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Theatre

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Kurt: /* Films */

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Films

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	==Films==		==Films==
	In 1971, he wrote and produced for [[w:Hammer Film Productions]] ''[[w:Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde\|Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde]]'' and, in 1972, wrote and directed ''[[w:Captain Kronos, Vampire Hunter\|Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter]]'' (his only directorial effort). He also wrote the screenplays and/or stories for the feature films ''[[w:Operation Murder\|Operation Murder]]'' (1957),		In 1971, he wrote and produced for [[w:Hammer Film Productions\|Hammer Film Productions]] ''[[w:Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde\|Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde]]'' and, in 1972, wrote and directed ''[[w:Captain Kronos, Vampire Hunter\|Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter]]'' (his only directorial effort). He also wrote the screenplays and/or stories for the feature films ''[[w:Operation Murder\|Operation Murder]]'' (1957),
	''[[w:The Tell-Tale Heart (1960 film)\|The Tell-Tale Heart]]'' (1960), ''[[w:Station Six-Sahara\|Station Six-Sahara]]'' (1963), ''[[w:The Peking Medallion\|The Peking Medallion]]'' (1967), ''[[w:And Soon the Darkness (1970 film)\|And Soon the Darkness]]'' (1970), ''[[w:See No Evil (1971 film)\|See No Evil]]'' (1971), ''[[w:The Golden Voyage of Sinbad\|The Golden Voyage of Sinbad]]'' (1973), ''[[w:The Watcher in the Woods (1980 film)\|The Watcher in the Woods]]'' (1980), and ''[[w:Highlander II: The Quickening\|Highlander II: The Quickening]]'' (1991).<ref>[http://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3327693/r-p-brian-clemens-writer-see-evil-thriller-dies-age-83/ R.I.P. Brian Clemens, Writer of ‘See No Evil’ And ‘Thriller’, Dies At Age 83]</ref>		''[[w:The Tell-Tale Heart (1960 film)\|The Tell-Tale Heart]]'' (1960), ''[[w:Station Six-Sahara\|Station Six-Sahara]]'' (1963), ''[[w:The Peking Medallion\|The Peking Medallion]]'' (1967), ''[[w:And Soon the Darkness (1970 film)\|And Soon the Darkness]]'' (1970), ''[[w:See No Evil (1971 film)\|See No Evil]]'' (1971), ''[[w:The Golden Voyage of Sinbad\|The Golden Voyage of Sinbad]]'' (1973), ''[[w:The Watcher in the Woods (1980 film)\|The Watcher in the Woods]]'' (1980), and ''[[w:Highlander II: The Quickening\|Highlander II: The Quickening]]'' (1991).<ref>[http://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3327693/r-p-brian-clemens-writer-see-evil-thriller-dies-age-83/ R.I.P. Brian Clemens, Writer of ‘See No Evil’ And ‘Thriller’, Dies At Age 83]</ref>

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{{short description|English screenwriter and television producer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2012}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Brian Clemens <br /> <small>[[Order of the British Empire|OBE]]</small>
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_name = Brian Horace Clemens
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1931|7|30|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Croydon]], [[Surrey]], [[England]]
| death_date ={{death date and age|df=y|2015|1|10|1931|7|30}}
| death_place =
| education =
| occupation = Film and television producer, screenwriter
| spouse = Brenda Prior (m. 1955–1966),<ref name="TV Times" /> Janet Elizabeth Clemens (m. 1979–2015; his death)
| partner = Diane Enright (~1966–1976)<ref name="TV Times" />(Till her suicide)
| parents =
| children = Two with Janet Elizabeth.<ref name="Classic Images"/>
}}

'''Brian Horace Clemens''' {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|OBE}} (30 July 1931 – 10 January 2015) was an [[England|English]] [[screenwriter]] and [[television producer]], possibly best known for his work on ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]'' and ''[[The Professionals (TV series)|The Professionals]]''. Clemens claimed to be related to [[Mark Twain]] (Samuel Langhorne Clemens), a fact reflected in the naming of his two sons, Samuel Joshua Twain Clemens and George Langhorne Clemens.<ref name="Classic Images">{{cite web|url=http://www.classicimages.com/1999/may99/clemens.html |title=Interview with Brian Clemens, Classic Images website, May 1999 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041030063936/http://www.classicimages.com/1999/may99/clemens.html |archive-date=30 October 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbcamericashop.com/default.asp?cpa=product&id=4042&ctl=81&cc=21248&tt=UpsellClick|title=BBC America website|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070625074530/http://www.bbcamericashop.com/default.asp?cpa=product|archive-date=25 June 2007}}</ref>

==Early life ==
Clemens was born in [[Croydon]], [[Surrey]], to Suzanna ([[née]] O'Grady) and Albert,<ref name="The Guardian">[https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/jan/12/brian-clemens The Guardian]</ref> an engineer, who also worked in [[music halls]].<ref name="Classic Images"/> He left school aged 14.<ref name="TV Times">{{cite news |title=TV Times magazine |url=http://deadline.theavengers.tv/tvtClemens77.htm |date=22 October 1977 |page=22}}</ref>

Following [[National Service|national service]] in the [[British Army]] at [[Aldershot]],<ref name="BFI"/> where he was a weapons training instructor in the [[Royal Army Ordnance Corps]],<ref name="TV Times"/> Clemens wanted to be a journalist but decided he did not have any qualifications. He was offered a job with a [[private detective]] agency, but this involved taking a training course in the city of [[Leeds]] and, as he had been away from home in London for two years, he decided he did not want to go away again.<ref name="TV Times"/> Instead, he worked his way up from messenger boy at the [[J. Walter Thompson]] [[advertising agency]].<ref name="BFI">{{cite web |title=British Film Institute profile of Brian Clemens |url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/473675/index.html}}</ref> While he was a [[copywriter]] there, he had a thriller [[screenplay]] accepted and shot by [[BBC TV]] - ''Valid for Single Journey Only'' (1955).<ref name="TV Times"/> This brought him to the attention of the [[The Danzigers|Danziger brothers]], independent, low-budget movie producers.<ref name="BFI"/>

==TV career==
===Writer===
From the mid-1950s onward Clemens was a staff writer for the Danzigers, churning out dozens of quickie scripts for assembly-line [[B movie|'B' movies]] and half-hour television series such as ''[[The Vise (1955 TV series)|Mark Saber]]'' (ITV, 1957–1959; also known as ''Saber of London''), ''White Hunter'' (ITV, 1958–1960), ''[[The Man from Interpol|Man from Interpol]]'' (ITV, 1960–1961), and ''[[Richard the Lionheart (TV series)|Richard The Lionheart]]'' (ITV, 1961–1965).<ref name="BFI"/>

He also wrote for [[ITC Entertainment]]'s thriller series ''[[The Invisible Man (1958 TV series)|The Invisible Man]]'' (ITV, 1958–1959), ''[[Sir Francis Drake (TV series)|Sir Francis Drake]]'' (ITV, 1961–1962), and ''[[Danger Man]]'' (ITV, 1960–1961; 1964–1967; also known as ''Secret Agent''),<ref name="BFI"/> for which he had also written the pilot.<ref name="Classic Images"/> His output was so prolific during the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s that he frequently used the [[pseudonym]] Tony O'Grady.

He wrote the second episode for ''[[The Avengers (TV series)|The Avengers]]'' (but not the pilot as is often stated) in 1961<ref name="TV Times"/> and was the script editor, associate producer and main scriptwriter for ''The Avengers'' series<ref name="BFI"/> (ITV, 1961–1969). According to the [[British Film Institute]]'s profile of him, he "brought this spirit of burlesque to his other series - most notably with ''[[Adam Adamant Lives!]]'' (BBC, 1966-1967), but also with ''[[The Baron (TV series)|The Baron]]'' (ITV, 1966-1967), ''[[The Persuaders!]]'' (ITV, 1971-1972), ''[[The Protectors]]'' (ITV, 1972-1974), and ''[[The Adventurer (TV series)|The Adventurer]]'' (ITV, 1972-1974) - resoundingly poking fun both at the genre they were imitating and the sources of their inspiration."<ref name="BFI"/>

Clemens cast [[Diana Rigg]] to replace departing star [[Honor Blackman]] in ''The Avengers''. He was later quoted as saying, "I didn't do Diana a very good service. It made her an international star but I think I could have done more for her as far as the script was concerned. She was rather a stooge to [[Patrick Macnee]]'s Steed."<ref name="TV Times"/> He did not choose [[Linda Thorson]] to replace Rigg.<ref name="TV Times"/>

===Producer===
Clemens created the BBC TV [[sitcom]] ''[[My Wife Next Door]]'' (1972) but left the scriptwriting to [[Richard Waring (writer)|Richard Waring]]. The series won a [[British Academy Television Award for Best Scripted Comedy|BAFTA Award for Best Situation Comedy Series]]. Made around the same time, the TV movie ''[[The Woman Hunter]]'' was scripted by Clemens and fellow ITC writer [[Tony Williamson (television writer)|Tony Williamson]] from the former's story. It was Clemens' first American credit.

He followed this with a twist-in-the-tail anthology series ''[[Thriller (UK TV series)|Thriller]]'' (ITV 1973–1976; also known as ''Menace''), for which he wrote all the stories as well as 38 of the scripts.<ref name="TV Times"/>

In the mid-1970s, Clemens sued fellow writer [[Terry Nation]] for plagiarism, claiming he had given the concept of the 1975 TV series ''[[Survivors (1975 TV series)|Survivors]]'' to Nation in the late 1960s and that had he registered the idea with the [[Writers' Guild of Great Britain]] in 1965. Nation strenuously denied the claim. Both sides agreed to discontinue the case due to escalating legal fees.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bignell |first1=Jonathan |last2=O'Day |first2=Andrew |title=Terry Nation |publisher=[[Manchester University Press]] |year=2004 |page=21 |ISBN=0-7190-6547-X}}</ref>

Clemens' company The Avengers (Film and TV) Enterprises Ltd<ref name="TV Times"/> created a French/Canadian/British co-production,<ref name="BFI"/> ''[[The New Avengers (TV series)|The New Avengers]]'' (ITV 1976-1977). The series cost £125,000 an episode to produce and was not a critical success, but sold to 120 countries.<ref name="TV Times"/> To cast the central female role of [[Purdey (The New Avengers)|Purdey]], Clemens considered "about 700 girls", interviewed 200, read scripts with 40 and screen-tested 15<ref name="TV Times"/> before choosing [[Joanna Lumley]]. His company Avengers Mark One Productions went on to produce ''[[The Professionals (TV series)|The Professionals]]'' (ITV, 1977–1983).<ref name="BFI"/>

In the early 1980s he was twice asked to produce a U.S. version of his most successful series - ''The Avengers U.S.A.'' for producer [[Quinn Martin]] and ''The Avengers International'' for [[Taft Entertainment]]<ref name="BFI"/> but neither version materialised. An earlier attempt by Clemens at a US-based ''Avengers''-style series resulted in his writing and co-producing the hour-long pilot film ''Escapade'' which was aired by [[CBS]] in 1978; again, this project did not proceed to series.<ref>Goldberg, L. (2015). Television fast forward: sequels & remakes of cancelled series 1955-1992. Calabasas: Adventures in Television.</ref> However, he did write episodes for the US TV series ''[[Darkroom (TV series)|Darkroom]]'' (ABC-TV, 1981–1982), ''[[Remington Steele]]'' (NBC, 1982–1987), and ''[[Max Monroe: Loose Cannon]]'' (CBS, 1990).

Back in the UK, he worked on BBC TV's ''[[Bergerac (TV series)|Bergerac]]'' (1981–1991), the anthologies ''[[Hammer House of Mystery and Suspense]]'' (ITV, 1984–1986) and ''Worlds Beyond'' (ITV, 1984–1989), and adapted [[Gavin Lyall]]'s espionage thriller ''[[The Secret Servant (Lyall novel)|The Secret Servant]]'' as a three-part drama for BBC TV (1984).<ref name="BFI"/>

He then, in the US again, worked on the ''[[Father Dowling Mysteries]]'' (NBC, 1989; ABC-TV, 1990–1991), as executive script consultant for the feature-length revival series of [[Raymond Burr]]'s ''[[Perry Mason (TV film series)|Perry Mason]]'' (CBS, 1985–1995) for which he also wrote three teleplays. He also wrote for the [[Dick Van Dyke]] mystery series ''[[Diagnosis: Murder]]'' (CBS, 1992–2001).<ref name="BFI"/>

He also wrote for the ''[[Bugs (TV series)|Bugs]]'' TV series in the UK (BBC, 1995–1999) and ''[[Highlander: The Series]]'' in the US. Clemens' final credit was for ''[[Jane Doe (film series)|Jane Doe: How To Fire Your Boss]]'' in 2007.

==Films==
In 1971, he wrote and produced for [[Hammer Film Productions]] ''[[Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde]]'' and, in 1972, wrote and directed ''[[Captain Kronos, Vampire Hunter|Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter]]'' (his only directorial effort). He also wrote the screenplays and/or stories for the feature films ''[[Operation Murder]]'' (1957),
''[[The Tell-Tale Heart (1960 film)|The Tell-Tale Heart]]'' (1960), ''[[Station Six-Sahara]]'' (1963), ''[[The Peking Medallion]]'' (1967), ''[[And Soon the Darkness (1970 film)|And Soon the Darkness]]'' (1970), ''[[See No Evil (1971 film)|See No Evil]]'' (1971), ''[[The Golden Voyage of Sinbad]]'' (1973), ''[[The Watcher in the Woods (1980 film)|The Watcher in the Woods]]'' (1980), and ''[[Highlander II: The Quickening]]'' (1991).<ref>[http://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3327693/r-p-brian-clemens-writer-see-evil-thriller-dies-age-83/ R.I.P. Brian Clemens, Writer of ‘See No Evil’ And ‘Thriller’, Dies At Age 83]</ref>

===Selected filmography===
* ''[[At the Stroke of Nine]]'' (1957)
* ''[[Operation Murder]]'' (1957)
* ''[[The Betrayal]]'' (1957)
* ''[[Moment of Indiscretion]]'' (1958) (co-written with [[Eldon Howard]])
* ''[[Woman's Temptation]]'' (1959)
* ''[[An Honourable Murder]]'' (1960)
* ''[[Identity Unknown (1960 film)|Identity Unknown]]'' (1960)
* ''[[The Tell-Tale Heart (1960 film)|The Tell-Tale Heart]]'' (1960)
* ''[[Return of a Stranger (1961 film)|Return of a Stranger]]'' (1961)
* ''[[Station Six-Sahara]]'' (1962)
* ''[[The Corrupt Ones]]'' (1967)
* ''[[And Soon the Darkness (1970 film)|And Soon the Darkness]]'' (1970)
* ''[[See No Evil (1971 film)|Blind Terror]]'' (also known as ''See No Evil''; 1971)
* ''[[Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde]]'' (1971)
* ''[[The Golden Voyage of Sinbad]]'' (1973)
* ''[[Captain Kronos - Vampire Hunter|Captain Kronos – Vampire Hunter]]'' (released 1974; filmed 1972) (also director)
* ''[[The Watcher in the Woods (1980 film)|The Watcher in the Woods]]'' (1980)
* ''[[Highlander II: The Quickening]]'' (1991)
* ''[[Justine: A Private Affair]]'' (1995)

==Theatre==
In 1988, Clemens wrote the play ''Holmes and the Ripper'', which was inspired by [[Stephen Knight (author)|Stephen Knight]]'s book ''[[Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution]]''. The play has the great detective [[Sherlock Holmes]] and his colleague [[Dr. Watson]] become embroiled in the grisly murders in Whitechapel in 1888. The play would be adapted into an audio drama by [[Big Finish Productions]].<ref>https://theatricalia.com/play/5j2/holmes-and-the-ripper/production/c59</ref>

In 2008 Clemens wrote the play ''Murder Hunt'', which was performed at [[The Mill at Sonning]] and starred David Monteith as Captain K'Maka, a native African policeman who has to find the murderer amongst a bunch of guests stranded at a remote safari lodge.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.millatsonning.com/Murder%20Hunt.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080526204420/http://www.millatsonning.com/Murder%20Hunt.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2008-05-26 |title=Murder Hunt |work=The Mill at Sonning web site}}</ref> The list of plays he helped to write and produce:<ref>{{cite web|website=doollee.com|url=http://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsC/clemens-brian.html|title=Brian Clemens|access-date=15 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514040758/http://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsC/clemens-brian.html|archive-date=14 May 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year !! Title !! Collaboration !! Genre !! Notes
|-
| 1971 || The Avengers || [[Terence Feely]] || || Stage version of television show
|-
| 1972 || Lover || || Thriller ||
|-
| 1972 || Shock! || || Thriller ||
|-
| 1973 || Dear Heart || Terence Feely || Drama || Loosely based upon life of [[Joe Orton]]
|-
| 1975 || Edge of Darkness || || Drama ||
|-
| 1977 || Our Kid || || One act Drama || Based upon the Moors Murders and Myra Hindley
|-
| 1979 || I'm Only Going to Kill her || [[Dennis Spooner]] || Comedy ||
|-
| 1979 || Will You Still Love Me in the Morning || Dennis Spooner || Sex comedy
|-
| 1982 || All About Murder || || Thriller ||
|-
| 1986 || Sting in the Tale || Dennis Spooner || Drama ||
|-
| 1988 || Holmes and the Ripper || || Mystery || Based on the Whitechapel murders and Sherlock Holmes
|-
| 1990 || Anybody for Murder? || Dennis Spooner || Drama ||
|-
| 1993 || Inside Job || || Thriller ||
|-
| 2001 || The Devil at Midnight || || Thriller ||
|-
| || Without Trace || || ||
|-
| 2006 || Strictly Murder || || Thriller ||
|-
| 2012 || Murder Weapon || || Thriller ||
|}

==Personal life==
Clemens married his first wife Brenda Prior in 1955; they divorced in 1966.<ref name="TV Times" /> From 1967, he was with the actress Diane Enright, who was Diana Rigg's stand-in as [[Emma Peel]] during the 1965-1967 Avengers series. Enright committed suicide in 1976.<ref name="TV Times"/> He then married Janet Elizabeth with whom he had two sons; they stayed together until his death.

Clemens was appointed [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] (OBE) in the 2010 Birthday Honours.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=59446 |date=12 June 2010 |page=9 |supp=y}}</ref>

==Death==
Clemens died at home on 10 January 2015, aged 83.<ref>[http://www.inquisitr.com/1747229/brian-clemens-dies-creator-avengers-the-professionals-videos/ Brian Clemens Dies, Creator Of ‘Avengers,’ ‘The Professionals’]</ref> The cause of death was a leaking [[aneurism]]. His son said his father had died shortly after watching an episode of ''The Avengers'', and that his last words were: "I did quite a good job."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/2015/avengers-writer-brian-clemens-dies-aged-83/|title=The Avengers writer Brian Clemens dies aged 83|publisher=thestage.co.uk|date=13 January 2015}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb name|id=0166018|name=Brian Clemens}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20041030063936/http://www.classicimages.com/1999/may99/clemens.html The Man Who Created The Avengers: An Interview with Brian Clemens]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070930014456/http://www.doollee.com/PlaywrightsC/clemens-brian.html Brian Clemens at The Playwrights Database]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20121115063438/http://zani.co.uk/brian-clemens-creator-of-the-professionals-and-much-more-talks-to-zani Brian Clemens Interview 2012]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clemens, Brian}}
[[Category:1931 births]]
[[Category:2015 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Croydon]]
[[Category:Royal Army Ordnance Corps soldiers]]
[[Category:English screenwriters]]
[[Category:English male screenwriters]]
[[Category:English television producers]]
[[Category:English film directors]]
[[Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:20th-century British businesspeople]]

Brian Clemens - Revision history

Kurt: /* Theatre */

Kurt: /* Films */

Kurt at 21:18, 24 November 2022

Kurt: 1 revision imported

en>Rodw: Disambiguating links to Steve Knight (link changed to Stephen Knight (author)) using DisamAssist.