The Prince and Betty
Encyclopedia
The Prince and Betty is a novel
by P. G. Wodehouse
. It was originally published in Ainslee's Magazine
in the United States
in January 1912, and, in a slightly different form, as a serial in Strand Magazine
in the United Kingdom
between February and April 1912, before being published in book form, in the UK only, by Mills & Boon
, London
, on 1 May that year. A substantially different version, which incorporated the plot of Psmith, Journalist
, was published in the US by W. J. Watt, New York on 14 February 1912.
on the small Mediterranean
island of Mervo, dragging in the unwitting heir to the throne to help. Little does he know that his stepdaughter Betty has history with the young man John Maude, and his schemes lead to a rift between the newly-reunited pair.
setting, with the plot of Psmith, Journalist, substantially rewritten to merge in the romance of John Maude (who becomes an American in this version) and Betty.
A silent, black-and-white
film version
was made in 1919
; it featured Boris Karloff
in what is described by the IMDB as an "undetermined role".
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....
by P. G. Wodehouse
P. G. Wodehouse
Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, KBE was an English humorist, whose body of work includes novels, short stories, plays, poems, song lyrics, and numerous pieces of journalism. He enjoyed enormous popular success during a career that lasted more than seventy years and his many writings continue to be...
. It was originally published in Ainslee's Magazine
Ainslee's Magazine
Ainslee's Magazine was an American literary periodical published from 1897 to 1926. It was originally published as a humor magazine called The Yellow Kid, based on the popular comic strip character. It was renamed Ainslee's, the following year....
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in January 1912, and, in a slightly different form, as a serial in Strand Magazine
Strand Magazine
The Strand Magazine was a monthly magazine composed of fictional stories and factual articles founded by George Newnes. It was first published in the United Kingdom from January 1891 to March 1950 running to 711 issues, though the first issue was on sale well before Christmas 1890.Its immediate...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
between February and April 1912, before being published in book form, in the UK only, by Mills & Boon
Mills & Boon
Mills & Boon is a British publisher of romance novels. It was founded in 1908, and was independent until its purchase in 1971 by Harlequin Enterprises with whom the company had had a long informal partnership...
, 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...
, on 1 May that year. A substantially different version, which incorporated the plot of Psmith, Journalist
Psmith, Journalist
Psmith, Journalist is a novel by P.G. Wodehouse, first released in the United Kingdom as a serial in The Captain magazine between October 1909 and February 1910, and published in book form in the UK on September 29, 1915, by Adam & Charles Black, London, and, from imported sheets, by Macmillan,...
, was published in the US by W. J. Watt, New York on 14 February 1912.
Plot introduction
The story tells of how unscrupulous millionaire Benjamin Scobell decides to build a casinoCasino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
on the small Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
island of Mervo, dragging in the unwitting heir to the throne to help. Little does he know that his stepdaughter Betty has history with the young man John Maude, and his schemes lead to a rift between the newly-reunited pair.
Characters in "The Prince and Betty"
- Benjamin Scobell, a wealthy and unscrupulous financier
- Betty Silver, Scobell's attractive stepdaughter
- John Maude, unwitting heir to a princedom, long admired by Betty
US version
The US version of The Prince and Betty combines the original story, transferred to a New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
setting, with the plot of Psmith, Journalist, substantially rewritten to merge in the romance of John Maude (who becomes an American in this version) and Betty.
A silent, black-and-white
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
film version
The Prince and Betty (film)
The Prince and Betty is a 1919 comedy film directed by Robert Thornby. It features Boris Karloff in an uncredited role. It is based on the novel of the same name written by P. G. Wodehouse.-Cast:* William Desmond - John Maude* Mary Thurman - Betty Keith...
was made in 1919
1919 in film
The year 1919 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*February 5 - Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and D.W. Griffith launch United Artists...
; it featured Boris Karloff
Boris Karloff
William Henry Pratt , better known by his stage name Boris Karloff, was an English actor.Karloff is best remembered for his roles in horror films and his portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in Frankenstein , Bride of Frankenstein , and Son of Frankenstein...
in what is described by the IMDB as an "undetermined role".
External links
- The Russian Wodehouse Society's page, with photos of book covers and a list of characters
- The Prince and Betty (1919) at the AFIAmerican Film InstituteThe American Film Institute is an independent non-profit organization created by the National Endowment for the Arts, which was established in 1967 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act...
silent movie catalog - American edition at Project GutenbergProject GutenbergProject Gutenberg is a volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks". Founded in 1971 by Michael S. Hart, it is the oldest digital library. Most of the items in its collection are the full texts of public domain books...