series The Sweeney, which had been created by his brother Ian Kennedy Martin, and for which he had written several episodes. He is less well known for writing a little-seen television sitcom based in the British Civil Service, If It Moves, File It (1970), featuring amongst others John Bird, who later co-starred in the satirical Bremner, Bird and Fortune. 1980s In the early 1980s he was no less successful, with two highly popular series on different networks in 1983. The Old Men at the Zoo was an adaptation of the novel by Angus Wilson and screened on BBC One; the second was the hugely popular Reilly, Ace of Spies on ITV, based on the book by Robin Bruce Lockhart and starring Sam Neill. Greatly influenced by the political landscape of the early 1980s, he had drafted a script for a political thriller-cum-science fiction drama serial entitled Magnox, which became Edge of Darkness. He was interviewed about the genesis of the series for Magnox: The Secrets of Edge of Darkness documentary, an extra on the show's 2003 DVD release: The concept attracted little interest from television executives until incoming BBC Head of Drama Series & Serials Jonathan Powell picked it up in 1983, assigning experienced producer Michael Wearing to the project. Edge of Darkness was eventually screened on BBC2 in late 1985. Although Kennedy Martin had many creative differences with director Martin Campbell and star Bob Peck (who is reported to have vetoed the scripted ending with the remark "I'm not turning into a fucking tree!"), the drama was a resounding success, picking up several awards and being remembered as one of the best British television drama productions of the 1980s. Following Edge of Darkness he wrote another feature film screenplay, Red Heat (1988, co-written with director Walter Hill), which starred Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Belushi. 1990s Kennedy Martin did not return to television scriptwriting until the one-off BBC Two drama Hostile Waters in 1997. Other later work included Bravo Two Zero for BBC One in 1999, co-written with Andy McNab and starring Sean Bean. Death He died of lung cancer on 15 September 2009 aged 77, in Ditchling, East Sussex. Selected filmography Film The Italian Job (1969) Kelly's Heroes (1970) The Jerusalem File (1972) Sweeney II (1978) Red Heat (1988) Red Dust (2004) Television Incident at Echo Six (1958) The Interrogator (1961) Storyboard (1961) Z-Cars (1962–78) Redcap (1965–66) The Sweeney