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3 items from 2013

17 April 2013 4:38 AM, PDT | Digital Spy | See recent Digital Spy - TV news news »

Veteran television writer Robert Banks Stewart has claimed that older writers are neglected by today's television industry,

Banks Stewart - who created the popular detective dramas Bergerac and Shoestring - spoke to Digital Spy about his decision to adapt his TV pitch The Hurricane's Tail into his first novel.

"Back when I was still firing in possible new series, I began to feel that the attitude was, 'He's nearly 70, this guy - forget it' - it was a bit deflating when a Head of Drama doesn't write back to you, but gets his secretary to do it," said the 81-year-old.

"That was my experience then and there's a lot of writers I know - especially around my age - who have been finding it very hard to get any ideas over."

Banks Stewart - who wrote for Doctor Who, The Sweeney and The Avengers as well - also criticised "top »

29 March 2013 7:29 AM, PDT | firstshowing.net | See recent FirstShowing.net news »

Sad news to start this Good Friday comes from across the pond as Reuters reports Harry Potter franchise star Richard Griffiths has passed away at 65 from complications following heart surgery. The British actor, who played Harry Potter's nasty Uncle Vernon in the multi-billion dollar series, has been acting for nearly 30 years, taking pivotal roles in both TV and film. His early career started on UK series like "The Sweeney" and "Minder" and would later return to the small screen for "Pie in the Sky" and "A King of Living." However, it's Griffiths presence as a character actor on the big screen that audiences remember. Griffiths brought one of his many stage roles (that landed him the Laurence Olivier award in 2005) to life in a film adaptation of The History Boys in 2006, but before that he had already starred in several critically lauded and world famous films like Gandhi and Chariots of Fire. »

- Ethan Anderton

29 March 2013 3:16 AM, PDT | Digital Spy | See recent Digital Spy - Movie News news »

Richard Griffiths has died at the age of 65.

Griffiths's agent Simon Beresford confirmed that the award-winning actor passed away on Thursday (March 28) after complications following heart surgery.

The British actor was most recently seen in the play The Sunshine Boys alongside Danny DeVito.

Griffiths had an acting career spanning over 30 years, first appearing in the 1975 movie It Shouldn't Happen to a Vet.

Since then, he has had roles in much-loved films such as Pirates of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and Hugo, as well as classic TV series including Pie in the Sky, Minder, The Sweeney and Bergerac.

Griffiths won a Laurence Olivier Award and a Tony Award for 'Best Actor' when he starred in the play The History Boys.

He most notably appeared as Uncle Vernon in the Harry Potter series and as Uncle Monty in Withnail & I.

His Harry Potter and Equus co-star Daniel Radcliffe told BBC News »

3 items from 2013