Christopher Templeton

Christopher Frederick Templeton (born 13 December 1960) is a Scottish/Hungarian scriptwriter and director whose radio plays and television documentaries highlighted human rights abuses in the United States and Europe during the post Cold War era of the 1990s.

For the American actress, see Christopher Anne Templeton.

Career

Templeton was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of the Glasgow playwright and screenwriter, William Templeton. He graduated from the London International Film School in 1985 but his first writing work was for radio. Templeton scripted and directed several productions on BBC World Service, which broadcast new and politically charged plays on the 'Play for the Week' flagship series. Mirad, A Boy from Bosnia,[1] was well-received by critics including Sue Gaisford,[2] of the Observer, who described the production as "...almost unbearably moving".[3] Whilst Mirad amplified the human cost of the Bosnian genocide, later productions, like Rupa Lucian, Child of Romania [4] exposed the atrocities of the ‘Securitatae’, Romania’s secret police. Templeton continued at the World Service to write and present the first non-religious content for the Pause for Thought series with other leading secularists including Nicolas Walter and Dr.Richard Dawkins.[5]

Death row campaign

In 1996, Templeton coordinated the UK campaign of death row artist, Manuel Salazar.[6] The campaign secured a second trial for Salazar [7] and exoneration with support from Templeton’s news documentary ‘Trial and Error’ (broadcast on NBC), There were several Early Day Motions in the Parliament of the United Kingdom, one being signed by 37 MPs in 1993[8] plus a later one signed by 17 MPs in 1996.[9] The case also caught the attention of Amnesty International,[10] legal figures including Alun Jones QC,[11] academics such as Prof. Rodolfo Acuña,[12] as well as Pope John Paul II.[13]

References
  1. PRX Listings: Reference to 'Mirad a Boy from Bosnia' Archived 2012-10-02 at the Wayback Machine
  2. of The Independent Sue Gaisford: critique of 'Mirad a Boy from Bosnia'
  3. Biography: Drama critic, Sue Gaisford
  4. PRX Listings: 'Rupa Lucian Child of Romania' Archived 2012-03-21 at the Wayback Machine
  5. BBC Radio 4: Reference to first secular productions on BBC Radio
  6. Chicago Sun Times Article: 'Salazar gets help from Abroad'.
  7. Shnay, Jerry (September 22, 1996). "Battle Lines Set For 2nd Trial In Cop's Death". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
  8. "Early day motion 2139 - Life of Manuel Salazar". www.parliament.uk. Parliament of the United Kingdom. June 9, 1993. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
  9. "Early day motion 974 - Manuel Salazar (No. 2)". www.parliament.uk. Parliament of the United Kingdom. June 10, 1996. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
  10. Group 133 Amnesty International Somerville/Arlington Appeal
  11. Alun Jones QC Professional Biography
  12. Prof. Rodolfo Acuña 'How Else do we Teach them a Lesson?' Archived 2012-10-16 at the Wayback Machine
  13. Catholic Herald 'Ten Years on Death Row'
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