Vale Doug MacLeod

MacLeod, whose career spanned children's books and musical theatre to television comedy, is much missed.

Television writer, script editor, children’s author and playwright Doug MacLeod died in Melbourne last week after several years of ill-health, including a stroke in 2011 and a diagnosis of the autoimmune disease discoid lupus in 2014. He was 62.

MacLeod was a mentor to many and a friend to more. He is remembered as gentle, funny and immensely kind, loyal to his friends, a gifted writer, adept at giving feedback, and an enormous talent.

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Richard Watts is ArtsHub's National Performing Arts Editor; he also presents the weekly program SmartArts on Three Triple R FM, and serves as the Chair of La Mama Theatre's volunteer Committee of Management. Richard is a life member of the Melbourne Queer Film Festival, and was awarded the status of Melbourne Fringe Living Legend in 2017. In 2020 he was awarded the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards' Facilitator's Prize. Most recently, Richard was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Green Room Awards Association in June 2021. Follow him on Twitter: @richardthewatts