He acted in the television series Z Cars, and films, including Kes (1969), before concentrating in writing.

He manufactured a far-famed speech including the quotation from either Paul Revere, "the British are coming", at a 1982 Oscar, in which he was accepting a award for Best Original Screenplay for Chariots of Fire.

His more writing credits include a 1979 film Yanks, starring Vanessa Redgrave and Richard Gere, and directed by John Schlesinger..