for Department K. Mitchell wrote the screenplay for the 1971 film version of The Innocent Bystanders under his real name.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Credit Notes
1970 The Last Grenade Screenplay
1972 Innocent Bystanders Screenplay Adapted from his "James Munro" novel
1974 Callan Screenplay Adapted from his novel, "A Red File for Callan"

Television

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Year Title Credit Notes
1960, 1964 Armchair Mystery Theatre Writer Episodes: "Flight from Treason" and "The Lonely Crime"
1961, 1963 The Avengers Writer 5 episodes
1961 Kraft Mystery Theater Writer Episode: "Flight from Treason"
1961, 1967 Armchair Theatre Writer Episodes: "The Omega Mystery" and "A Magnum for Schneider" (the latter served as a backdoor pilot for Callan)
1965 Crane Writer Episode: "The Man in the Gold Waistcoat"
1965–1967 The Troubleshooters Writer 5 episodes
1966 This Man Craig Writer Episodes: "Live Like a Man" and "Fresh Off the Boat"
1968 Frontier Writer Episode: "His Lordship"
1967–1972 Callan Creator and writer Wrote 18 episodes
1971–1972 Justice Writer 6 episodes
1976–1981 When the Boat Comes In Creator and writer Wrote 39 episodes
1981 Goodbye Darling Creator and writer Wrote 8 episodes
1981 Wet Job Writer TV movie, sequel to Callan
1983 Spyship Writer 6 episodes
1989 Confessional Writer 4 episodes

References

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  1. ^ "Obituary: James Mitchell". The Guardian. 19 September 2002.
  2. ^ "Biography". Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  3. ^ "Obituary: James Mitchell". The Guardian. 19 September 2002.
  4. ^ "The British Theatre Guide: Writer James Mitchell Dies". Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  5. ^ "Obituary". The Telegraph. 20 September 2002. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
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