Frank was born on 11 August 1912 in Manchester.

 

His plays include a stage adaption of Thomas Hardy’s THE DAY AFTER THE FAIR (first performed in 1972 at the Lyric Theatre in London’s West End starring Deborah Kerr, adapted for television in 1987); ELIZABETH OF LADYMEAD; THE POLTERGEIST (adapted for the screen in 1947 as THINGS HAPPEN AT NIGHT); SALOON BAR (first performed in 1939 at the Wyndham's Theatre in London’s West End and adapted for the screen in 1940).

 

His screenplays include HEAVENS ABOVE (1963), NO MY DARLING DAUGHTER (1961), UPSTAIRS AND DOWNSTAIRS (1959), I’M ALL RIGHT JACK (1959), THE 39 STEPS (1959), DANGER WITHIN (1959), SALOON BAR (for ITV Playhouse 1957), BROTHERS IN LAW (1957), PRIVATE’S PROGRESS (1956), SEAGULLS OVER SORRENTO (1954), THE LONG MEMORY (1953), SEVEN DAYS TO NOON (1950), PORTRAIT FROM LIFE (1948), MY BROTHER’S KEEPER (1948).

 

Frank was the recipient of many awards, including two BAFTA Best British Screenplay awards: one in 1957 for PRIVATE’S PROGRESS with John Boulting, and another in 1960 for I’M ALL RIGHT JACK, with John Boulting and Alan Hackney.

 

Frank died on November 6, 1981 aged 69 in Ottery St Mary, Devon.