Academy Award-winning British actor and screenwriter Colin Welland has died at 81.

According to his family, the actor died on Monday night, after years of struggling with Alzheimer's disease.

"Colin will be desperately missed by his family and friends," read the family's official statement. "Alzheimer's is a cruel illness and there have been difficult times, but in the end Colin died peacefully in his sleep. We are proud of Colin's many achievements during his life, but most of all he will be missed as a loving and generous friend, husband, father and granddad."

Welland is best known for his screenwriting in "Chariots of Fire," which went on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 1982.

Welland was born to John Arthur "Jack" and Norah Williams in Leigh, Lancashire in 1934.

After studying at Bretton Hall College of Education, Welland became a teacher of art at Manchester Road Secondary Modern School. His students knew him as "Ted," on account of the Teddy Boy curly hair that he sported.

Welland's acting career includes an appearance playing PC David Graham in the BBC's TV series, "Z-Cars," a role as an English school teacher, along with actor Brian Glover ("Kes") and writer Barry Hines, and as a detective in Richard Burton's 1971 film "Villain." He then starred as a (seemingly prophetic) villain Frank Chadwick in an episode of the 1970's British TV police drama, "The Sweeney" as well as in the show's first cinema spin-off, "Sweeney!" Before focusing on screenwriting, Welland played the character Willie on Dennis Potter's 1979 film "Blue Remembered Hills," and in the 1980 comedy series "Cowboys."

Welland's screenwriting career features "Yanks" (1979), which starred the dashing Richard Gere and the lovely Vanessa Redgrave. The film was directed by John Schlesinger. Another work of Welland was "Twice in a Lifetime" (1985) featuring Ann-Margaret, Ellen Burstyn and Gene Hackman.

A self-declared Rugby League fan, Welland gained fame for his acceptance speech in the 1982 Academy Awards when he alluded to Paul Revere and said "The British are coming!" After "Chariots of Fire" (1981), David Puttnam again commissioned him to come up with the screenplay for "War of the Buttons" (1994).

On Welland's deathbed, director Puttnam described him as "an unswervingly good man; a fine actor, and a seriously gifted screenwriter."

Wellan's fellow actor David Morrissey tweeted: "Colin Welland RIP. Such a great actor and writer. Kes is my all time favourite film and he was so wonderful in it. So sad."

Welland is survived by his wife of over 50 years, Patricia Sweeney, along with their four children and six grandchildren.

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