Alan Foss
Alan Foss was born in Surry in 1918. His father was George R. Foss (Producer at The Old Vic from 1918 to 1919) and his mother was Violet Cole (an actress who met George Foss when she took his elecution lessons).
Family rumour asserts that Alan first went on stage as an infant in a basket in one of his father’s productions. His first credited roles were at the age of 15. He joined the RAF at the outbreak of WWII and was stationed in West Africa in an administrative role. On his return he founded the small, short-lived Preston Repertory Company.
He was an aficionado of Shakespeare, cricket and P. G. Wodehouse. He took the latter as his specialist subject when he appeared as a contestant on Mastermind. He also appeared as an actor on a spoof April Fools’ Day episode of Mastermind. He continued to act and direct in theatre, film and television until his death in 1989.
Alan’s uncle (George R Foss’ brother) also did several season at The Old Vic between 1894 and 1904 under the stage name Charles Fulton.
Plays authored
Past productions
- Hedges, Good Morning Bill!, Ashcroft Theatre
- Tubby Wadlow, Hobson’s Choice, National Theatre at the Young Vic
- 1st Cicero Grocer / Bowl / Preacher, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, Michael White and Nottingham Playhouse
- Michael James Flaherty, The Playboy of the Western World, Nottingham Playhouse Company
- Ross, Macbeth, Nottingham Playhouse Company
- Dickon, The Judge, Michael Codron
- Antigonus, The Winter’s Tale, Edinburgh Festival Society, Piccolo Theatre Company, and Pop Theatre
- Jacob Bowers (replacement), A Lily in Little India, Hampstead Theatre Club and Michael Codron
- Director, All the King’s Men, Davalant Productions
- Man in Grave Yard (Magwitch), Great Expectations, Ipswich Arts Theatre Trust
- Sgt. Maj. Tommy Lodge, Celebration, Arena Theatre Company
- Wang Yun, Lady Precious Stream, Arena Theatre Company
- Director, Three Wishes, Arena Theatre Company
- Peter, A Taste of Honey, Arena Theatre Company
- Cardinal Wolsey, A Man for All Seasons, Hornchurch Repertory Company
- Directed by, Rollo, Salisbury Arts Theatre Ltd
- Sir Charles Marlow / Stingo, She Stoops to Conquer, Salisbury Arts Theatre Ltd
- Directed by, Laura, Salisbury Arts Theatre Ltd
- Sir Patrick Cullen, The Doctor’s Dilemma, Salisbury Arts Theatre Ltd
- an investigator, Personal Enemy, White Rose Players
- Director, The Gay Dog, Preston Repertory Co.
- Book of the Month
- Richard III
- Chinese Gardener, St Helena
- Julius Caesar
- King Lear
- Dangerous Corner
- Richard III
- The Winter’s Tale
- Prologue, Hamlet, Old Vic Company
- Shakespeare Birthday Festival, Old Vic Company
- Antony and Cleopatra
- Richard II
- The Taming of the Shrew
- Hippolytus
- The Two Shepherds
- Saint Joan
- The Pleasure Garden
- Dear Brutus
- Scenes from Shakespeare
- Fleance, Macbeth, Old Vic Company
- Shakespeare Birthday Festival, Old Vic Company
- The Tempest, Old Vic Company
- The Rose Without a Thorn
- King Lear’s Wife
- Measure for Measure, Old Vic Company
- Purse Bearer, Henry VIII, Old Vic Company