Brian Phelan

This article is about the author and playwright. For the hurler, see Bryan Phelan.

Brian Phelan (2 December 1934 – 8 May 2024) was an Irish actor, playwright, and screenwriter.^[1]

Brian Phelan
Phelan as Grimshaw on H.M.S. Defiant, 1962
Born	(1934-12-02)2 December 1934 Dublin, Irish Free State
Died	8 May 2024(2024-05-08) (aged 89) England
Occupation(s)	Actor, dramatist, screenwriter
Years active	1956–2002
Spouse	Jan Heppell ​ ​ (m. 1960; div. 1964)​
Partner	Dorothy Bromiley (1963–2024; her death)
Awards	CableACE Award (1987)
Website	brianphelan.org.uk

His film work included The Criminal (1960), The Kitchen (1961) and The Soldier's Tale (1964), while his screenwriting included The Knockback (two parts, 1985), and The Treaty (1991).^[2]

Early life

Phelan was born in Dublin on 2 December 1934 to Micheál Phelan, a builder, and Theresa (née Fogerty) Phelan, a housewife. Educated by the Christian Brothers, Brian was apprenticed as a carpenter at the age of 15.^[3] Three years later, he and his family moved to Canada. While there, he was able to obtain his first professional job at the Crest Theatre in Torontoas an assistant stage carpenter.^[4]

Career

In 1956, Phelan returned to Dublin to pursue his acting career. He appeared in productions at the Abbey Theatre, the Gate Theatre with the Edwards McLiammoir Company, and the Pike Theatre in the 1950s.^[3]

Phelan's notable film appearances include The Kitchen (1961), HMS Defiant (1962) and the title role in The Soldier's Tale (1964).^{[citation needed]} He also appeared in three Joseph Losey films, The Criminal (1960), The Servant (1963) and Accident (1967).^{[citation needed]}

While he continued to work as a full-time actor in the 1960s, Phelan began his screenwriting career.^[5] His first television play was The Tormentors (1966), starring James Mason and Stanley Baker, produced by ATV.^[6] Writing predominantly for television, Phelan’s other works include The Russian Soldier (BBC, 1986), The Emigrants (BBC, 1977), In the Secret State (BBC, 1985), The Ivory Trade (HBO), and No Tears (RTÉ One, 2002).^[7] Phelan wrote for films as well, including Little Mother (also known as Woman of the Year, 1973), Honeybaby, Honeybaby (1974), and Tailspin: Behind the Korean Airliner Tragedy (1989).^[8][9]

His stage plays include The Signalman's Apprentice (1971), which has been produced worldwide, Article Five, Paddy, News, and Soft Shoe Shuffle. In 1961, Phelan co-presented with Robin Fox the first production of Tom Murphy’s A Whistle in the Dark at the Theatre Royal Stratford East and the Apollo Theatre.^[7]

Phelan received awards including the CableACE Award for the Writer of a Dramatic Special for Knockback in 1987 and the Sapporo Prize at the Tokyo International Film Festival for The Russian Soldier.^[10] Murphy’s Stroke, a film written by Phelan, won a Jacob’s Award in 1980.^[11] He was also awarded the London Irish Post Award for his work on The Treaty (1992), and a Golden Nymph Award for Best Mini Series for No Tears (2002) at the 42nd Monte Carlo Television Festival.^[4]

His papers were acquired by Special Collections at the University of Delaware.^[4]

Personal life

Phelan met actress Dorothy Bromiley on the set of The Criminal, where she was accompanying her then-husband, Joseph Losey. Bromiley later divorced Losey, and she and Phelan entered a long-term relationship beginning in 1963.^[1]

Death

Pheland died in England on 8 May 2024, five days after Bromiley. He was 89-years-old.^[1][12]