Quiz

Stepfather of actor Michael Vartan.

He was awarded the O.B.E. (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2007 Queen Elizabeth II Birthday Honors List for his services to screen writing.

In 1975, set up independent production company WitzEnd with long-term writing partner Dick Clement and producer Allan McKeown. In 1988, it transmuted into SelecTV, which in 1996 became part of Thames Television.

They wrote an LWT comedy 'Thick as Thieves' with Bob Hoskins and John Thaw as lovable villains. Ian and Dick wanted to send them back to prison but LWT wasn't interested so the idea was taken to the BBC and 'Porridge' with Ronnie Barker was born.

He did national service in the army on discharge worked as a salesman for a tobacco company.

He composed songs for a weekly satirical programme on Tyne Tees Television then moved to London where he worked for a market research company.

He formed a partnership with Dick Clements in the mid 1960's with the television series 'The Likely Lads'.

He was educated at Park Primary School in Whitley Bay, and Dame Allan's Boys School in Newcastle upon Tyne,.

Composed songs for a weekly satirical programme on Tyne Tees Television.

Ian wrote the first episode of the Newcastle based series of 'Spender' starring Jimmy Nail.

First met Dick Clement while on holiday then bumped into each other in a London pub called The Uxbridge Arms, when Ian was an out of work salesman and Dick a BBC producer.

He and Dick turned producers in 1988 with the film 'Vice Versa'.

He was made a Honorary Doctorate of Civil Law by Northumbria University.