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Michael Aitkens

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Michael Aitkens
Born1947
United Kingdom
OccupationActor / Writer
Years active1971 to present
Known forThe Henderson Kids

Michael Aitkens (born 1947) is a British actor and writer of drama scripts for movies, television and stage. His BBC situation comedy Waiting for God, first shown in 1990, was BAFTA nominated.

Early life

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Michael Aitkens was educated at Haileybury in England. He then lived in Australia for ten years and Los Angeles, United States, for two years, graduating from the AFI Conservatory (Los Angeles) in 1981.

Career

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In the mid-1980s, Aitkens featured in the Australian children's television series The Henderson Kids as Walter Mullens, the long lost father of Tam and Steve Henderson.

More than 150 of his scripts have been produced in the United Kingdom, United States and Australia. He now lives in London, where he works as a writer/producer, mainly of his own original series, and formed an independent production company, DAISYLU. He is also an occasional humorous newspaper columnist.

He was a core writer for Midsomer Murders from 2006–2014.

Acting credits

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Film

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Year Title Role Type
1971 Demonstrator Haler - Youth Feature film
1972 The Man Who Shot the Albatross TV movie
1973 The Affray at Fogg's Humpy Trooper Hosie Short film
1975 Armchair Cinema: Tully Barman TV movie
1976 Deathcheaters Police Car Driver Feature film
1978 Long Weekend Bartender Feature film
1979 The Mismatch TV movie
1979 Harvest of Hate David TV movie
1980 A Toast to Melba Charles Armstrong TV movie
1981 Airhawk The Cowboy TV movie
1982 The Highest Honor Major R.M. Ingleton TV movie
1982 Runaway Island Joe Dunn TV movie
1984 Relatives Peter Peterson Feature film
1984 Run Chrissie Run! Riley Feature film
1985 Time's Raging Cam TV movie
1985 Slip-Up Hinch TV movie
1988 Backstage Robert Landau Feature film

Television

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Year Title Role Type
1971 The Comedy Game Arthur Potter TV series, 1 episode: "Arthur"
1972–73 Division 4 Andy Hill / Les Williams / Dave Ross / Harry Roberts / Chopper Hughes TV series, 5 episodes
1974 Ryan Bernie Wood TV series, 1 episode: "A Deep Dark Place"
1972–74 Homicide Alan 'Chick' Palmer / Jack Devine / Charlie Bennett TV series, 3 episodes
1972–75 Behind the Legend TV series, 2 episodes
1972–75 Matlock Police Rod Clark / Hank Anderson / Ralph Peterson / Max TV series, 4 episodes
1975 Ben Hall Troy TV miniseries, 2 episodes
1976 Shannon's Mob TV series, 1 episode: "You've Got to Have Credentials"
1976 Rush Charlie Clune TV series, 1 episode: "Farrar's Pride"
1976 Luke's Kingdom Brash TV miniseries, 1 episode: "The Adam and the Damned"
1976 Power Without Glory Piggy Lewis TV series, 12 episodes
1976 The Lost Islands TV series, 2 episodes
1977 Bluey Mike Scott TV series, 1 episode: "It's Worth the Risk"
1978 The Truckies Chris TV series, 12 episodes
1978 Run From the Morning Harry Blake TV miniseries, 6 episodes
1979 Skyways Frank Harper TV series, 2 episodes
1979 Ride on Stranger John Terry TV miniseries, 2 episodes
1979 One Day Miller TV series, 7 episodes
1980 Trial By Marriage Various characters TV series, 7 episodes
1980 Secret Valley TV series, 1 episode: "Big City"
1981 Daily at Dawn TV series, 1 episode: "My Favourite Nightmares"
1979–81 Cop Shop David Hurley / Kevin Dalton / Craig Latimer / Paul Rankin TV series, 8 episodes
1984 Five Mile Creek McStay TV series, 1 episode: "The Hangman's Noose"
1984 Carson’s Law Det. Sgt. Cam Neil TV series, 4 episodes
1984–85 Runaway Island Joe Dunn TV series, 4 episodes
1982–85 A Country Practice Jonathan Hawthorn / Eric Brewer TV series, 10 episodes
1985 The Henderson Kids Walter 'Wal' Mullens TV series, 8 episodes
1986 Screen Two Rod Blue TV series, 1 episode: "The McGuffin"
1987 The Henderson Kids II Walter 'Wal' Mullens TV series, 6 episodes
1988 The Return of Sherlock Holmes Reverend Roundhay TV series, 1 episode: "The Devil's Foot"
1988 Rumpole of the Bailey Thomas Campion TV series, 1 episode: "Rumpole and the Age of Miracles"
1989 Storyboard Foreign Office Mole TV series, 1 episode: "Making News"
1991 Roy's Raiders Theatre Director TV series, 1 episode
1992 Moon and Sun Roger Stacpoole TV series: "Crystal Clear it's Murder"

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Stage

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Year Title Role Type
1971 The Man Who Shot the Albatross Princess Theatre for MTC
1971 The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail John Ensemble Theatre, Sydney
1971 Madly in Love AMP Theatrette, Sydney
1971 Land of Dreaming UNSW, Parade Theatre, Sydney
1971 The National Health or Nurse Norton’s Affair UNSW, Parade Theatre, Sydney
1971 Lasseter UNSW, Parade Theatre, Sydney
1974 Gordon Chater's Scandals of '74 Macleay Theatre, Sydney
Trial by Marriage JDC
1976 The Gift Stables Theatre, Sydney, Victorian College of the Arts
1976 The Shoemaker’s Holiday Hammon Sydney Opera House
1977 Son of Naked Vicar The Speakeasy, Sydney
1979 Roots III The Speakeasy, Sydney

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Radio

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Year Title Role Type
1979 Laura and the Angel Capt Thistlewaite ABC Radio Sydney
1979 The Moth Affair Kate's Lover ABC Radio Sydney
1979 Episode on a Thursday Evening Jerry ABC Radio Sydney
1979 A Night with Hamlet Orpheus / Mennippus ABC Radio Sydney
1979 The Fire on the Snow Bowers ABC Radio Sydney

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Writing credits

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Television

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Year Title Credit Type
1971 The Comedy Game Writer TV series, 1 episode
1973 Matlock Police Writer TV series, 1 episode
1978 The Truckies Writer TV series, 1 episode
1978 Tickled Pink Writer TV series, 1 episode
1980–82 Trial by Marriage Writer TV series, 13 episodes
1984 Singles Writer TV miniseries, 1 episode
1984 Matthew and Son Story TV movie
1982–85 A Country Practice Writer TV series, 7 episodes
1985 Special Squad Writer TV series, 1 episode
1986 Call Me Mister Writer TV series, S1 E2: "Tour de Force"
1988 Touch the Sun: Top Enders Writer TV movie
1987–88 Bust Writer TV series, 8 episodes
1988 The River Creator TV series, 6 episodes
1989 Knastmusik Writer TV series, 2 episodes
1989 A Fine Romance Writer TV series, 1 episode
1989 Storyboard Writer TV series, 1 episode
1989 The Paradise Club Writer TV series, 1 episode
1990 Making News Writer TV series, 2 episodes
1991 Roy's Raiders Writer TV series, 6 episodes
1990–91 Stay Lucky Writer TV series, 5 episodes
1992 Moon and Son Writer TV series, 2 episodes
1990–94 Waiting for God Writer TV series, 47 episodes
1994 Honey for Tea Writer TV series, 7 episodes
1994–95 Class Act Writer TV series, 12 episodes
1997 A Perfect State Writer TV series, 7 episodes
1998 Minty Writer TV series, 3 episodes
2001 Life as We Know It Writer TV series, 7 episodes
2000–02 Harry and the Wrinklies Writer TV series, 21 episodes
2003 Sweet Medicine Writer TV series, 1 episode
2004 The Last Detective Writer TV series, 1 episode
2004 Murder in Suburbia Writer TV series, S1 E2: "Stag Night"
2006–14 Midsomer Murders Writer (screenplay) TV series, 9 episodes
2007 Fear, Stress & Anger Writer TV series, 6 episodes

Stage

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Year Title Credit Type
1975 Bloody Harry Playwright Independent Theatre Sydney, Canberra
2017 Waiting for God Playwright Broadway Theatre, Letchworth, Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford, New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich, Theatre Royal, Bath, Festival Theatre, Malvern, Lighthouse, Poole, Theatre Royal, Windsor, Grand Theatre, Blackpool, Oxford Playhouse, The Lowry, Salford Quays (UK tour) with Seabright Productions[4]
2019–20 Waiting for God Playwright Unicorn Theatre, Melbourne, Titirangi Theatre, Auckland, Hutt Repertory Theatre
2022–23 Waiting for God Playwright Brighton Open Air Theatre with Sarah Mann Company, St. Johns Hall Berkshire with Mortimer Dramatic Society, Rotorua Little Theatre, 1812 Theatre, Victoria[5]
2024 Waiting for God Playwright Guide Bridge Theatre, Manchester, New Norfolk Memorial Hall, Tasmania

References

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  1. ^ "Michael Aitkens | United Agents".
  2. ^ "AusStage".
  3. ^ "AusStage".
  4. ^ "Waiting for God". 28 December 2016.
  5. ^ "Waiting for God - the 1812 Theatre". 22 October 2022.
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