MS 348 Papers of David Kossoff

David Kossoff

David Kossof (1919-2005) was an actor, writer and raconteur. He was born in London to Russian-Jewish immigrant parents. His father was a tailor. Kossoff attended the Northern Polytechnic, London.

He married twice. He had two sons with his second wife Margaret Jenkins and a daughter from his first marriage. Following the death of his son Paul, who was a guitarist with the band Free, he became an anti-drug campaigner and established the Paul Kossoff Foundation.

His best known television roles were the hen-pecked husband, Alf Larkin in The Larkins , first broadcast in 1958, and a Jewish furniture maker in A Little Big Business . Film credits include The Young Lovers (1954), A Kid for Two Farthings (1955), Morry in The Bespoke Overcoat (1956), and Professor Kokintz in The Mouse that Roared (1959) and its sequel The Mouse on the Moon . He was well-known for his story telling skills, particularly with regard to reinterpreting the Bible. In 1953 he played the character Lemuel ‘Lemmy’ Barnet in the radio series, Journey into Space .

About the collection

His papers have been divided into seven sections: papers relating to stories and publications, 1960-2002; papers relating to films, plays and performances, 1953-2002; scripts and papers relating to radio and TV recordings, 1952-77; press cuttings, 1959-83; fan mail, 1945-95; photographs and drawings, 1969-2001; and other paper including some relating to his earlier life, charity work and an honorary fellowship, 1934-87.

Date range:

1934-2002

Former references:

A2084

Size:

19 boxes and 1 folder