Alan Coleman

Template:For Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox person Alan James Coleman (28 December 1936 – 10 December 2013) was an English-born TV series writer, director, producer and former actor.<ref name="Klompus"/>

Biography

Coleman was born in Birmingham, West Midlands, England, he the first director of the British drama series Crossroads, before emigrating to Australia in 1974, where he worked on numerous soap operas including medical drama The Young Doctors which he also created, as well as Prisoner (known also internationally as Prisoner: Cell Block H) and Neighbours, he also worked in New Zealand on drama Shortland Street.<ref name="Klompus"/>

Coleman was the head of children's programming at ATV in the UK until emigrating to Australia in 1974. In 1997, he directed several episodes of the British soap opera, Family Affairs as a part of a working holiday in the UK. At one point, he also temporarily parted company with the Reg Grundy Organisation production stable to establish his own company, which provided television coverage of major sporting events. Before going behind the camera, he originally worked as an actor and is on record as saying that "you cannot be a good director unless you have acted yourself".

Coleman's autobiography, One Door Shuts, was self-published through Trafford Publishing in 2009.

Personal life

Coleman was married to Barbara (deceased). He had three children; Nick, Chris (deceased) and Jacqui.<ref name="Klompus">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Coleman died on 10 December 2013 on the Central Coast in New South Wales.<ref name="Klompus"/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> His agent, Darren Gray, stated "Alan was a very special man. He launched so many careers both in front of and behind the camera, was behind so many hit shows and gave pleasure through his work to audiences around the world. He pioneered the art form viewers refer to as the soap opera but to him the shows were always five nights a week, fast turn-around drama serials."<ref name="Klompus"/>

Honour

In 2008, Coleman was presented with the inaugural "Lifetime Achievement Award" for his outstanding contribution to the 'soap opera' industry at The Soap Shows- Aussie Soap Awards.<ref>Alan Coleman wins Lifetime Achievement Award Template:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>

External links

• [https://www.imdb.com/{{#if: 0170913

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