Ian La Frenais, OBE, (born 7 January 1937) is, in partnership with Dick Clement, one of the most influential television writers in Britain. Their fame rests primarily on four series, The Likely Lads, Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, Porridge and Auf Wiedersehen, Pet.
They have also written various other work for TV and a number of films, including The Commitments (with Roddy Doyle), Goal!, and Flushed Away, and cinema versions of some of their own TV successes. La Frenais himself adapted the very popular series Lovejoy from the Jonathon Gash books for BBC television in the 1980s. Since 1984, he has been married to artist Doris Vartan, the mother of actor Michael Vartan. He was awarded an OBE in the Queen's 2007 Birthday Honours list.
La Frenais was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England, the son of Gladys and Cyril La Frenais, a French immigrant.
Stepfather of actor Michael Vartan.
He was awarded the O.B.E. (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2007 Queen Elizabeth Birthday Honors List for his services to screen writing.
