Colin Welland
A burly actor from the north of England who wrote the soaring, Oscar-winning script for one of cinema's most inspiring underdog stories.
1934–2015 (age 81)·British actor and screenwriter·Birthday: July 4·The Silent Generation
Biography
Colin Welland arrived on screen not as a polished leading man, but as a convincing embodiment of everyday British life. His breakthrough role as the sympathetic teacher in Ken Loach's 'Kes' earned him a BAFTA and established his reputation for grounded, humane performances. While he continued acting, often as policemen or salt-of-the-earth types, his passion for writing simmered. It erupted triumphantly with 'Chariots of Fire', a script that fused his love for sport with a profound exploration of faith and principle. His famous declaration at the Oscars—'The British are coming!'—was a moment of pure, jubilant patriotism. Welland's career was a testament to the writer-actor, proving that the most powerful stories could come from those who understood character from the inside out.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Colin was born in 1934, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Colin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1934
#1 Movie
It Happened One Night
Best Picture
It Happened One Night
Colin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1934Born
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1939Started school
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1947Became a teenager
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1950Could drive
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1952Could vote
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1955Turned 21
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1964Turned 30
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
1974Turned 40
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1984Turned 50
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 60
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 70
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 80
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2015Died at 81
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
Key Achievements
- Won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for 'Chariots of Fire' in 1982.
- Received the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance in 'Kes'.
- Wrote the acclaimed television play 'Leeds United!', which won the Prix Italia in 1974.
- His screenplay for 'Chariots of Fire' also won the Writers' Guild of America Award for Best Drama.
Did You Know?
He was a talented artist and initially trained as a teacher at Goldsmiths College before pursuing acting.
Before his acting career took off, he worked as a teacher in a secondary modern school.
His Oscar acceptance speech for 'Chariots of Fire' is famously remembered for the line 'The British are coming!'
He played the police officer PC Penrose in the classic crime film 'Straw Dogs'.
“The British are coming!”
