Gareth Gwenlan

Television producer and director Gareth Gwenlan is responsible for many of the greatest British comedy programs. He began his career as a stage actor in York in 1960. By 1962, he was directing at the Derby Playhouse, still acting. Between 1962 and 1964, he directed more than 40 productions in all sorts of genres and styles. He was appointed to the position of principal lecturer in drama and opera at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester in 1964, and stayed there one year before joining the BBC drama department. In 1967, he switched to the comedy department. After spending two years in Pakistan as a BBC advisor to their television company, he returned to the U.K. and began producing and directing scores of comedies for the BBC. His directorial debut in 1973, "Oh, Father!," a sequel to the sitcom "Oh, Brother!," did not prove to be successful, lasting for a run of only seven episodes. In 1976, he fared much better with "The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin," which was based on the novel of the same name, about a middle-aged middle manager. Other successful productions he has been behind include "Only Fools and Horses...," "Waiting for God," and "Solo." From 1983 to 1990, Gwenlan was head of BBC Comedy, where he commissioned many more classic comedies, including "Black Adder," "'Allo 'Alllo!," and "Keeping up Appearances."