Actor and children's television writer known for Catweazle, Robin of Sherwood and The Borrowers
Richard Carpenter, who has died of a blood clot aged 82, brought intelligent, imaginative entertainment to generations of young television viewers through the fantasy series he created. After almost two decades as an actor, he found his first success as a writer with Catweazle (1970-71), starring Geoffrey Bayldon as a dishevelled, eccentric, 11th-century magician transported to the 20th century. Comic misunderstandings were mixed with slapstick as Catweazle befriended a farmer's son, Carrot (played by Robin Davies), who unravelled for him modern-day mysteries such as "electrickery" and the "telling-bone".
In the second series, Carpenter had Catweazle searching for symbols of the 13 signs of the Magic Zodiac and being taken in by another boy, Cedric (Gary Warren), at his parents' country estate. "I've always been interested in the person who is outside society," said Carpenter in a 1990 interview with the magazine Time Screen.
Richard Carpenter, who has died of a blood clot aged 82, brought intelligent, imaginative entertainment to generations of young television viewers through the fantasy series he created. After almost two decades as an actor, he found his first success as a writer with Catweazle (1970-71), starring Geoffrey Bayldon as a dishevelled, eccentric, 11th-century magician transported to the 20th century. Comic misunderstandings were mixed with slapstick as Catweazle befriended a farmer's son, Carrot (played by Robin Davies), who unravelled for him modern-day mysteries such as "electrickery" and the "telling-bone".
In the second series, Carpenter had Catweazle searching for symbols of the 13 signs of the Magic Zodiac and being taken in by another boy, Cedric (Gary Warren), at his parents' country estate. "I've always been interested in the person who is outside society," said Carpenter in a 1990 interview with the magazine Time Screen.
- 3/5/2012
- by Anthony Hayward
- The Guardian - Film News
British screenwriter Richard Carpenter has died at the age of 78.
Carpenter, best known as the creator of kids' TV series Catweazle, passed away after suffering a heart attack on Sunday.
He worked as an actor in the 1960s, before going on to write all 26 episodes of 1970s cult show Catweazle, for which he scooped a Writers Guild award for Best Children's TV Drama Script.
Carpenter went on to write the 1980s TV show Robin of Sherwood, which starred Michael Praed and then Sir Sean Connery's son Jason in the title role.
His credits also include work on The Adventures of Black Beauty, The Famous Five, The Ghosts of Motley Hall, and a TV adaptation of The Borrowers.
Carpenter was honoured with a Children's Bafta award in 2000.
Carpenter, best known as the creator of kids' TV series Catweazle, passed away after suffering a heart attack on Sunday.
He worked as an actor in the 1960s, before going on to write all 26 episodes of 1970s cult show Catweazle, for which he scooped a Writers Guild award for Best Children's TV Drama Script.
Carpenter went on to write the 1980s TV show Robin of Sherwood, which starred Michael Praed and then Sir Sean Connery's son Jason in the title role.
His credits also include work on The Adventures of Black Beauty, The Famous Five, The Ghosts of Motley Hall, and a TV adaptation of The Borrowers.
Carpenter was honoured with a Children's Bafta award in 2000.
- 3/1/2012
- WENN
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