---
name: "David Ellis"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/david-ellis"
roles: ["Writer"]
born: "22 June 1918"
died: "30 June 1978"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 1
updated: "2026-09-16T16:07:42.817345+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# David Ellis

Writer. Born 22 June 1918 in Salford. Died 30 June 1978.

## Details

- **Work:** Writer
- **Born:** 22 June 1918, Salford
- **Died:** 30 June 1978
- **Active:** 1962–1963
- **Works often with:** Anthony Read, Barry Letts, Bob Baker, Brian Hayles, Christopher Barry, Dave Martin

## Biography

David Ellis, born Derrick Francis Kerkham, was an English television scriptwriter. He was born in Salford on 22 June 1918 and died in Brighton on 30 June 1978. He began his career in repertory theatre as a producer and director before turning to writing for radio and television in the late 1950s.

Ellis contributed numerous episodes to police procedurals, including 25 scripts for *Dixon of Dock Green* (1963–1971) and 65 for *Z-Cars* (1967–1974). In 1967 he co-wrote the six-part *Doctor Who* serial *The Faceless Ones* with Malcolm Hulke. His other credits include episodes of *Paul Temple* and *Spy Trap*, as well as radio plays such as the serial *Find the Lady* (1969) and stage plays.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, tardis.wiki, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (1)

- *Doctor Who* (1963), Fi1m 81, Writer — [page](https://film.one/tv/doctor-who.md)

## Also credited on (not yet reviewed)

- *Z-Cars* (1962), Writer

## Also known for

- *The Twilight Zone* (2002), Director

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/david-ellis