AS
Photo of Alfred Shaughnessy

Alfred Shaughnessy

Writer, Director, Producer, Additional Credits
Born May 19, 1916Died November 2, 2005 (89 years)
Alfred James Shaughnessy (19 May 1916 – 2 November 2005) was an English scriptwriter, film director and producer best known for being the script editor of Upstairs, Downstairs.

Alfred Shaughnessy was born in London, his father, the Hon Alfred Thomas Shaughnessy, having died while serving with the Canadian army in France two months before. His grandfather Thomas Shaughnessy was an American-born Canadian railway administrator, who was created Baron Shaughnessy in 1916, and his mother was a second cousin of James K. Polk, the 11th US President. He spent his early years living in Tennessee, and in 1920 his mother, Sarah Polk Bradford, married The Hon Sir Piers Legh who then became Equerry to the Prince of Wales, and the family moved to Norfolk Square in London. The family had a butler, cook, footman, two housemaids, a kitchen maid and a lady's maid. The Prince of Wales later visited the house for dinner, and he drew on this when writing the Upstairs, Downstairs episode Guest of Honour. He also often spent weekends and holidays at Lyme Park, his stepfather's ancestral home. Sir Piers Legh later became Master of the Household.

Shaughnessy was educated at Summer Fields then Eton, and then went to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, with the intention of joining the Grenadier Guards. However, in 1935 he resigned on grounds of conscience, once stating he didn't wish to have a career dedicated "to learning to kill men". He then had an unsuccessful time at the London Stock Exchange, and had a hectic social life, with debutante balls, shooting parties and country weekends.

In the late 1930s Shaughnessy began to write lyrics and sketches, but at the outbreak of war in 1939 he returned to the Army, and on D-Day landed with the Guards Armoured Division on Gold Beach.

After the war ended, he got a job at Ealing Studios, and he soon began his career as a successful writer, producer and director. In 1956, he directed the film Suspended Alibi and continued to direct and produce during the 1950s and 1960s. In the 1970s, he began to concentrate on script writing. His first major success was Upstairs, Downstairs. He wrote fifteen episodes and was the script editor for 66 episodes, and was meticulous in researching facts about the era.

He later wrote episodes for The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Cedar Tree, The Irish R.M., All Creatures Great and Small, The Saint, Journey to the Unknown and Alleyn Mysteries. Shaughnessy wrote two novels, Dearest Enemy and Hugo.

Movies & Shows on Plex

  • Sherlock Holmes (1984)
  • The Saint
  • Upstairs, Downstairs
  • The Flesh and Blood Show

Known For

  • Upstairs, Downstairs
  • The Flesh and Blood Show
  • Just My Luck
  • All Creatures Great and Small
  • Crescendo
  • Tiffany Jones
  • The Saint
  • A Touch of the Sun
  • The Impersonator
  • Six-Five Special
  • Suspended Alibi
  • Lunch Hour

Filmography

1990
The Inspector Alleyn Mysteries (TV Series) · as Screenplay
1983
1983
The Fourth Arm (TV Series)
1979
Thomas and Sarah (TV Series)
1978
1973
Tiffany Jones · as Screenplay
1972
1971
1970
Crescendo · as Screenplay
1970
Manhunt (TV Series)
1969
Hadleigh (TV Series)
1968
1963
Love Story (1963) (TV Series)
1962
The Saint (TV Series)
1961
1960
1959
No Hiding Place (TV Series)
1957
Just My Luck · as Screenplay
1957
1956
The Hostage · as Screenplay
1956
1956
The High Terrace · as Screenplay
1955
1953
Scotch on the Rocks · as Screenplay
1950

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