Douglas Argent
Douglas George Charles Argent (21 May 1921 – 30 October 2010) was a British television producer and director.
Born in Bexleyheath, Kent and raised in Ilford, Essex, Argent's parents ran an ironmongers shop.[1] He served as a navigator during World War II with 84 Squadron, but his plane was shot down and he was held as a Japanese prisoner-of-war[2][dead link][3] at Osaka's POW Camp #4 Ikuno.
Following a career as an actor, he had a small role in The Colditz Story[4] (1955) and The Battle of the River Plate (1956), Argent became a floor manager, the assistant director with the BBC later gravitating to work as a director and producer.[5] In this role he supervised early episodes of Till Death Us Do Part (1965).
During the next decade he had a period as the producer of The Liver Birds (1972–76)[1] and of the last series of Steptoe and Son (1974). His last work for the BBC before his official retirement from the corporation was the second series of Fawlty Towers (1979).[1] Subsequently, he freelanced, working for ITV and Channel 4. His last work was directing episodes of EastEnders in 1991.[5]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | The Colditz Story | British Officer #1 | |
| 1956 | Women Without Men | 3rd Reveller | Uncredited |
| 1956 | The Battle of the River Plate | Sub. Lieutenant, HMS Ajax | Uncredited |
References
- ^ a b c Hayward, Anthony (6 December 2010). "Douglas Argent obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ "Obituary: Douglas Argent, television producer". The Scotsman. 24 November 2010.
- ^ "Argent held as POW in Japan". Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 10 December 2010.
- ^ Baker, Richard Anthony (6 December 2010). "Douglas Argent". The Stage.
- ^ a b "Douglas Argent". The Times. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2020. (subscription required)
External links
- Douglas Argent at IMDb
- BBC Radio 4 obituary programme Last Word about Argent among others
- Douglas Argent at British Comedy Guide
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