Roy John Battersby (20 April 1936 – 10 January 2024) was a British television director, known for his work in drama productions such as Between The Lines, Inspector Morse, Cracker and A Touch of Frost. Early in his career, he made documentary features for the BBC programmes Tomorrow's World and Towards Tomorrow. In 2005, his film Red Mercury was shown at the Montreal World Film Festival.
Battersby was married to actress Judy Loe and was the stepfather of actress Kate Beckinsale. Battersby was a Trotskyist for some years,Sanjiv Bhattacharya "Kate Beckinsale", GQ Magazine, February 2006, as reproduced on Bhattacharya's website. becoming a full-time organiser for the now defunct Workers Revolutionary Party.Stephen Lacey Tony Garnett, Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2007, p.76 The association had ended by 1981,Roy Battersby Obituary: Nicholas Palmer, The Independent, but the connection led to his being blacklisted by the BBC.Mark Hollingsworth and Richard Norton-Taylor Blacklist: The Inside Story of Political Vetting, London: Hogarth Press, p.116-17 (Chapter 5 "MI5 and the BBC: Stamping the ‘Christmas Tree’ Files")
Battersby died after a stroke on 10 January 2024, at the age of 87.
Filmography Year Title Episodes Comments 1969, 1970 ITV Saturday Night Theatre Machine TV play written by Hugh Charteris Roll on Four O'Clock TV play written by Colin Welland 1970 The Body Documentary narrated by Vanessa Redgrave and Frank Finlay 1972 Home and Away 1972–1974 Play For Today Better Than The Movies TV play written by John Elliot and starring Bryan MarshallThe OperationTV play written by Roger Smith Leeds UnitedTV play written by Colin Welland and starring Elizabeth Spriggs 1975 Centre Play Post Mortem 1975–1976 Couples 9 episodes 1977 The Palestinian 1981 A Change in Time 1983 No Excuses The Home Front At The GrammarLow Key Lady on High Speed TrainThe Poodle Strikes BackWalk in My Shoes 1984 Winter Flight 1986 King of the Ghetto 4 episodes Unnatural Causes Evensong ScreenplayThe Act 1990 EurocopsPushedCrime drama by Billy Hamon starring John Benfield as JacksonFiring the Bullets 1990, 1991 The Play on OneYellowbacksEscape From Kampala 1991 Inspector MorseFat ChanceCrime drama starring John Thaw, Kevin Whately, Maurice Denham and Zoë Wanamaker. 1992–1993 Between The LinesLies and Damned LiesCrime drama starring Neil PearsonA Watch & Chain of CourseSome Must WatchManoeuvre 11 1994–2006 A Touch of FrostWidows and OrphansCrime drama starring David Jason QuarryDancing in the DarkEndangered Species 1994 Between The LinesThe End UserCrime drama starring Neil Pearson 1995 CrackerBrotherly Love Crime drama starring Robbie Coltrane and Geraldine Somerville 1997 The Moth 1998 Space Island One A Child Is Born 1999 Doomwatch: Winter Angel 2000 In Defence 2 episodes 2005 Red Mercury
Awards Year Result Award Comments 1996 WonBAFTA Alan Clarke award 2006 NominatedMontréal World Film Festival Grand Prix des Amériquesfor Red Mercury (2005)
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