A former television producer has been accused of bullying Joe Orton’s lover into battering him to death with a hammer – 50 years on from the playwright’s gruesome murder.
Orton, who wrote a number of West End shows, was pummelled nine times round the head by his partner, Kenneth Halliwell, who then killed himself.
Nobody else’s name has been tied to the brutal incident in August 1967 – on the day before Halliwell was due to be sectioned.
Joe Orton (pictured) who wrote a number of West End shows, was pummeled nine times round the head with a hammer by his lover, Kenneth Halliwell
However, another identity has now been thrown into the mix in a BBC2 documentary, with several industry insiders from the time citing an executive who was also in love with Mr Orton.
They accuse Peter Willes, who was head of drama at ITV’s London production company Associated-Rediffusion and died in 1991, of ‘mentally attacking’ the unstable Halliwell to the point where he lost all control.
Olivier-winning actor Kenneth Cranham told Joe Orton Laid Bare: ‘I think Willes almost single-handedly brought about the murder of Joe.’
Peter Willes (left), head of drama at ITV’s London production company Associated-Rediffusion, of ‘mentally attacking’ the unstable Halliwell (right) to the point where he lost all control
‘He was mentally attacking Halliwell on almost a regular basis. I mean a real undermining of Halliwell.’
Michael Codron, who produced one of Orton’s most famous works, Loot, added: ‘I would nominate Willes as murderer No 1 because he made no hiding of his contempt for Kenneth Halliwell and his exclusion.’
The theory has emerged from a series of tapes from Harley Street doctor Douglas Ismay, who was treating Halliwell on Willes’ recommendation – some say in a deliberate bid to split up the couple.
Orton (pictured) and Halliwell had lived together for nearly 15 years, but their initially promising careers in the theatre had gone in different directions
Orton and Halliwell had lived together for nearly 15 years, but their initially promising careers in the theatre had gone in different directions.
In one of the tapes, Dr Ismay points out the scale of the murderer’s mental downfall..
He says: ‘Willes told me things about Halliwell which I interpreted that he needed to go into hospital.
‘Halliwell certainly wasn’t functioning and was in deep depression.’
- Joe Orton Laid Bare will be broadcast at 9pm on Saturday, November 25.