Alan Coleman facts for kids

Alan James Coleman (born December 28, 1936 – died December 10, 2013) was a talented TV writer, director, and producer. He was born in England but spent most of his career creating popular TV shows, especially "soap operas," in places like Australia and New Zealand. He helped bring many well-known shows to life, including The Young Doctors, Neighbours, and Shortland Street.

Alan Coleman's TV Career

Early Days and Moving to Australia

Before becoming a director, Alan Coleman worked as an actor. He believed that to be a good director, you needed to understand acting yourself. In the UK, he was in charge of children's TV shows at a company called ATV.

In 1974, he moved to Australia. There, he became a very important person in the world of TV drama.

Creating Popular TV Shows

Alan Coleman was known for his work on many famous TV shows, often called "soap operas." These are long-running drama series that tell stories about people's daily lives. He even created one of these shows himself, called The Young Doctors.

He also worked on other popular shows like:

• The Restless Years
• Punishment
• Breakers
• Neighbours
• Shortland Street

In 1997, he went back to the UK for a short time. He directed some episodes of a British soap opera called Family Affairs. He also started his own company for a while. This company focused on showing major sports events on TV.

His Book

In 2009, Alan Coleman wrote a book about his life. It was called One Door Shuts.

Personal Life

Alan Coleman was married to Barbara, who passed away before him. They had three children: Nick, Chris, and Jacqui. Sadly, Chris also passed away.

Alan Coleman died on December 10, 2013. He passed away on the Central Coast in New South Wales, Australia.

Honour

In 2008, Alan Coleman received a special award. It was the first-ever "Lifetime Achievement Award" at The Soap Shows- Aussie Soap Awards. This award honored his amazing work and contributions to the "soap opera" industry.