Al Hunter Ashton

**Al Hunter Ashton** (26 June 1930 – 27 April 2007), born **Alan Hunter**, was an English actor and script writer.

## Life

Hunter was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire. He came from a working-class background. He was named Alan Hunter at birth. He later changed his name by deed poll to Al Hunter. He wrote scripts for his own amusement from the age of 15. In his spare time he worked for £15 a night as a stand-up comedian in clubs. On discovering that he could earn the same amount for shedding his clothes every evening, he became a stripper. "My stripping routine was actually funnier than my stand-up one," he said.

He wrote under the name "Al Hunter" but needed to change his name for acting as there was already an _Al Hunter_ actor. He choose "Al Ashton" to ensure he appeared high up in any alphabetical credits. Later he combined the two, acting and writing under the name "Al Hunter Ashton". He also wrote under the alias _Alun Nipper_.

## Work

His first professional acting work was with a _Theatre in Education_ company in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. He was then cast in Willy Russell plays; _Breezeblock Park_ (at the Liverpool Playhouse) and _Blood Brothers_ (at the Derby Playhouse). In 1985, Russell commissioned him to write the BBC Schools television play _Teaching Matthew_. This is a satire on Russell's own _Educating Rita_. Hunter often wrote himself parts in the scripts he produced. In _Teaching Mathew_ he had a small role as a policeman.

Hunter worked very closely with the Stage 22 School of Arts Network in the UK. Following his death, children from the school made their own version of the Queen hit _Only the Good Die Young_ which was dedicated to him and his three young children.

### List of acting roles (incomplete)

- _Angels_. Played Mike Hathaway in the long running BBC TV drama series.
- _Crossroads_. Soap. Played Ray Grice. 108 episodes. Central TV.
- _The Brittas Empire_. Appeared as a tanker driver in Episode 8 of Series 4.
- _Jack & the Beanstalk_. Pantomime. Playing Fireman Sampson in the Stage 22 production at the Towngate Theatre, Basildon - Christmas 2006.
- _Jekyll_. Serial drama. Played Christopher.
- _London's Burning_. LWT's drama series about firefighters. Played Raymond "Pitbull" Darby, the loud mouthed station bully.
- _Emmerdale_. Soap. Played Colin Long. 7 episodes. Yorkshire Television.
- _Mr In-Between_. Film. Played Fat Dave.
- _The 10th Kingdom_ A TV mini-series. As a prisoner alongside Jimmy Nail (Clayface the Goblin).
- _Wire in the Blood_. Darren Toynton. ITV. Dir: Robson Green
- _Sisterhood (2008)_. Film. Played Reggie

### List of writing credits (incomplete)

- _Alison_ BBC TV screenplay
- _EastEnders_. BBC TV soap. Regular contributor since 1987. Writer/storyliner.
- _Holby City_. Lead core writer, storyliner, producer.
- _Pieces of a Silver Lining_. BBC Afternoon Theatre with Martin Jameson
- _Safe_. BAFTA winner. Best Single Drama. _see **Other websites** below_
- _Teaching Matthew_. BBC TV. Script writer and actor
- _The Broker's Man_. Creator and writer. (with Tim O'Mara).
- _The Firm_. BBC TV film. Writer (as Al Hunter).
- _Alive and Kicking_. Film shown in series 3 of BBC drama anthology 'Screen One'.

## Death

On 27 April 2007 Al Hunter Ashton died of heart failure in his home in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. Episode eight of series five of the New Tricks TV series, titled "Mad Dogs", was dedicated to his memory.

## Awards

- _Safe_ (1993), a harrowing tale of homelessness. Won the 1994 BAFTA award for Best Single Drama. Al Ashton, writer.

## Filmography

|Year|Title|Role|Notes|
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|1982|_Remembrance_|John||
|1986|_Agent on Ice_|Thug||
|1988|_A Fish Called Wanda_|Warder||
|1998|_Ever After_|Cargomaster||
|1999|_Treasure Island_|George Merry||
|2000|_Gladiator_|Rome Trainer #1||
|2000|_The Wedding Tackle_|Taxi Driver||
|2001|_From Hell_|Stonecutter||
|2001|_Mr In-Between_|Fat Dave||
|2008|_Incendiary_|Male Survivor||
|2008|_Sisterhood_|Reggie|(final film role)|

## Other websites

- Safe (1993)  at Screenonline
- BBC Comedy Guide

## Infobox (person)

- **name**: Al Hunter Ashton
- **birth place**: Birmingham, Warwickshire
- **death place**: High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
- **birth name**: Alan Hunter