Michael Aitkens

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 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 Aitkens has worked in film, television and theatre since the late 1960s. More than 150 of his scripts have been produced in the UK, United States and Australia.

Wanting to hone his skills in television, he moved to Australia in the early 1970s where he established himself as an actor in l series such as Homicide (1972-74), Division 4 (1972-73), Ryan (1974), Matlock Police (1975), Rush (1976), Power Without Glory (1976), Bluey (1977) and Skyways (1979. He also started as a writer, on The Comedy Game (1971) and Matlock Police.

From 1980 to 1981, Aitkens studied at the AFI Conservatory in Los Angeles, after which he returned to Australia to worked as a writer on several television series including A Country Practice (1982-1984) and Special Squad (1985). He also had acting roles in A Country Practice as Jonathon Hawthorn, and popular children's series The Henderson Kids as Walter Mullens, the long lost father of main protagonists Tam and Steve Henderson (also featuring a young Kylie Minogue and Ben Mendelsohn). Film roles included Run Chrissie Run! (1986) and Backstage (1987).

Since 1989, Aitkens has lived back in the UK, where he works as a writer/producer, mainly of his own original series, and formed an independent production company, Daisylu. His British writing credits include The Last Detective, Waiting for God, The River, Roy's Raiders, Making News, Stay Lucky, Honey for Tea, Class Act, A Perfect State, Harry and the Wrinklies and Life As We Know It. He was a core writer for Midsomer Murders from 2006 to 2014.

Aitkens is also an occasional humorous newspaper columnist.

Personal life Aitkens was married to Australian actress Veronica Lang. He has two daughters, including actress, writer and director Daisy Aitkens.

Acting credits

Film 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 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"

Stage 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

Radio 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

Writing credits

Television 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 Year Title Credit Type 1975 Bloody Harry Playwright Independent Theatre Sydney, Canberra Private Lives, Public Moments London's West End 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 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 2024 Waiting for God Playwright Guide Bridge Theatre, Manchester, New Norfolk Memorial Hall, Tasmania