in 1951, he met joe orton, a fellow rada student. both men were struggling actors who became struggling writers. however, their common interests led to a lengthy romantic relationship. halliwell, in the early years, seems to have been something of a mentor to orton, who had had a rather cursory education, and helped to mould the writing style that would later be called "ortonesque". the two men collaborated on several novels, including "the boy hairdresser", which were not published until after their deaths.