
Person
John McGrath
Writing · 1935–2002 · Birkenhead, Cheshire, England, UK
Biography
Born in Birkenhead from Irish Catholic stock, John McGrath was a British playwright, screenwriter. producer, director and socialist who took up the cause of Scottish independence and the principles of a radical, popular theatre with the creation of the 7:84 theatre company alongside his wife, Elizabeth MacLennan, and brother-in-law, David MacLennan. His most famous plays are arguably The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black Oil which was brought to television in 1974 by John Mackenzie for the Play for Today strand, and Events While Guarding The Bofors Gun which was made into the film The Bofors Gun in 1968. He also wrote the screenplays for films such as Billion Dollar Brain, The Virgin Soldiers, The Reckoning, The Dressmaker and 1991's Robin Hood, and produced films such as Carrington and Aberdeen.
Known for

Screen Two
Writer

Play for Today
Director

Z-Cars
Director

The Wednesday Play
Director
Six
Writer

Billion Dollar Brain
Screenplay

Double Bill
Director

Border Warfare
Writer

Robin Hood
Writer

Diary of a Young Man
Writer
Filmography
- 2023imagine... The Factory: Made in ManchesterSelf - interviewed guest
- 2000AberdeenCo-Producer
- 1997My Life in PinkCo-Producer
- 1996Half the PictureProducer
- 1995CarringtonProducer
- 1994Mairi MhorWriter
- 1993The Long RoadsWriter
- 1991Robin HoodWriter
- 1990Border WarfareWriter
- 1988The DressmakerWriter
- 1986Blood Red RosesDirector
- 1985Screen TwoWriter
- 1980The Adventures of Frank: Seeds of IceDirector
- 1980The Adventures of Frank: Everybody's Fiddling SomethingDirector
- 1974The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black, Black OilVarious
- 1972The Bouncing BoyWriter
- 1971OrkneyWriter
- 1970Play for TodayDirector
- 1970Ende der Vorstellung 24 UhrNovel
- 1970The ReckoningScreenplay
- 1969The Virgin SoldiersWriter
- 1969Double BillDirector
- 1968The Bofors GunWriter
- 1967Billion Dollar BrainScreenplay
- 1966Exit 19Producer
- 1966ShotgunProducer
- 1965The Day of RagnarokDirector
- 1964The Diary of a NobodyWriter
- 1964SixWriter
- 1964The Wednesday PlayDirector
- 1964Diary of a Young ManWriter
- 1962Z-CarsDirector
- —Fade to BlackProducer
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