Jean Ray
Encyclopedia
Jean Ray is the best-known pseudonym
among the many used by Raymundus Joannes de Kremer (8 July 1887 – 17 September 1964), a prolific Belgian
(Flemish
) writer. Although he wrote journalism
, stories for young readers in Dutch
by the name John Flanders, and scenarios for comic strips and detective stories, he is best known for his tales of the fantastique
written in French under the name Jean Ray. Among speakers of English, he is famous for his macabre novel Malpertuis
(1943), which was filmed by Harry Kümel in 1971 (starring Orson Welles
). He also used the pseudonyms King Ray, Alix R. Bantam and Sailor John, among others.
, his father a minor port official, his mother the director of a girls' school. Ray was a fairly successful student but failed to complete his university studies, and from 1910 to 1919 he worked in clerical jobs in the city administration.
By the early 1920s he had joined the editorial team of the Journal de Gand. Later he also joined the monthly L'Ami du Livre. His first book, Les Contes du Whisky, a collection of fantastic and uncanny stories, was published in 1925.
In 1926 he was charged with embezzlement
and sentenced to six years in prison, but served only two years. During his imprisonment he wrote two of his best-known long stories, The Shadowy Street and The Mainz Psalter. From the time of his release in 1929 until the outbreak of the Second World War, he wrote virtually non-stop.
Between 1933 and 1940, Ray produced over a hundred tales in a series of detective stories, The Adventures of Harry Dickson
, the American Sherlock Holmes
. He had been hired to translate a series from the German, but Ray found the stories so bad that he suggested to his Amsterdam
publisher that he should re-write them instead. The publisher agreed, provided only that each story be about the same length as the original, and match the book's cover illustration. The Harry Dickson stories are admired by the film director
Alain Resnais
among others. During the winter of 1959–1960 Resnais met with Ray in the hope of making a film based on the Harry Dickson character, but nothing came of the project.
During the Second World War Ray's prodigious output slowed, but he was able to publish his best works in French, under the name Jean Ray: Le Grand Nocturne (1942), La Cité de l'Indicible Peur, also adapted into a film starring Bourvil
, Malpertuis, Les Cercles de L'Epouvante (all 1943), Les Derniers Contes de Canterbury (1944) and Le Livre des Fantômes (1947).
After the war he was again reduced to hackwork, writing comic-strip scenarios by the name of John Flanders. He was rescued from obscurity by Raymond Queneau
and Roland Stragliati, whose influence got Malpertuis reprinted in French in 1956.
A few weeks before his death, he wrote his own mock epitaph
in a letter to his friend Albert van Hageland: Ci gît Jean Ray/homme sinistre/qui ne fut rien/pas même ministre ("Here lies Jean Ray/A man sinister/who was nothing/not even a minister").
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
among the many used by Raymundus Joannes de Kremer (8 July 1887 – 17 September 1964), a prolific Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
(Flemish
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
) writer. Although he wrote journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
, stories for young readers in Dutch
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
by the name John Flanders, and scenarios for comic strips and detective stories, he is best known for his tales of the fantastique
Fantastique
The Fantastique is a French term for a literary and cinematic genre that overlaps with science fiction, horror and fantasy.The fantastique is a substantial genre within French literature...
written in French under the name Jean Ray. Among speakers of English, he is famous for his macabre novel Malpertuis
Malpertuis
Malpertuis is a gothic horror novel by the Belgian author Jean Ray.-Premise:Malpertuis is a crumbling, ancient house where a dying warlock has trapped the aging gods of Olympus inside the "skins" of ordinary Flemish citizens.-Structure:...
(1943), which was filmed by Harry Kümel in 1971 (starring Orson Welles
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles , best known as Orson Welles, was an American film director, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked extensively in film, theatre, television and radio...
). He also used the pseudonyms King Ray, Alix R. Bantam and Sailor John, among others.
Biography
Ray was born in GhentGhent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
, his father a minor port official, his mother the director of a girls' school. Ray was a fairly successful student but failed to complete his university studies, and from 1910 to 1919 he worked in clerical jobs in the city administration.
By the early 1920s he had joined the editorial team of the Journal de Gand. Later he also joined the monthly L'Ami du Livre. His first book, Les Contes du Whisky, a collection of fantastic and uncanny stories, was published in 1925.
In 1926 he was charged with embezzlement
Embezzlement
Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted....
and sentenced to six years in prison, but served only two years. During his imprisonment he wrote two of his best-known long stories, The Shadowy Street and The Mainz Psalter. From the time of his release in 1929 until the outbreak of the Second World War, he wrote virtually non-stop.
Between 1933 and 1940, Ray produced over a hundred tales in a series of detective stories, The Adventures of Harry Dickson
Harry Dickson
Harry Dickson is a fictional pulp detective, born in America, educated in London, and was called The American Sherlock Holmes. He has appeared in almost 200 pulp magazines published in Germany, Holland, Belgium and France.- History :...
, the American Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
. He had been hired to translate a series from the German, but Ray found the stories so bad that he suggested to his Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
publisher that he should re-write them instead. The publisher agreed, provided only that each story be about the same length as the original, and match the book's cover illustration. The Harry Dickson stories are admired by the film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
Alain Resnais
Alain Resnais
Alain Resnais is a French film director whose career has extended over more than six decades. After training as a film editor in the mid-1940s, he went on to direct a number of short films which included Nuit et Brouillard , an influential documentary about the Nazi concentration camps.He began...
among others. During the winter of 1959–1960 Resnais met with Ray in the hope of making a film based on the Harry Dickson character, but nothing came of the project.
During the Second World War Ray's prodigious output slowed, but he was able to publish his best works in French, under the name Jean Ray: Le Grand Nocturne (1942), La Cité de l'Indicible Peur, also adapted into a film starring Bourvil
Bourvil
André Bourvil, born André Robert Raimbourg was a French actor and singer best known for his roles in comedy, most notably in his collaboration with Louis de Funès in La Grande Vadrouille .-Biography:His father was killed in the First World War before Bourvil was born...
, Malpertuis, Les Cercles de L'Epouvante (all 1943), Les Derniers Contes de Canterbury (1944) and Le Livre des Fantômes (1947).
After the war he was again reduced to hackwork, writing comic-strip scenarios by the name of John Flanders. He was rescued from obscurity by Raymond Queneau
Raymond Queneau
Raymond Queneau was a French poet and novelist and the co-founder of Ouvroir de littérature potentielle .-Biography:Born in Le Havre, Seine-Maritime, Queneau was the only child of Auguste Queneau and Joséphine Mignot...
and Roland Stragliati, whose influence got Malpertuis reprinted in French in 1956.
A few weeks before his death, he wrote his own mock epitaph
Epitaph
An epitaph is a short text honoring a deceased person, strictly speaking that is inscribed on their tombstone or plaque, but also used figuratively. Some are specified by the dead person beforehand, others chosen by those responsible for the burial...
in a letter to his friend Albert van Hageland: Ci gît Jean Ray/homme sinistre/qui ne fut rien/pas même ministre ("Here lies Jean Ray/A man sinister/who was nothing/not even a minister").
in English
- Ghouls in my Grave (Berkley Publishing Corporation, 1965, F1071) translated from French by Lowell Bair
- Gold Teeth
- The Shadowy Street
- I Killed Alfred Heavenrock
- The Cemetery Watchman
- The Mainz Psalter
- The Last Traveler
- The Black Mirror
- Mr Glass Changes Direction
- My Own Private Spectres (Midnight House, 1999) limited edition of 350 copies
- The Horrifying Presence and Other Tales (Ex Occidente, 2009) translated from French by António Monteiro
in French (Jean Ray)
- Les Contes du Whisky [The Tales Of Whiskey] (1925, rev. 1946)
- La Croisière des Ombres [The Cruise Of Shadows] (1932)
- Le Grand Nocturne [The Great Darkness] (1942)
- Les Cercles de l'Epouvante [The Circles Of Terror] (1943)
- Malpertuis (1943; transl. Atlas Press, 1998)
- La Cité de l'Indicible Peur [The City Of The Unspeakable Fear] (1943)
- Les Derniers Contes de Canterbury [The Last Tales Of Canterbury] (1944)
- La Gerbe Noire (editor) (1947)
- Le Livre des Fantômes [The Book Of Ghosts] (1947; rev. 1966)
- 25 Histoires Noires et Fantastiques [25 Dark And Fantastic Tales] (1961)
- Le Carrousel des Malefices [The Spellbound Merry-Go-Round] (1964)
- Les Contes Noirs du Golf [Dark Tales Of Golf] (1964)
- Saint Judas-de-la-Nuit [St. Judas-Of-The-Night] (1964)
in Dutch (John Flanders)
- Spoken op de ruwe heide [Ghosts on the heath] (1935)
- Het monster van Borough [The monster of Borough] (1948)
- Geheimen van het Noorden [Secrets of the North] (1948)
- Het zwarte eiland [The black island] (1948)