Billy Bunter

Billy Bunter, the "Fat Owl of the Remove", was a fictional character created by Charles Hamilton (using the nom de plume of Frank Richards) as for stories set at Greyfriars School in the boys' weekly magazine The Magnet. In his essay "Boys' Weeklies" (1940), George Orwell acknowledged the strength of the character like this:

Related Topics:
Charles Hamilton - Nom de plume - Greyfriars School - The Magnet - Essay - 1940 - George Orwell

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

:Bunter, though in his origin he probably owed something to the fat boy in Pickwick, is a real creation. His tight trousers against which boots and canes are constantly thudding, his astuteness in search of food, his postal order which never turns up, have made him famous wherever the Union Jack waves.http://www.netcharles.com/orwell/essays/boysweeklies2.htm

Related Topics:
Pickwick - Union Jack

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

One of the appeals of the stories is Richards's ability to evoke a whole school. Virtually all of Bunter's form features to some extent, centring on the "Famous Five" of Harry Wharton, Bob Cherry, Frank Nugent, Johnny Bull and Hurree Jamset Ram Singh. There are also characters from many of the other forms (including their form masters), and even from other schools.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Billy Bunter was later played by Gerald Campion in the BBC televised series.

Related Topics:
Gerald Campion - BBC

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~