Rod Hall, the agent for thewriters of films including Calendar Girls, The Full Monty and BillyElliot, was found stabbed to death in his home, police said yesterday. Hallwas 53.

Police said they were calledto Hall's southeast London home on Sunday by a friend after the agent failed toshow up for various appointments.

An autopsy revealed thecause of death to be multiple stab wounds to the chest and abdomen. Police saidthey had no suspects.

Charlotte Mann, co-directorof the agency founded by Hall in 1997, said in a statement: "Rod was awonderful, amazing man; a dear, loving and loyal friend, and one of the mostrespected literary agents in the country. He was an inspiration to me in everyway. I am devastated and will miss him terribly as, I know, will hisclients."

Hall, before setting up hisown firm, worked for London agency AP Watt for 13 years.

He represented writers anddirectors in theatre, film and television. His clients included The FullMonty writer Simon Beaufoy, Juliette Towhidi, co-writer of CalendarGirls; and Lee Hall (Billy Elliot.)

Reached by telephone, Beaufoy, writer of the movie "The Full Monty," said Hall was"a very good friend and a very good agent."