E. Arnot Robertson
Encyclopedia
Eileen Arbuthnot Robertson (born on 20 January 1903 at Moor Cottage, South Holmwood
, Surrey
, died on 21 September 1961 in Hampstead
, London) was a British novelist, critic and broadcaster.
Robertson took her first job, on the London-based magazine Answers, at the age of 19. In this year she also sat anonymously for the painting A Red Haired Girl by James McBey
. On 26 February 1927 she was married in Kensington to H. E. (from 1951 Sir Henry) Turner (1891-1961), secretary general of the Empire Press Union, later the Commonwealth Press Union
. They adopted a son, Gordon Turner, in the late 1920s. The Turners moved to Heath Street, Hampstead, in 1946. They were passionate sailors, as the sailing background of Ordinary Families shows. Turner's death in 1960 in a boating accident precipitated Robertson's suicide five months later.
" novelist with a large following, especially for her first five novels.
Four Frightened People (1931), set in a Malaya
that she never actually visited, became Volume 15 on the Penguin
list in 1935. A film
, directed by Cecil B. DeMille
, was released in 1934. Equally celebrated was Ordinary Families (1933). Both these were repeatedly reprinted into the 1980s in the Virago
paperback series, as was her first novel, Cullum, in 1989.
However, her later novels added little to the reputation the earlier ones had given her, although she had "seemed at one time likely to develop into a novelist of considerable comic substance and power."
Robertson also wrote astringent film criticism. Reviewing the young Bette Davis
in Dangerous
for the Picture Post
in 1935, she said, "I think Bette Davis would probably have been burned as a witch if she had lived two or three hundred years ago. She gives the curious feeling of being charged with power which can find no ordinary outlet." She was involved in 1946 in protracted litigation with MGM over what the corporation perceived as unfairly negative reviews of their films. This contributed to her losing a job at the BBC
, but her eventual legal costs of £8000 were paid from the proceeds of a fundraising appeal made by the Critics' Circle.
She was a contestant on the BBC panel game My Word!
from 1957 to 1961, partnering Frank Muir
.
Holmwood
Holmwood is a civil parish in Surrey, England. The parish has a population of 850.Holmwood forms part of Mole Valley Borough Council's area; the main settlements are North Holmwood and South Holmwood both of which are bypassed by the A24 road. The smaller settlement of Mid Holmwood is alongside 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...
, died on 21 September 1961 in Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
, London) was a British novelist, critic and broadcaster.
Family
Robertson was the daughter of Dr. George Arbuthnot Robertson (1860-1942), physician and surgeon, and his wife Elsie Margaret (née Binns). She had one sister, Maye. Robertson was educated at Sherborne School for Girls, which she strongly disliked. The family moved to London in 1917. She later described the atmosphere in the family as "stultifying". She continued her education for two years in France and Switzerland.Robertson took her first job, on the London-based magazine Answers, at the age of 19. In this year she also sat anonymously for the painting A Red Haired Girl by James McBey
James McBey
James McBey was a self-taught artist and etcher whose prints were highly valued during the later stages of the etching revival in the early 20th century....
. On 26 February 1927 she was married in Kensington to H. E. (from 1951 Sir Henry) Turner (1891-1961), secretary general of the Empire Press Union, later the Commonwealth Press Union
Commonwealth Press Union
-Commonwealth Press Union :The Commonwealth Press Union was an association composed of 750 members in 49 countries, including newspaper groups , individual newspapers, and news agencies throughout the Commonwealth of Nations...
. They adopted a son, Gordon Turner, in the late 1920s. The Turners moved to Heath Street, Hampstead, in 1946. They were passionate sailors, as the sailing background of Ordinary Families shows. Turner's death in 1960 in a boating accident precipitated Robertson's suicide five months later.
Writing
By her mid-twenties E. Arnot Robertson, as she chose to be called in print, was on her way to becoming a popular "middlebrowMiddlebrow
The term middlebrow describes both a certain type of easily accessible art, often literature, as well as the population that uses art to acquire culture and class that is usually unattainable. First used by the British satire magazine Punch in 1925, middlebrow is derived as the intermediary between...
" novelist with a large following, especially for her first five novels.
Four Frightened People (1931), set in a Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
that she never actually visited, became Volume 15 on the Penguin
Penguin Books
Penguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large...
list in 1935. A film
Four Frightened People
Four Frightened People is a film directed by Cecil B. DeMille, released by Paramount Pictures, and starring Claudette Colbert, Herbert Marshall, Mary Boland, and William Gargan.-Plot:...
, directed by Cecil B. DeMille
Cecil B. DeMille
Cecil Blount DeMille was an American film director and Academy Award-winning film producer in both silent and sound films. He was renowned for the flamboyance and showmanship of his movies...
, was released in 1934. Equally celebrated was Ordinary Families (1933). Both these were repeatedly reprinted into the 1980s in the Virago
Virago Press
Virago is a British publishing company founded in 1973 by Carmen Callil to publish books by women writers. Both new works and reissued books by neglected authors have featured on the imprint's list....
paperback series, as was her first novel, Cullum, in 1989.
However, her later novels added little to the reputation the earlier ones had given her, although she had "seemed at one time likely to develop into a novelist of considerable comic substance and power."
Robertson also wrote astringent film criticism. Reviewing the young Bette Davis
Bette Davis
Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis was an American actress of film, television and theater. Noted for her willingness to play unsympathetic characters, she was highly regarded for her performances in a range of film genres, from contemporary crime melodramas to historical and period films and occasional...
in Dangerous
Dangerous (film)
Dangerous is a 1935 American drama film directed by Alfred E. Green and starring Bette Davis in her first Oscar-winning role. The screenplay by Laird Doyle is based on his story Hard Luck Dame.-Plot synopsis:...
for the Picture Post
Picture Post
Picture Post was a prominent photojournalistic magazine published in the United Kingdom from 1938 to 1957. It is considered a pioneering example of photojournalism and was an immediate success, selling 1,700,000 copies a week after only two months...
in 1935, she said, "I think Bette Davis would probably have been burned as a witch if she had lived two or three hundred years ago. She gives the curious feeling of being charged with power which can find no ordinary outlet." She was involved in 1946 in protracted litigation with MGM over what the corporation perceived as unfairly negative reviews of their films. This contributed to her losing a job at the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, but her eventual legal costs of £8000 were paid from the proceeds of a fundraising appeal made by the Critics' Circle.
She was a contestant on the BBC panel game My Word!
My Word!
My Word! was a long-running radio panel game broadcast by the BBC on the Home Service and Radio 4 . It was created by Edward J. Mason and Tony Shryane, and featured comic writers Denis Norden and Frank Muir, famous in Britain for the series Take It From Here...
from 1957 to 1961, partnering Frank Muir
Frank Muir
Frank Herbert Muir was an English comedy writer, radio and television personality, and raconteur. His writing and performing partnership with Denis Norden endured for most of their careers. Together they wrote BBC radio's Take It From Here for over 10 years, and then appeared on BBC radio...
.
Further reading
- ODNP entry: http://www.oxforddnb.com/index/101056954/Eileen-Robertson. Subscription required.
- Who Was Who entry: http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whowaswho/U48199. Subscription required.
- Photograph of E. Arnot Robertson (1920): http://www.aagm.co.uk/thecollections/objects/object/E--Arnot-Robertson--Lady-Turner--Photographs-of-Women-in-McBey-s-Life-. Retrieved 4 September 2010.