Edgar Wallace

Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace (April 1, 1875–February 10, 1932) was a prolific British crime writer, journalist and playwright, who wrote 175 novels, 24 plays, and countless articles in newspapers and journals. Over 160 films have been made of his novels, more than any other author. In the 1920s, one of Wallace's publishers claimed that a quarter of all books read in England were written by him.

Related Topics:
April 1 - 1875 - February 10 - 1932 - British - Crime writer - Journalist - Playwright

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Presumably born in London, he was found abandoned at the age of nine days in Billingsgate by a fishmonger, who subsequently brought him up as his own son. His career started as a war correspondent for the Daily Mail in the Boer War, following which he turned his hand to writing crime thrillers at a prolific rate. He is generally credited with inventing the modern thriller novel.

Related Topics:
London - Billingsgate - War - Daily Mail - Boer War

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He wrote an immense number of novels in the last ten years of his life and his output is often compared to that of other prolific authors, such as Isaac Asimov. There is a famous anecdote in which visitors to his home actually observed him dictate a novel in the course of a weekend.

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He also invented and patented the Edgar Wallace Plot Wheel. The wheel has written on it several events, such as "murder", and when turned one comes up and should be incorporated in the storywriting. (http://www.stephen-king.de/interviews/interview1.html).

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It is said that Wallace was the first British crime novelist to use policemen rather than brilliant amateur sleuths as most other writers of the time did. However his heroes were far from ordinary - they were mostly special investigators of some sort who worked outside the normal police force. Most of his novels are independent stand-alone stories; he seldom used series heroes.

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He did write a popular series about the heyday of the British Empire, starring "Sanders of the River". The movie of the same name is remembered today mostly because it co-starred Paul Robeson as a tribal chief.

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Today we think of Wallace as a novelist but in his time he was a very popular playwright. His play The Ringer was a vehicle for Gerald du Maurier, the actor who was the father of novelist Daphne du Maurier.

Related Topics:
Gerald du Maurier - Daphne du Maurier

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He died in Hollywood on 10th February 1932 of pneumonia while working on King Kong and is buried in Little Marlow, England.

Related Topics:
Hollywood - 10th February - 1932 - Pneumonia - King Kong - Little Marlow - England

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A large number of movies have been based on his novels. The Green Archer was a well-regarded serial in the days of silent cinema, and post-war there were a string of B-movies made in both Britain and Germany. These later became a staple of late-night television.

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Both his son Bryan Edgar Wallace and daughter Penelope Wallace also were authors of mystery and crime novels.

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