Willy Russell (1947-), Poet and playwright

William Martin ('Willy') Russell

Sitter in 3 portraits
Liverpool-based playwright, author and songwriter; his first hit, John, Paul, Ringo and .... Bert (1974), a musical, was followed by a number of plays including Blood Brothers (1981, and musical version 1983) and Educating Rita (1979) and Shirley Valentine (1986), both of which he adapted, with huge success, for the screen.