Jack Trevor Story
Encyclopedia
Jack Trevor Story was a British novelist, publishing prolifically from the 1940s to the 1970s. His best-known work is the story for Alfred Hitchcock
's comedy The Trouble With Harry
, the Albert Argyle trilogy (Live Now, Pay Later, Something for Nothing and The Urban District Lover), and his Horace Spurgeon novels (I Sit in Hanger Lane, One Last Mad Embrace, Hitler Needs You).
in 1917, the son of a baker's roundsman and a domestic servant. During the First World War his father was killed, after which his mother moved to Cambridge
and worked in one of the colleges. As a young boy, Story worked as a butcher's lad making local deliveries. He stated that his early education was derived from The Modern Boy
, Melody Maker
and Action publications.
His domestic life was chaotic, owing to his serial infidelity and bankruptcy; this often provided the inspiration for his work. He was from a working-class background and was essentially self-taught as a writer, basing his approach on that of his idol William Saroyan
. He first achieved success as a genre writer, with the Pinetop Jones Western stories (writing as Bret Harding); he later contributed to the Sexton Blake
detective series. His writing is unpretentious and effective, although it often assumes the reader's sympathies lie with the protagonist
even when behaving poorly. Politically he was determinedly anti-establishment.
, where he was given a flat about the Museum of Rural Life. He meant to stay only one year, but remained there for the rest of his life.
Story was married three times, was divorced once and had eight children. Two of his wives predeceased him.
Although his works never reached a wide audience, he was respected by many in the media. He wrote a weekly column for The Guardian
in the 1970s, and appeared on TV in the series Jack on the Box in 1979. He wrote several screenplays, including the TV play Mix Me a Person
, and the film version of Live Now - Pay Later. His final broadcast was an audio diary, Jack's Last Tape.
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
's comedy The Trouble With Harry
The Trouble with Harry
The Trouble With Harry is a 1955 American black comedy film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, based on the novel of the same name by Jack Trevor Story. It was released in the United States on October 3, 1955 then rereleased once the distribution rights were acquired by Universal Pictures in 1984...
, the Albert Argyle trilogy (Live Now, Pay Later, Something for Nothing and The Urban District Lover), and his Horace Spurgeon novels (I Sit in Hanger Lane, One Last Mad Embrace, Hitler Needs You).
Early life
Story was born in HertfordHertford
Hertford is the county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is also a civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. Forming a civil parish, the 2001 census put the population of Hertford at about 24,180. Recent estimates are that it is now around 28,000...
in 1917, the son of a baker's roundsman and a domestic servant. During the First World War his father was killed, after which his mother moved to Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
and worked in one of the colleges. As a young boy, Story worked as a butcher's lad making local deliveries. He stated that his early education was derived from The Modern Boy
The Modern Boy
The Modern Boy was a British Boys magazine published between 1928 and 1939 by the Amalgamated Press and ran to some 610 issues. First launched on 11 February 1928 and always costing just 2d , the magazine ran initially to 523 weekly issues until 12 February 1938...
, Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
and Action publications.
Career
Later, as a writer, it was stated that he regularly wrote 4,000 words a day and took only two or three weeks to finish a novel; he even wrote one in just 10 days. Often he was seen with many glamorous woman, which amazed his many friends and acquaintances and for which he gained a reputation.His domestic life was chaotic, owing to his serial infidelity and bankruptcy; this often provided the inspiration for his work. He was from a working-class background and was essentially self-taught as a writer, basing his approach on that of his idol William Saroyan
William Saroyan
William Saroyan was an Armenian American dramatist and author. The setting of many of his stories and plays is the center of Armenian-American life in California in his native Fresno.-Early years:...
. He first achieved success as a genre writer, with the Pinetop Jones Western stories (writing as Bret Harding); he later contributed to the Sexton Blake
Sexton Blake
Sexton Blake is a fictional detective who appeared in many British comic strips and novels throughout the 20th century. He was described by Professor Jeffrey Richards on the BBC in The Radio Detectives in 2003 as "the poor man's Sherlock Holmes"...
detective series. His writing is unpretentious and effective, although it often assumes the reader's sympathies lie with the protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
even when behaving poorly. Politically he was determinedly anti-establishment.
Later life
When he was penniless in the 1970s he moved to the then new town of Milton KeynesMilton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
, where he was given a flat about the Museum of Rural Life. He meant to stay only one year, but remained there for the rest of his life.
Story was married three times, was divorced once and had eight children. Two of his wives predeceased him.
Although his works never reached a wide audience, he was respected by many in the media. He wrote a weekly column for The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
in the 1970s, and appeared on TV in the series Jack on the Box in 1979. He wrote several screenplays, including the TV play Mix Me a Person
Mix Me a Person
Mix Me a Person is a 1962 British crime drama film directed by Leslie Norman and starring Anne Baxter, Donald Sinden, Adam Faith, Walter Brown and Carole Ann Ford. A young London criminal is faced with a hanging for murdering a policeman...
, and the film version of Live Now - Pay Later. His final broadcast was an audio diary, Jack's Last Tape.