STEPHEN KING - SCREENWRITER NIGEL KNEALE DIES

British screenwriter NIGEL KNEALE died yesterday (31OCT06) following a long battle with ill health. He was 84. Kneale is best known for writing the hit British TV show THE QUATERMASS EXPERIMENT which debuted in 1953 and was the UK's first sci-fi serial. Both STEPHEN KING and JOHN CARPENTER cite Kneale and his lead character BERNARD QUATERMASS as an inspiration, with his rivetting tale of an alien brought back to Earth on a rocket. ROBERT SIMPSON, writing on Hammer Film's website, says, "(It was) event television, emptying the streets and pubs for the six weeks of its duration." Kneale is survived by his wife JUDITH KERR - the creator of the MEG AND MOG children's books - and his two children.