James Elward
Encyclopedia
James Elward was an author, actor, screenwriter, and playwright.
, Illinois
to Daisyann Lenert Elward and Joseph Francis Elward. He was the brother to Paul Elward
. A native of Chicago, he received a bachelor's degree in 1950 from The Catholic University of America
in Washington.
James Elward resided in New York City
. He was most noted for writing soap opera
s in the 1960s and 1970s such as The Secret Storm
, The Guiding Light, and Dr. Kildare
. He also wrote and produced a soap opera called The Young Marrieds
.
Additionally, he wrote several plays for theaters in New York and London
. He was active in summer stock with the Barnstormers
in Tamworth, New Hampshire
.
He published three novels for Doubleday under the name of "Rebecca James": Storm's End (1974), The House Is Dark (1976), and Tomorrow Is Mine (1979). He also published under his own name, including Ask For Nothing More (1984), Monday's Child Is Dead (1995), and Public Smiles, Private Tears (1982) with Helen Van Slyke, a New York Times bestseller.
In 1991 he helped to organize Mystery Stage, Inc. a group that worked to foster stage performances in the mystery genre in New York City. He died in 1996.
The New York Times Book Section covered his death in New York City
:
Jame's most critically acclaimed play, Best of Friends
, was first produced in London
in 1970.
James performed for 40 years at the Barnstormers Theatre
in Tamworth, New Hampshire
. Photos of his work can be viewed here.
Other plays include:
Before he was an author and playwright, James was a screenwriter; notably for The Young Marrieds
and Strange Paradise.
Personal Life/Education
He was born in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
to Daisyann Lenert Elward and Joseph Francis Elward. He was the brother to Paul Elward
Paul Elward
Paul Francis Elward Born in Chicago, Illinois to Daisyann Lenert Elward and Joseph Francis Elward. Brother to James J. Elward. He attended St. Ignatius Grammar School and then graduated from Loyola Academy at the age of 16. After serving in the US Navy from 1944 to 1946, Elward went on to Loyola...
. A native of Chicago, he received a bachelor's degree in 1950 from The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
in Washington.
James Elward resided in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He was most noted for writing soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
s in the 1960s and 1970s such as The Secret Storm
The Secret Storm
The Secret Storm is a soap opera which ran on CBS from February 1, 1954 to February 8, 1974. The series was created by Roy Winsor, who also created the long-running soap operas Search for Tomorrow and Love of Life...
, The Guiding Light, and Dr. Kildare
Dr. Kildare
Dr. James Kildare is a fictional character, the primary character in a series of American theatrical films in the late 1930s and early 1940s, an early 1950s radio series, a 1960s television series of the same name and a comic book based on the TV show, and a short-lived 1970s television series...
. He also wrote and produced a soap opera called The Young Marrieds
The Young Marrieds
The Young Marrieds was an American daytime soap opera which aired on ABC from October 5, 1964, to March 25, 1966.The program was created by James Elward and written by Elward with Frances Rickett. Authors John Pascal and Francine Pascal also wrote for the series. It was produced in Hollywood by...
.
Additionally, he wrote several plays for theaters in New York and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He was active in summer stock with the Barnstormers
Barnstormers Theatre
The Barnstormers Theatre is located in Tamworth, New Hampshire, and is the oldest ongoing professional summer theatre in the country. It was founded in 1931 by Francis Cleveland, the son of twenty-second president Grover Cleveland...
in Tamworth, New Hampshire
Tamworth, New Hampshire
Tamworth is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,856 at the 2010 census. Tamworth includes the villages of Chocorua, South Tamworth, Wonalancet, and Whittier. The White Mountain National Forest is to the north...
.
He published three novels for Doubleday under the name of "Rebecca James": Storm's End (1974), The House Is Dark (1976), and Tomorrow Is Mine (1979). He also published under his own name, including Ask For Nothing More (1984), Monday's Child Is Dead (1995), and Public Smiles, Private Tears (1982) with Helen Van Slyke, a New York Times bestseller.
In 1991 he helped to organize Mystery Stage, Inc. a group that worked to foster stage performances in the mystery genre in New York City. He died in 1996.
Novels
- Public Smiles, Private Tears - with Helen Van Slyke
- Monday's Child Is Dead
- As Rebecca James:
- Storm's End
- The House Is Dark
- Ask for Nothing More
The New York Times Book Section covered his death in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
:
The book Public Smiles, Private Tears was about a woman's rise in the world of retail fashion. One reviewer wrote, "James Elward has done his assigned (and subservient) job commendably -- perhaps even with a bit more style and vitality than the author who was dying as she wrote." The novel was on the New York Times hard-cover fiction best-seller list for 14 weeks in 1982, rising to seventh place. In 1983 its paperback edition reached fifth place on the Times best-seller list of mass-market paperback books.
Jame's most critically acclaimed play, Best of Friends
Best of Friends
-Tasks and Treats:In the show, five friends with a strong friendship must complete a series of three unpleasant tasks in order to win a final treat The tasks include mucking out pigs, cleaning bins, picking up ice with the bare feet, getting your feet tickled without laughing or smiling and so on,...
, was first produced in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1970.
James performed for 40 years at the Barnstormers Theatre
Barnstormers Theatre
The Barnstormers Theatre is located in Tamworth, New Hampshire, and is the oldest ongoing professional summer theatre in the country. It was founded in 1931 by Francis Cleveland, the son of twenty-second president Grover Cleveland...
in Tamworth, New Hampshire
Tamworth, New Hampshire
Tamworth is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,856 at the 2010 census. Tamworth includes the villages of Chocorua, South Tamworth, Wonalancet, and Whittier. The White Mountain National Forest is to the north...
. Photos of his work can be viewed here.
Other plays include:
- Mary Agnes Is Thirty Five
- Passport
- The River
Before he was an author and playwright, James was a screenwriter; notably for The Young Marrieds
The Young Marrieds
The Young Marrieds was an American daytime soap opera which aired on ABC from October 5, 1964, to March 25, 1966.The program was created by James Elward and written by Elward with Frances Rickett. Authors John Pascal and Francine Pascal also wrote for the series. It was produced in Hollywood by...
and Strange Paradise.