Margaret Elaine Collins (born 21 April 1958) is a Scottish actress and producer.
Elaine Collins | |
|---|---|
| Born | Margaret Elaine Collins 21 April 1958 Lanarkshire, Scotland |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, producer |
| Years active | 1975–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
Career
editCollins made her acting debut in 1975, appearing in a guest role in the series Lord Peter Wimsey. Her most prominent roles include films such as Soft Top Hard Shoulder (1992),[1] Mrs Brown (1997), The Wyvern Mystery (2000) and television shows City Lights (1984–1987), Selling Hitler (1991), Psychos (1999).[2]
Since the 2000s, Collins prefers to work behind the camera. She was an associate producer on the 2001 drama film Strictly Sinatra.[3] She worked as a script editor on the detective series A Touch of Frost from 2008 to 2010. In 2011, she became a producer and executive producer at ITV Studios, and helped to create the crime mystery Vera.[4] Collins joined BBC Drama in 2014 as a creative director, where she was responsible for developing and producing first three series of the crime drama Shetland.[5]
In 2017, she founded film production company Tod Productions.[6] She produced the thriller Criminal Record for Apple TV+ in collaboration with STV Studios, which premiered in 2024.[7][8]
Tod's slate of television dramas in the pipeline includes a couple of book adaptations. They F*ck You Up,[9][10] scripted by Thomas Eccleshare and directed by Collins' husband Peter Capaldi, is based on Sarah Naish's memoir But He Looks So Normal: A Bad-Tempered Parenting Guide for Adopters and Foster Parents.[11] The Jigsaw Murders is about the 1935 murders of Dr Buck Ruxton and based on the true crime book The Jigsaw Murders: The True Story of the Ruxton Killings and the Birth of Modern Forensics by journalist and author Jeremy Craddock.[12][13][14]
In 2024 it was announced that Collins and Tod Productions had optioned Charles Beaumont's espionage novel A Spy Alone.[15][16][17]
Personal life
editCollins has been married to the actor Peter Capaldi since 1991. They met in 1983 while working for the Paines Plough Theatre Company.[2] They have a daughter born in 1992 and two grandsons (b. 2021 and 2023).[18][19] The family lives in Muswell Hill, London.[20]
Theatre
edit| Year | Title | Role | Company | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 & 1990 | The Guid Sisters | Lisette de Courval | Tron Theatre, Glasgow | Michael Boyd | play by Michel Tremblay, translated into Scots by Bill Findlay & Martin Bowman |
Filmography
editActress
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes | Ruby | Uncredited |
| 1992 | Soft Top Hard Shoulder | Yvonne | Nominated — BAFTA Scotland Award for Best Actress |
| 1993 | Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life | Miss Cicely | Short film; also production assistant |
| 1994 | Seeds | Short film | |
| 1996 | The Empty Mirror | Blonde woman | |
| 1997 | Mrs Brown | Mrs Grant |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Lord Peter Wimsey | Helen McGregor | 2 episodes: "Five Red Herrings" |
| 1975 | The Hill of the Red Fox | Morag | Episode #1.5 |
| 1976 | Sutherland's Law | Mary Hepburn | Episode: "Blind Jump" |
| 1977 | The Mackinnons | Annie Gillies | Episode: "In the Public Interest" |
| 1978 | The Sunday Drama | Secretary | Episode: "City Sugar" |
| 1979 | Scottish Playbill | Elvira | Episode: "The Day After Yesterday" |
| 1979–1982 | Play for Today | At the pub / Isabel | 2 episodes |
| 1980 | The House with the Green Shutters | Janet Gourlay | Television film |
| 1984–1987 | City Lights | Janice | Series 1 and 2 |
| 1988 | The Comic Strip Presents... | Scots girl | Episode: "Funseekers" |
| 1988–1993 | Rab C. Nesbitt | Dancing woman / Isa Minto | 2 episodes |
| 1989 | Snakes and Ladders | TV reporter | 4 episodes |
| 1991 | Selling Hitler | Maria Modritsch | |
| 1991 | The Play on One | Eloise | Episode: "And the Cow Jumped Over the Moon" |
| 1992 | Civvies | Sissy | Episode #1.3 |
| 1993 | Strathblair | Anne Jarvis | Episode #2.8 |
| 1993 | The Bill | Jenny Bayliss | Episode: "Give and Take" |
| 1996 | Thief Takers | Mary Donachie | Episode: "Remember Me" |
| 1996–2000 | Taggart | Abigail Stirling / Sheila Maitland | 4 episodes |
| 1997 | EastEnders | Lisa | 2 episodes: "Easter 1997" |
| 1999 | Psychos | Laura Robb | |
| 2000 | The Wyvern Mystery | Dulcie | Television film |
| 2003 | Silent Witness | Janine Burwood | Episode: "Answering Fire: Part 1" |
Writer
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008–2010 | A Touch of Frost | Script editor | Series 14 and 15 |
| 2009 | Albert's Memorial | Script editor | |
| 2011 | Vera | Script editor | 1 episode |
Producer
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Strictly Sinatra | Associate producer | |
| 2011–2015 | Vera | Producer / executive producer | 16 episodes |
| 2013–2016 | Shetland | Executive producer | Series 1–3 |
| 2024–present | Criminal Record | Executive producer |
References
edit- ^ Higson, Richard (2 November 2020). "Soft Top Hard Shoulder (Limited Edition Blu-Ray)". We Are Cult. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
- ^ a b McLean, Marc (6 August 2013). "Doctor Who star Peter Capaldi: My wife has been the foundation for my career". Daily Record. Retrieved 18 March 2016.
- ^ Eisner, Ken (20 June 2001). "Strictly Sinatra". Variety. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
- ^ "Ann Cleeves: TV Adaptations of Vera and the Shetland series". WHSmith Blog. 15 January 2016. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
- ^ Chapman, Alexandra (26 September 2014). "Vera producer joins new BBC drama team". Broadcast. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
- ^ "Media release: Elaine Collins joins forces with STV Drama". allmediascotland.com. 18 September 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
- ^ Reyes, Mike (17 January 2024). "Criminal Record's Creators Took Inspiration From The 'Machismo' Of Michael Mann Movies, But Twisted It Especially For Their Apple TV+ Series". CinemaBlend. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
- ^ "HEAR FROM THE TEAM BEHIND CRIMINAL RECORD". TOD Productions. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
- ^ "TOD PRODUCES PILOT FOR SKY COMEDY". TOD Productions. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
- ^ Kanter, Jake (30 December 2022). "Peter Capaldi-Directed Parenting Comedy 'They F**k You Up' In Works At Sky". Deadline.com. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
- ^ Guide, British Comedy. "They F**K You Up - Sky Comedy Comedy Drama". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
- ^ "RIGHTS SECURED FOR TRUE CRIME BOOK ON INFAMOUS 'JIGSAW MURDERS'". TOD Productions. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
- ^ "Gruesome 'Jigsaw Murders' case of killer Scots doctor who scattered severed heads to be turned into TV drama - Daily Record". www.dailyrecord.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
- ^ "STV Productions partner Tod signs up to put true crime drama on screen - Business Insider". www.insider.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
- ^ televisual.com; Considine, Pippa (2024-09-30). "Tod secures rights to A Spy Alone". Televisual. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
- ^ "Tod Productions options Charles Beaumont espionage thriller A Spy Alone". C21media. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
- ^ Daniels, Nia (2024-09-30). "Criminal Record producers acquire spy novel". The Knowledge Online. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
- ^ Novak, Kim (1 September 2021). "Doctor Who's Peter Capaldi has grandparent-ing down to a fine art as he spends time with baby". Metro. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
- ^ Lobb, Adrian (20 January 2024). "Peter Capaldi on why his new cop drama Criminal Record is going to be your next TV obsession". Big Issue. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
- ^ Thomas-Corr, Johanna (5 November 2015). "Peter Capaldi interview: 'Sexism in the TV industry is ridiculous'". Evening Standard. Retrieved 5 November 2015.