Christopher Landon
Encyclopedia
Christopher Guy Landon, known as Christopher Landon (29 March 1911 – 26 April 1961) was a British writer of novel
s and screenplays, best known for his novel Ice Cold in Alex (1957
) which he adapted faithfully for the big screen creating one of the most famous of war movies, likewise entitled Ice-Cold in Alex
.
, Surrey
. His father was a stockjobber
of Huguenot
descent and he was a distant cousin of the author Perceval Landon
. He was educated at Lancing College
and Cambridge University. He studied medicine.
Christopher Landon served with the 51st Field Ambulance in North Africa during the Second World War and with the 1st S.A. Division. He ended the war with the rank of Major in the Royal Army Service Corps
.
After the war he wrote several novels including: A Flag in the City (1953
), his first novel which was about WWII British intelligence in Teheran and their plans to destroy Germany's fifth column operations in Persia; Stone Cold Dead in the Market; Hornet's Nest; Dead Men Rise Up Never; and Unseen Enemy (aka The Shadow of Time).
He died of accidental alcohol and barbiturate poisoning at his home in Frognal
in 1961, leaving a wife and three children.
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
s and screenplays, best known for his novel Ice Cold in Alex (1957
1957 in literature
The year 1957 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:* Lawrence Durrell publishes the first volume of The Alexandria Quartet. The final of the four volumes will be published in 1960....
) which he adapted faithfully for the big screen creating one of the most famous of war movies, likewise entitled Ice-Cold in Alex
Ice-Cold in Alex
Ice-Cold in Alex is a British film based on the novel of the same name by British author Christopher Landon. Directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring John Mills, the film was a prizewinner at the 8th Berlin International Film Festival...
.
Biography
Landon was born in West ByfleetWest Byfleet
West Byfleet is a village in Surrey. Forming part of the Greater London Urban Area it lies in the stockbroker belt just outside the M25 motorway, 19 miles from Charing Cross, 8 miles from London Heathrow. The village grew up around the station on the London & South Western Railway. The...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. His father was a stockjobber
Stockjobber
Stockjobbers were institutions that acted as market makers in the London Stock Exchange. Prior to "Big Bang" in 1986, every stock traded on the Exchange passed through a jobber's book, where they acted as intermediaries between stockbrokers, who were in turn not permitted to be market makers...
of Huguenot
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
descent and he was a distant cousin of the author Perceval Landon
Perceval Landon
Perceval Landon was an English writer and journalist, now best remembered for his classic and much reprinted ghost story Thurnley Abbey.-Family:...
. He was educated at Lancing College
Lancing College
Lancing College is a co-educational English independent school in the British public school tradition, founded in 1848 by Nathaniel Woodard. Woodard's aim was to provide education "based on sound principle and sound knowledge, firmly grounded in the Christian faith." Lancing was the first of a...
and Cambridge University. He studied medicine.
Christopher Landon served with the 51st Field Ambulance in North Africa during the Second World War and with the 1st S.A. Division. He ended the war with the rank of Major in the Royal Army Service Corps
Royal Army Service Corps
The Royal Army Service Corps was a corps of the British Army. It was responsible for land, coastal and lake transport; air despatch; supply of food, water, fuel, and general domestic stores such as clothing, furniture and stationery ; administration of...
.
After the war he wrote several novels including: A Flag in the City (1953
1953 in literature
The year 1953 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:* January 22 - The Crucible, a drama by Arthur Miller, opens on Broadway....
), his first novel which was about WWII British intelligence in Teheran and their plans to destroy Germany's fifth column operations in Persia; Stone Cold Dead in the Market; Hornet's Nest; Dead Men Rise Up Never; and Unseen Enemy (aka The Shadow of Time).
He died of accidental alcohol and barbiturate poisoning at his home in Frognal
Frognal
Frognal is an affluent area in North West London in the London Borough of Camden between Hampstead and West Hampstead. Frognal is also the name of the major road in the area.-History:...
in 1961, leaving a wife and three children.