{{Short description|Welsh dramatist}} {{Use British English|date=March 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}} '''William Gwenlyn Parry''' (8 June 1932 – 5 November 1991) was a Welsh dramatist,<ref name="WAEoW">{{cite book |editor1-first=John |editor1-last=Davies |editor1-link=John Davies (historian)|editor2-first=Nigel |editor2-last=Jenkins |editor2-link=Nigel Jenkins |editor3-first=Baines |editor3-last=Menna |editor4-first=Peredur I. |editor4-last=Lynch |title=The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales |year=2008 |publisher=University of Wales Press |location=Cardiff |page=651|isbn=978-0-7083-1953-6}}</ref> the author of several plays in Welsh, including ''Saer Doliau'' (1966), ''Ty ar y Tywod'' (1968), ''Y Ffin'' (1973), ''Panto'', ''Sal'' and ''Y Tŵr'' (1978).

thumb|Image of Gwenlyn Parry

==Early life== Parry was born in the Welsh slate-quarrying village of Deiniolen, Caernarfonshire (Gwynedd).<ref name="WAEoW"/> He initially worked as a teacher, teaching mathematics at a school in London and later science through the medium of Welsh in Bethesda, Wales.

==Drama== Parry joined BBC Wales in 1966 and helped to establish the scripts department, where he worked on Welsh programmes such as ''Pobol y Cwm''.<ref name="WAEoW"/> He also has writing credits for the TV play ''Grand Slam'' and the feature film ''Un Nos 'Ola Leuad'' (based on the book by Caradog Prichard).

Parry's early work has been called Absurdist.<ref>Roger Owen, ''Writers of Wales: Gwenlyn Parry'' (University of Wales Press, 2013) {{ISBN|9780708326626}}</ref> He created and co-wrote the comedy series ''Fo a Fe'' with Rhydderch Jones.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC - Cymru Ar Yr Awyr - Rhydderch Jones |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cymru/cymruaryrawyr/database/rhydderch.shtml |access-date=2024-07-23 |website=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref>

==Family== Parry was married twice, first to Joy and then to Ann Beynon. He had two daughters from his first marriage and a son and a daughter from his second. He died in the Cardiff area of South Wales in 1991. He is buried in Macpela, Penygroes, Gwynedd.

==References== {{reflist|30em}}

==External links== *{{IMDb name|0663654}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Parry, Gwenlyn}} Category:1932 births Category:1991 deaths Category:Welsh-language writers Category:People educated at Ysgol Brynrefail Category:20th-century Welsh dramatists and playwrights