Donald Wilson

Donald Boyd Wilsonwas a Scottish television writer and producer who worked for the BBC. His work included co-creating the science fiction series Doctor Who in 1963 and adapting and producing The Forsyte Saga in 1967.

Early life and career

Wilson attended the Glasgow School of Art, following which his first jobs were as a newspaper cartoonist and sketch writer.

His initial career was in the film industry, including working for MGM at Elstree Studios, where he was Assistant Director of such films as Jericho (1937) and Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939). During the Second World War he served with the Cameronians and the 43rd Wessex Division before afterwards returning to the film industry, and then in 1955 was recruited to BBC Television by the then Head of Drama, Michael Barry. As the Head of the Script Department, Wilson was ultimately responsible for overseeing the commissioning and development of all the original scripts and adaptations transmitted by BBC Television.