P. J. Kavanagh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
P. J. Kavanagh
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Kavanagh at his home in 2006
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| Born | Patrick Joseph Kavanagh 6 January 1931 Worthing, Sussex, England |
| Died | 26 August 2015 (aged 84) |
| Occupation | Poet, actor, journalist |
| Nationality | English |
| Alma mater | Douai School; Merton College, Oxford |
| Spouse | Sarah Philipps (m. 1956–1958; her death) Catherine Ward (m. 1965) |
| Children | 2 |
P. J. Kavanagh (born 6 January 1931 – died 26 August 2015) was an English writer. He was a poet, actor, and journalist. He also worked as a lecturer and broadcaster. His father, Ted Kavanagh, was a famous scriptwriter for a radio show called ITMA.
Contents
Life and Career
Early Life and Education
Patrick Joseph Kavanagh had many different jobs when he was young. He worked as a Redcoat at Butlin's, which are holiday resorts in the UK. He was also a newsreader in Paris for Radiodiffusion Française. He took acting classes, but then he had to join the National Service. During this time, he was injured in the Korean War.
After the war, Kavanagh went to Merton College, Oxford, from 1951 to 1954. This is where he started writing poetry. He also met Sally Philipps there. She was the daughter of the famous novelist Rosamond Lehmann.
Family and Early Writing
P. J. Kavanagh and Sally Philipps got married in 1956. Sadly, two years later, Sally died suddenly from poliomyelitis (polio). They were living in Java at the time, where Kavanagh was teaching for the British Council.
He wrote a book about their relationship called The Perfect Stranger. This book won the Richard Hillary Memorial Prize.
Writing Achievements
Kavanagh wrote many books of poetry. Some of his poetry collections include One and One, On the Way to the Depot, and About Time. He also published Selected Poems and Collected Poems. In 1993, he received the Cholmondeley Award for his poetry.
He also wrote novels. His first novel, A Song and Dance, won the Guardian Fiction Prize. He wrote three more novels for adults. Kavanagh also wrote two novels for children: Scarf Jack and Rebel for Good.
He published collections of essays and articles. He also wrote a travel book called Finding Connections. Kavanagh helped edit several other books, including The Oxford Book of Short Poems.
Media and Acting Roles
P. J. Kavanagh was involved in radio and television. He co-hosted a show called Poetry Please on BBC Radio 4. He also appeared on BBC1 TV.
He had several acting roles in films. These included Masters of Venus (1962) and Hidden Agenda (1990). He was also in TV shows like Father Ted and The Avengers. In The Avengers, he played a secret agent with amnesia.
Kavanagh also wrote columns for newspapers. He wrote for The Spectator from 1983 to 1996. After that, he wrote for The Times Literary Supplement until 2002.
Later Life and Death
P. J. Kavanagh lived in Gloucestershire, England, from 1963 until he passed away. He married his second wife, Catherine Ward, in 1965. They had two sons together. Kavanagh died on 26 August 2015.
Film Appearances
- Masters of Venus (1962) – Played Mike
- Lawrence of Arabia (1962) – Played a Staff Major (uncredited role)
- Half Moon Street (1986) – Played General Sir George Newhouse
- Hidden Agenda (1990) – Played Alec Nevin
