Al Hunter Ashton

Al Hunter Ashton (26 June 1957 – 27 April 2007), born Alan Hunter, was a British actor and script writer.

Life Hunter was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, and came from a working-class background. Born Alan Hunter (he later changed his name by deed poll to Al Hunter), he wrote scripts for his own amusement from the age of 15; he worked in his spare time as a stand-up comedian in clubs for £15 a night but became a stripper on discovering that he could earn the same amount for shedding his clothes every evening. "My stripping routine was actually funnier than my stand-up one," he said.

He acted under the name "Al Ashton", choosing this to ensure he appeared high up in any alphabetical credits. He wrote under the name "Al Hunter". Later he combined the two, acting and writing under the name "Al Hunter Ashton".

Work His first professional acting work was with a Theatre in Education company in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, and he was subsequently cast in Willy Russell plays such as Breezeblock Park (at the Liverpool Playhouse) and Blood Brothers (at the Derby Playhouse). Russell also later commissioned him to write the BBC Schools television play Teaching Matthew (in which Hunter also had a small role as a policeman, 1985), a satire on Russell's own Educating Rita. Episode eight of series five of New Tricks, "Mad Dogs", was dedicated to his memory.

Awards Safe (1993), a harrowing tale of homelessness. Won the 1994 Bafta TV Award as Best Single Drama. Al Ashton, writer.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes1982 Remembrance John 1986 Agent on Ice Thug 1988 A Fish Called Wanda Warder 1998 Ever After Cargomaster 1999 Treasure Island George Merry 2000 Gladiator Rome Trainer #1 The Wedding Tackle Taxi Driver 2001 From Hell Stonecutter Mr In-Between Fat Dave 2008 Incendiary Male Survivor Sisterhood Reggie (final film role)