[1][2] Born to a Jewish family, Gran lived in Finsbury Park Road as a child and his father was the manager of a fabric shop in Soho.
He then rose to be the manager of the Job Centre in Tottenham, whilst writing scripts with Laurence Marks which they submitted to the BBC.
The duo had begun writing together after they met at a discussion group for writers that was held within the British Drama League.
[4] They were given the opportunity to write a radio show for Frankie Howerd after a chance meeting with Barry Took.
[5] Gran is also the co-author of Prudence at Number 10, a fictional diary supposedly written by Gordon Brown's P.A.