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Rio Fanning

{{Short description|Northern Irish actor and writer (1931–2018)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Rio Fanning

| image =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1931|11|7}}

| birth_place = Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|2018|8|12|1931|11|7}}

| death_place = Towcester, Northamptonshire, England

| birthname = James Arnold Rio Fanning

| years_active = 1954–2014

| spouse = Alexandra Knowles ({{abbr|m.|married}} 1969; {{abbr|div.|divorced}} 19??) (1 child)
{{marriage|Karen Ford|1988}}

| children = 2 sons (1 adopted)

}}

Rio Fanning (7 November 1931 – 12 August 2018) was a Northern Irish actor and writer.

Theatre

Raised in Tralee, he made his debut appearing in school plays and pageants produced by his father.{{cite news|url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/obituaries--archive/obituaries/obituary-rio-fanning--led-a-double-life-as-an-actor-and-a-writer |title=Obituary: Rio Fanning – 'led a double life as an actor and a writer'|date=30 October 2018|publisher=The Stage|author=Michael Quinn|access-date=7 June 2025}}

As an adult, he trained at the London School of Dramatic Art.

Fanning began appearing in repertory theatre in late 1954 in Lancashire. Among these roles was playing Walter Darvel in Alan Melville's play Dear Charles at Royalty Theatre, Morecambe. Later that year, he was invited by English actor/director Margery Mason to join her fledgling company, the Bangor New Theatre, becoming the founder member. It was, at the time, the first professional company in Northern Ireland to be formed outside Belfast.

By the late 1950s, he had become a regular face in repertory. Some other theatre roles include:

Together with Tony Doyle in 1970, they founded the Imperial Theatre Group, based in the Oval Theatre, Kensington, which was active for less than two years.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ulsteractors.com/f/|title=F|work=Ulster Actors|date=22 December 2011}} In 1991, Fanning formed Threesome Productions with actresses Margi Clarke and Stella Fox.

He would also direct stage plays for the theatre, his first love, preferring it to his screen career.{{Cite web|url=https://mariocki.tumblr.com/post/180363858975/rip-rio-fanning-7111931-1282018|title=Thank Christ For The Bomb}}

Television

Fanning made his TV debut in a 1959 episode of Great Expectations and this was followed by roles in Dixon of Dock Green, Z-Cars, Ghost Squad, No Hiding Place, Softly, Softly, The Avengers, The Troubleshooters, The Champions, Budgie, Follyfoot, The Onedin Line, Warship, Hadleigh, Softly, Softly: Task Force, Within These Walls, Fall of Eagles, The Brothers, the Doctor Who classic Horror of Fang Rock, All Creatures Great and Small, Blake's 7, Emmerdale Farm, The Sandbaggers, The Gentle Touch, Juliet Bravo, Play for Today, Casualty, Peak Practice, The Bill, Father Ted (episode - Old Grey Whistle Theft) and Doctors among others.{{Cite web|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba2eda6b6|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031045344/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba2eda6b6|url-status=dead|archive-date=31 October 2020|title=Rio Fanning|website=BFI}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=5487|title=Rio Fanning|website=www.aveleyman.com}} A regular part came in the form of Dr. O'Casey in The District Nurse.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00pb1fz|title=BBC One - The District Nurse, Series 1, Episode 1, The District Nurse confronts Dr. O'Casey|website=BBC}}

Writing

Under the pen name of Michael Robartes, Fanning wrote for a number of TV shows. These included 6 episodes of Emmerdale Farm in 1985 and 2 episodes of The District Nurse in 1987 (after he left his acting role in the show).{{Cite web|url=https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba3c20d2e|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220618220551/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2ba3c20d2e|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 June 2022|title=Michael Robartes|website=BFI}} During two stints, he wrote a total of 65 episodes of EastEnders, firstly between April 1985 and October 1989 and then from April 1992 to January 1995, as well as being storyline editor for 16 episodes between November 1990 and January 1991.

Using his real name, Fanning contributed episodes to Ballykissangel, The Legend of William Tell, The Adventures of Swiss Family Robinson, Peak Practice and Relic Hunter.

Film

Fanning appeared in the 1961 film The Primitives as John Turner.

Death

Late in life, Fanning was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, succumbing to the illness in 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/people/northamptonshire-wife-of-script-writer-rio-fanning-will-take-part-in-alzheimers-society-memory-walk-in-his-honour-3394559|title=Wife of actor and script writer Rio Fanning will take part in Alzheimer's Society Memory Walk in his honour|website=www.northamptonchron.co.uk}} On 2 October 2021, his wife, the actress Karen Ford, took part in a Memory Walk around Willen Lake in Milton Keynes in his honour, cutting the blue ribbon at the starting line and raising over £1200 for the cause.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mkfm.com/news/local-news/hundreds-unite-against-dementia-at-milton-keynes-memory-walk/|title=Hundreds unite against dementia at Milton Keynes Memory Walk|website=MKFM}}

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • {{IMDb name|0266838|Rio Fanning}}
  • [https://theatricalia.com/person/yhm/rio-fanning Rio Fanning] at Theatricalia

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Fanning, Rio}}

Category:1931 births

Category:2018 deaths

Category:People from Newry

Category:Male television actors from Northern Ireland

Category:Deaths from Alzheimer's disease in England

Category:Actors from County Down

Category:Writers from County Down

Category:Television writers from Northern Ireland