Allan McKeown
A savvy British producer who turned groundbreaking comedy like 'Absolutely Fabulous' into a global television phenomenon.
1946–2013 (age 67)·British television and stage producer·Birthday: May 21·Baby Boomers
Biography
Allan McKeown operated behind the scenes, but his taste and business acumen shaped the look and reach of British comedy for a generation. Starting in theatre and moving into television, he had a keen eye for talent and commercially viable innovation. His most defining partnership was with writer and comedian Tracey Ullman, whom he later married. Together, they formed a production powerhouse. McKeown was instrumental in bringing Jennifer Saunders' 'Absolutely Fabulous' to the screen, serving as its executive producer and helping shepherd its transition from a sketch to a defining sitcom of the 1990s that found cult status worldwide. His company also produced Ullman's own groundbreaking sketch show for the BBC and HBO, which introduced American audiences to characters like Fran Drescher's 'The Nanny'. McKeown's career bridged London's West End and Hollywood, proving that sharp, character-driven British comedy could achieve international scale.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Allan was born in 1946, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Allan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1946
#1 Movie
The Best Years of Our Lives
Best Picture
The Best Years of Our Lives
Allan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1946Born
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1951Started school
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1959Became a teenager
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Could drive
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1964Could vote
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Turned 21
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1976Turned 30
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 40
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 50
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 60
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2013Died at 67
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Key Achievements
- Executive produced the globally successful sitcom 'Absolutely Fabulous', starring Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley.
- Co-founded the production company that produced 'The Tracey Ullman Show', which spawned 'The Simpsons'.
- Produced several successful West End plays, including 'The Rocky Horror Show' revival.
- Helped launch the US career of Tracey Ullman with her HBO comedy specials and series.
Did You Know?
He was married to actress and comedian Tracey Ullman from 1983 until his death.
McKeown initially worked as a theatre stage manager before moving into television production.
He was a key figure in negotiating the complex international distribution rights that made 'Absolutely Fabulous' a worldwide hit.
“The audience doesn't care about the budget; they care if it's funny or not.”
