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