Edward J. Mason

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Edward J. Mason was born on May 8, 1912 in Birmingham, England and died on February 3, 1971. He was a script writer for radio, television and movies for both who the British Broadcasting Corporation and its rival Radio Luxembourg.

[edit] Brief biography

Edward J. Mason had his first major success in 1947 as a script writer when the BBC Home Service radio network began airing his British detective serial Dick Barton which he created with with co-writer Geoffrey Webb. This was was the first serial to air on the BBC and it continued to be aired until 1951. The BBC replaced Dick Barton with The Archers. Originally another creation of the Mason-Webb team, today it remains as the world's longest-running soap opera on radio.

In 1950 and prior to The Archers, Mason also created the radio serials The Lady Craved Excitement and What the Butler Saw.

In 1955 Edward J. Mason created another mystery series called Shadow Man for the BBC's English language commercial rival Radio Luxembourg. Shadow Man was sponsored by Stork magarine and it ran on '208 at 8:30 PM on Tuesday evenings.

That same year Mason also worked on scripts for two television series: Unheimliche Begegnungen and a year later (1956) on I'm Not Bothered.

In 1960 Mason wrote for the TV mini-series The Days of Vengeance and in 1961 Flower of Evil. In 1962 his TV work included Outbreak of Murder followed in 1964 by How to be an Alien.

Mason also created a string of panel game shows with producer Tony Shryane and these included Guilty Party, My Word!, and My Music.

[edit] Trivia

The actor who played the part of Mason's Dick Barton on the BBC Home Sevice, was also the voice of Dan Dare in the serial that ran on Radio Luxembourg's 208 wavelength.