'Jimmie Chinn' was an actor, teacher and most notably, a playwright.
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Jimmie was born in Middleton, Lancashire on March 30th 1940, the only son of his beloved mother, Edie. His early years in Oldham and Manchester were to shape his writing in future years. He came to London in 1959 where he trained as an actor at the RADA and worked in many aspects of the theatre. His short and very undistinguished career as an actor led him eventually to train as a teacher at Whitelands College, Putney, where he gained an honours degree in English and Drama. He taught and became a senior teacher and housemaster at Dormers Wells School in Middlesex until becoming a full-time writer in 1984. Jimmie became increasingly loved and admired not only in the professional theatre , but also in amateur theatre circles as a fine and talented actor, director, teacher, mentor and advisor.
Encouraged by the success of a handful of radio plays, including.....
Most of his work for the theatre was premiered by Teddington Theatre Club at Hampton Court Theatre or on the fringe circuit.
His full-length plays and one-act plays (**) include.....
On 18 March 1992 he had his first West End production. The play was Straight and Narrow which opened at the Wyndham's Theatre starring Nicholas Lyndhurst, Carmel McSharry and Neil Dalglish. It later moved to the Aldwych Theatre. The play was originally performed with his local theatre group, Theatre West Four in 1987, directed by the talented Jo Burnett.
Jimmy was diagnosed with COPD in the year 2000 and passed away after a long struggle with the illness on 29th January 2011. A man of wonderful warmth, humour and kindness, he will be deeply missed by all who knew him, particularly his partner, Peter.