Discover the Best Books Written by John Kane

John Kane (born 27 October 1945) is a British actor and writer. An associate actor with the Royal Shakespeare Company, he played Puck in Peter Brook's acclaimed production of A Midsummer Night's Dream alongside Ben Kingsley, Alan Howard, and Frances de la Tour before turning to comedy script writing. He began writing for Terry Scott's sketch show Scott On before taking over the reins on a project for Terry Scott, and comic actress June Whitfield, which began as Happy Ever After and later turned into the longer-running series Terry and June, for which he wrote the entire first series and much of the subsequent run. 

His TV acting credits include Tommy—an adult with learning difficulties—in the 1974 Doctor Who serial Planet of the Spiders. Continuing to work as an actor with the RSC, he also created sitcoms Me and My Girl (1984–88) with Richard O'Sullivan and Tim Brooke-Taylor, All in Good Faith (1985–88) with Richard Briers, and Aztec drama The Feathered Serpent (1976–78). He also wrote for, among others, Never the Twain, Smuggler, Rang on Their Fingers and wrote the "Six Napoleons" episode of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, with Jeremy Brett in the title role.

Turning to the stage, he wrote the RSC's adaptation of Wizard of Oz, West End Cole Porter tribute A Swell Party, and the words and music in 2005 for The Canterville Ghost at the Southwark Playhouse. He also wrote the television film The Vamp starring Shelley Winters and children's cartoon Britt Allcroft's Magic Adventures of Mumfie. He won a CableACE Award for his screenplay Daisies in December, starring Joss Ackland. 

He collaborated with composer David Bass on a children's opera, Kids Court, which was premiered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 2007 by the North Cambridge Family Opera Company. He continues to work as a stage and screen actor. He has three children, one with his wife, and subsequently two children with opera singer Alison Warner: Simon Kane and Susy Kane. Simon and Susy have followed in his footsteps, acting and writing.

John now lives in the village of Puissalicon, in the Hérault region of southern France, where he was interviewed in 2010 for the DVD of his Doctor Who serial, in which he discussed his life and career.