John Sullivan (writer)

John Sullivan
Sullivan in 2010.
Born	John Richard Thomas Sullivan (1946-12-23)23 December 1946 Balham, South London, England
Died	23 April 2011(2011-04-23) (aged 64) Surrey, England
Occupation	Screenwriter
Period	1977–2011
Notable works	2010–2011 Rock & Chips 2005–2009 The Green Green Grass 1996–2003 Roger Roger 1986–1987 Dear John 1983–1986 Just Good Friends 1981–2003 Only Fools and Horses 1977–1980 Citizen Smith
Spouse	Sharon Sullivan (m. ?–2011) (his death)
Children	3

John Richard Thomas Sullivan OBE (23 December 1946 – 23 April 2011) was an English television scriptwriter responsible for several British sitcoms, including Only Fools and Horses, Citizen Smith and Just Good Friends.

From working-class South London, Sullivan worked in a variety of low-paid jobs for 15 years before getting his first break writing Citizen Smith. However, it was the sitcom Only Fools and Horses (1981–2003) that he is best known for. Other sitcoms include Dear John, Just Good Friends, Sitting Pretty, Roger Roger, and The Green Green Grass. In addition, he wrote the comedy drama serial Over Here and the drama series Micawber for ITV, and co-wrote the comedy Heartburn Hotel. His work won him a number of comedy awards, including the BAFTA for best sitcom on three occasions, and he was made an OBE in 2005. His last work was Rock & Chips, a comedy drama prequel to Only Fools and Horses. The final episode of Sullivan's last comedy series aired five days after his death from pneumonia on 23 April 2011.

To remember Sullivan's work, the BBC broadcast "A Touch of Glass", the episode of Only Fools and Horses in which the Trotters drop a chandelier while cleaning it for an upper-class family. They also showed "Top 40 Only Fools and Horses Moments". The episode, "A Touch of Glass" was voted number 2, losing to when Del Boy (David Jason) falls through an open bar in "Yuppy Love".