Please feel free to contact Michael Feeney Callan for any question or comment.


Anthony Hopkins
"Impressive work from one of Ireland's leading biographers," says the Sunday Business Post (Jan 8, 2006).

Luke Kelly
Michael’s film on the lengendary balladeer Luke Kelly, which outsold even U2,
was ranked number two in national DVD music sales for 2006.


December 2007 - Films
Michael Feeney Callan has joined the advisory board of Irish Film America, alongside Jim Sheridan, Paddy Breathnach, Mary McGuckian and others.  The premier IFA event will be staged at the Clarity Theater in Los Angeles
in October 2008.

October 2007 - Films
Michael was awarded a multi-platinum disc for sales of his film, “Luke Kelly, the Performer” on October 4th in a ceremony that also honoured Dubliner Ronnie Drew for his fifty-year contribution to music.


Michael’s son Corey and daughter Paris at the Luke Kelly awards function at the Four Seasons Hotel, Dublin.

June 2007 - Books
Michael’s biography of Sean Connery, which has been in print for 25 years, was published again in Finnish by Art House, Helsinki, in June. It has already been translated into French, German, Portuguese, Polish, Hungarian, Romanian and simplified Chinese.


Autumn 2008 - Books
Michael’s long anticipated biography of Robert Redford, ten years in the making, has been completed and will be published by Alfred A. Knopf in the US this year.

Autumn 2008 - Film
Michael's film on The Dubliners called "Before the Before", which features
contibutions from luminaries like Irish President Mary McAleese, was delayed
by illnesses within the band, but will be completed this summer.


President McAleese in conversation with Michael Feeney Callan during the filming of "Before the Before: the Dubliners' Story". Copyright IML Ltd.

Shortly - Art
Michael’s exhibition, “Suburbia” will open at the Blue Leaf Gallery shortly.
See preview visual in section Art.

The Professionals
Notes from Producer Brian Clemens' writing brief for "The Professionals":

1) Any political motivations must be subjugated to the ordinary human involvement.
2) Keep the relationship with Ray and Bodie - with Cowley - firmly in the foreground.
3) Steal situations from the headlines.
4) Keep it moving. Fast.

"The Professionals" was producer Brian Clemens' follow-up to his worldwide hit, The Avengers. It was launched by LWT in 1977, and Michael Feeney Callan joined the writing team in 1979.



Templewood (RTE, 1994)
A family’s frantic attempts to assume the inheritance of the impressive rural Templewood estate draws Tom Crowe, a former cop, out of retirement to investigate.

* 12-episode radio-television drama which culminated with a “live” court case staged on RTE’s Late Late Show. Directed by John McColgan, stars Jonathan Ryan and Stephen Brennan.



Perry Como's Christmas (1994)
Como’s last ever show (for PBS), which rounded off a 50-year career. Callan worked closely with Como on the script (Callan also co-produced) and learned of the singer’s obsessive devotion to his personal hero, Bing Crosby. “He wanted to talk supercool. He wanted to sound like Crosby.”



Cluedo (ITV, 1992-94)
Hugely successful ITV network series based on the world-famous board game. A guest panel watches a pre-filmed whodunit drama, then decides who the murder is, based on their observational skills.

* The series ran for three high-rating seasons, to which Callan contributed episodes each year. Stars included David McCallum and Lewis Collins (from The Professionals).



A Careful Man (PBS, 1984)
A dying wealthy man decides to outfox his greedy family by burying himself with his wealth. Or so it seems.

*Adapted by Michael Feeney Callan from Forsyth’s short story. Stars David
Kelly and Shirley-Anne Field.



Privilege (PBS, 1984)
A small-time stamp dealer is libelled and destroyed by a powerful journalist. His one recourse is a “loophole” in the law which allows him to return the libel... in spades.

* Adapted by Michael Feeney Callan from Frederick Forsyth’s short story. Stars Milo O’Shea and Gayle Hunnicutt.



My Ireland
My Ireland is a celebration of the four corners of Ireland through the eyes, and the music, of several renouned performers. Among the hosts are Jim McCann, Johnny McEvoy and Sandy Kelly and the guests include the legendary Noel Purcell.



Love Is (RTE, 1981)
On the eve of his marriage, Larry celebrates with a raucous stag night. But the the ceremony that follows is interrupted by a visit from the police. A claim of rape has been made by a girl friend of Larry’s who crashed the men’s night. The ensuing investigation by a male and female officer captures the dilemma of society’s preconceptions and biases about gender roles.

* This controversial and well-received play starred Gabriel Byrne.



The Professionals (ITV, 1979)
Bodie and Doyle are the muscle men for CI5, a broad-ranging anti-terrorist squad based in London. They are licensed to kill, and operate under the control of Cowley, a tough taskmaster.

* The series ran for several years and was distributed worldwide. Callan’s Runner was directed by Martin Campbell, who later directed the James Bond movie Goldeneye.



Shoestring (BBC, 1979)
Following a health breakdown while working as a computer analyst, Eddie Shoestring rebuilds his life as a radio “private ear”, pursuing investigations that arise from late night listeners.

* Shoestring’s early episodes, script-edited by Michael Feeney Callan, were record-breaking, achieving the biggest ever audience for a prime time BBC detective slot. The series subsequently ran for two successful seasons. Stars Trevor Eve.



The Burke Enigma (RTE, 1978)
The sudden death of the matriarch of Dublin’s most ferocious crime family spurs two rebel police officers to coordinate an attempt to smash the family’s hold on the city. One of the officers, Hannan, is related by marriage to the family, though this hardly tempers his savagery in meeting force with force. The other, McGettigan, approaches the investigation and resolution with the fearless brilliance of a chess master.

* This was Ireland’s first crime series, was a major critical and ratings success, universally noted as a landmark drama production. Stars Ray McAnally, Donal McCann, John Kavanagh and Barbara Brennan. Directed by Brian MacLochlainn.