As a dramatic author he wrote under his real name Hugh Ross Williamson, becoming an actor only when Jack Hawkins, who was going to star in his TV play 'Bernadette' pulled out at the last minute through illness. The producer of the play, with no time to find a replacement as the programme was to go out "live" cast Rossiter as the lead. This proved so successful that from then on he pursued an acting career under the name of Ian Rossiter whilst continuing to write as Hugh Ross Williamson.
