A SCREENWRITER and author who used to lecture on the arts in Oxford has died aged 77.

Reginald ‘Reg’ Gadney, who died earlier this month, first entered the world of writing in 1970 with the publication of his first thriller.

He also was also a much sought-after screenwriter. His work included writing Goldeneye, a dramatised biography of James Bond creator Ian Fleming, and the Bafta-award winning Kennedy, a seven-part portrait of the US president starring Martin Sheen

Prior to his writing career, Mr Gadney was a well-respected academic. He was educated at the Dragon School, Oxford, and returned to the city as an adult deliver lecture in the arts.

Mr Gadney was born at Cross Hills, North Yorkshire, on January 20, 1941, to schoolmaster and England rugby captain, Bernard Gadney, and his wife, Kelly.

After being schooled in Oxford, he was commissioned into the Coldstream guards and served in Libya, France and Norway.

Upon his return he studied English, fine art and architecture at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge.

In his academic life he lectured in Oxford, as well as Cambridge, Harvard, and other prestigious universities across the world.

Mr Gadney was a senior tutor at the Royal College of Art (where he was later appointed a fellow and prorector).

His first book, Drawn Blanc, written out of a desire to move into ‘seedy thrillers’.

Mr Gadney went on to write a further 10 novels as well as a number of screenplays.

His original work included included the four-part post-war drama Forgive Our Foolish Ways (1980).

Mr Gadney also wrote Diana: The Final Journey, an account of events leading to the former Princess of Wales’ death (2007).

He is survived by two children from his first marriage, his second wife, restaurant critic Fay Maschler, and three stepchildren.