Harry Driver (13 May 1931 – 25 November 1973) was a British television scriptwriter and executive producer. He is best remembered for his partnership with Vince Powell on comedy television programmes including Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width, Nearest and Dearest, Bless This House and Love Thy Neighbour.
Biography Driver formed an amateur comedy act with Vince Powell known as Hammond and Powell, which performed in the Northern club circuit by night, whilst working as a trainee manager with Marks and Spencer department stores by day. Driver developed polio in December 1955. According to the BFI Screenonline, he spent "the next 18 months in hospital (12 of them in an iron lung), and, unable to move his arms and legs, he spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair." Ironically it was this which spurred him into his successful writing career. Driver began to write stories and scripts, initially when in the iron lung (via dictation) and then on a typewriter, apparently with a knitting needle clenched between his teeth."
Driver began sending scripts to Granada Television, one of his submissions was eventually accepted. He received his first television credit for an episode of Skyport (1959–60), a drama set in an airport broadcast on 24 March 1960. His former performing partner, Vince Powell, meanwhile, had also turned his hand to writing and had begun to collaborate with Driver. Their first major success was Here's Harry, written with Frank Roscoe followed by a spell contributing material for comedian Harry Worth, before providing scripts and storylines for Coronation Street. and together the pair became one of Britain's greatest comedy teams of the 1960s, writing television sitcoms such as Nearest and Dearest, George and the Dragon and For the Love of Ada.
Personal life He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1969 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews. He died aged 42 on 25 November 1973.
Writing credits Production Notes Broadcaster/DistributorSkyport"Episode Thirty-Nine" (1960)ITVHere's Harry21 episodes (1960–1965)BBC 1Coronation Street58 episodes (1961–1964, 1966–1971, 1973)ITVDe Laatste TreinTelevision film (co-written with Vince Powell and Frank Roscoe, 1962)VARABulldog Breed"The New Digs" (1962) "The New Garage" (1962)ITVDe RallyTelevision film (co-written with Vince Powell and Frank Roscoe, 1962)VARABootsie and Snudge"Being Nice to Bootsie" (co-written with Jack Rosenthal, 1963)ITVThe Odd Man"The Saga of Johnny Mac" (co-written with Jack Rosenthal, 1963)ITVComedy Playhouse"On the Knocker" (co-written with Jack Rosenthal, 1963) "A Picture of Innocence" (co-written with Jack Rosenthal, 1963) "The Chars" (co-written with Jack Rosenthal, 1963) "Spanner in the Works" (co-written with Vince Powell, 1967)BBC OneThe Villains"Les Girls" (co-written with Vince Powell, 1964) "Big Fleas Have Little Fleas" (1964)ITVTaxi!13 episodes (co-written with Jack Rosenthal, 1964)BBC OnePardon the Expression16 episodes (co-written with Vince Powell, 1965–1966)ITVAdam Adamant Lives!"Beauty Is an Ugly Word" (co-written with Vince Powell, 1966) "The Village of Evil" (co-written with Vince Powell, 1966) "Conspiracy of Death" (co-written with Vince Powell, 1967) "The Survivors" (co-written with Vince Powell, 1967) "The Deadly Bullet" (co-written with Vince Powell, 1967)BBC 1George and the Dragon26 episodes (co-written with Vince Powell, 1966–1968)ITVThat's Show BusinessTelevision film (co-written with Vince Powell, 1967)ITVArmchair Theatre"Never Mind the Quality, Feel the Width" (co-written with Vince Powell, 1967)ITVNever Mind the Quality, Feel the Width29 episodes (co-written with Vince Powell, 1967–1971)ABC Television/Thames TelevisionITVBest of Enemies5 episodes (co-written with Vince Powell, 1968–1969)ITVNearest and Dearest13 episodes (co-written with Vince Powell, 1968–1973)ITVTwo in Clover13 episodes (co-written with Vince Powell, 1969–1970)ITVFor the Love of Ada27 episodes (co-written with Vince Powell, 1970–1971)ITVBless This House13 episodes (co-written with Vince Powell, 1971–1974)ITVMike and Bernie6 episodes (co-written with Vince Powell, 1971–1972)ITVLove Thy Neighbour37 episodes (co-written with Vince Powell, 1972–1974)ITVSpring & Autumn10 episodes (co-written with Vince Powell, 1972–1974)ITVAll Star Comedy Carnival"Love Thy Neighbour" (mini-episode, 1972) "Spring and Autumn" (mini-episode, 1973)ITVFor the Love of AdaFeature film (co-written with Vince Powell, 1972)Tigon British Film ProductionsCheap at Half the PriceTelevision film (co-written with Vince Powell, 1972)ITVNever Mind the Quality, Feel the WidthFeature film (co-written with Vince Powell, 1973)EMI-MGMLove Thy NeighbourFeature film (co-written with Vince Powell, 1973)Hammer Films Anglo-EMI
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