Fantom Films has just published Auntie’s Charlie, the autobiography of BBC radio presenter, writer and producer Charles Chilton, creator and writer of Eagle‘s successful Riders of the Range strip as well as the classic science fiction radio series Journey into Space.
Described by the Sunday Telegraph as ‘the one genius the BBC ever had on its staff’, Charles Chilton MBE joined the Corporation at 15 as a messenger boy and went on to carve out a 46-year career as a presenter, writer and producer.
Auntie’s Charlie discusses his life from growing up on the streets of 1920s St Pancras, via early years at the BBC working for the Gramophone Library, to writing the infamous production Oh What a Lovely War for Joan Littlewood’s Theatre Workshop.
While with the BBC Charles was sent to the United States to research, write and produce a number of series based on American western history. One of these, Riders of the Range, lasted for five years until 1953 and also spawned the Eagle comic strip. (Chilton also wrote another western series, “Flying Cloud”, for the Eagle‘s sister comic, Girl).
However, major international recognition came with his science fiction trilogy Journey into Space which he wrote and produced between 1953 and 1958. The spin-off strip, published in the Junior Express and drawn by Italian artist Ferdinando Tacconi, currently features in Spaceship Away magazine.
Charles Chilton’s tells his own story in his own words – an autobiography that is frank, vivid, wry and engaging.
Published in limited collectors edition of just 200 copies, each hardback book will be individually numbered, feature an exclusive cover, and signed by Charles.
Fantom Films have also re-published the original Journey into Space novels as limited edition hardback books, and are the publishers of Doctor Who producer Barry Letts memoir Who & Me and numerous books by and about Doctor Who companion actress Deborah Watling.
• Full details and ordering information: http://www.fantomfi lms.co.uk/ books/charles_ chilton.htm
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
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