Bill Bryden established his place as a key figure in the modern development of British, and particularly Scottish, theater in the early 1970s through his highly influential term as associate director at the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh. His own playwriting there distinguished itself with a lively use of demotic forms of Scots language and a concern to portray his characters as individuals, rather than using them as dramatic or class stereotypes. Bryden's work as a director is as important as his work as a playwright--his service at the National Theatre in London, where his many successful productions included the legendary version of Tony Harrison's The Mysteries (1984), is part of theater folklore. He has combined these activities with outstanding work as a screenwriter and television producer.

Born 12 April 1942 in Greenock, William Campbell Rough Bryden is the son of George Bryden, who was then a tail-gunner in the Royal...