Arthur Hopcraft (30 November 1932 – 22 November 2004) was a British screenwriter, well known for his TV plays such as The Nearly Man, and for his small-screen adaptations such as Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy; Hard Times, Bleak House, and Rebecca.
He also had four other books published, including an autobiographical account of his childhood, and wrote the screenplay for the film Hostage.
He soon moved to Cannock, Staffordshire, and as a teen, he started working at local newspapers.
By the age of 17, he was reporting on the Stafford Rangers' semi-professional football games using the pseudonym "Linesman."
From January 1968 he was a regular contributor to the IPC monthly Nova, his articles were mostly stories from his own life.