David Butler

Published Monday 26 June 2006 at 14:35 by Patrick Newley

Actor and writer David Butler wrote the scripts for some of television’s most popular historical drama series including The Strauss Family (1972), Edward the Seventh (1975) and Lillie (1978). He was also nominated for an Oscar for his screenplay of Voyage of the Damned (1978), the story of Jews leaving on a Nazi ship bound for Havana but denied permission to land.

Butler was born in Larkhall, Lancashire on November 12, 1927. He studied at St Andrew’s University and trained for the stage at RADA. He appeared in small roles in several West End revues in the early fifties and was a member of Joan Littlewood’s Theatre Workshop.

He had televison roles in series including Emergency Ward 10 (1960-2), in which he played Dr Nick Williams, Softy, Softly (1968), Paul Temple (1971) and The Six Wives of Henry VII (1970).

After writing the successful series The Strauss Family, about the 19th-century composers, he penned Edward the Seventh, starring Timothy West and Annette Crosbie. With scenes filmed within Osborne House, Sandringham and other Royal properties, by permission of the Queen, the series was much applauded for its attention to detail, production techniques and performances from the lead actors.

Butler won also won acclaim for the 13-part series Lillie, based on the colourful life of actress Lillie Lantry, played by Francesca Annis. In 1978 he wrote the four-part series Disraeli, starring Ian McShane as the Tory prime minister.

He also created We’ll Meet Again (1982) the top rating drama series starring Susannah York as an Englishwoman who falls for an American major during the wartime ‘invasion’ of Britain by the USA. Other televison scripts included The Further Adventures of Oliver Twist (1980) and Blood Royal: William the Conqueror (1990).

He died in London on May 27, aged 78.