Elaine Collins

Elaine Collins
Born
Margaret Elaine Collins

(1958-04-21) 21 April 1958 (age 66)
Lanarkshire, Scotland
Occupation(s)Actress, producer
Years active1975–present
Spouse
​
(m. 1991)​
Children1

Margaret Elaine Collins (born 21 April 1958) is a Scottish actress and producer.

Career

Collins 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

Collins 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

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

Actress

Film

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

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

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

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

  1. ^ Higson, Richard (2 November 2020). "Soft Top Hard Shoulder (Limited Edition Blu-Ray)". We Are Cult. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ Eisner, Ken (20 June 2001). "Strictly Sinatra". Variety. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  4. ^ "Ann Cleeves: TV Adaptations of Vera and the Shetland series". WHSmith Blog. 15 January 2016. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  5. ^ Chapman, Alexandra (26 September 2014). "Vera producer joins new BBC drama team". Broadcast. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  6. ^ "Media release: Elaine Collins joins forces with STV Drama". allmediascotland.com. 18 September 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ "HEAR FROM THE TEAM BEHIND CRIMINAL RECORD". TOD Productions. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
  9. ^ "TOD PRODUCES PILOT FOR SKY COMEDY". TOD Productions. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ Guide, British Comedy. "They F**K You Up - Sky Comedy Comedy Drama". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
  12. ^ "RIGHTS SECURED FOR TRUE CRIME BOOK ON INFAMOUS 'JIGSAW MURDERS'". TOD Productions. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
  13. ^ "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.
  14. ^ "STV Productions partner Tod signs up to put true crime drama on screen - Business Insider". www.insider.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
  15. ^ televisual.com; Considine, Pippa (2024-09-30). "Tod secures rights to A Spy Alone". Televisual. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
  16. ^ "Tod Productions options Charles Beaumont espionage thriller A Spy Alone". C21media. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
  17. ^ Daniels, Nia (2024-09-30). "Criminal Record producers acquire spy novel". The Knowledge Online. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
  18. ^ 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.
  19. ^ 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.
  20. ^ Thomas-Corr, Johanna (5 November 2015). "Peter Capaldi interview: 'Sexism in the TV industry is ridiculous'". Evening Standard. Retrieved 5 November 2015.