# 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

Michael 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 |