Edgar Wallace

Edgar Wallace c1900

Edgar Wallace plaque, Fleet Street

The Edgar Wallace, Essex St, London - geograph.org.uk - 1377954

Kong screenplay 1932 Edgar Wallace

Edgar Wallace (1 April 1875 – 10 February 1932) was a prolific British writer. Born into poverty as Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace in London, he overcame his humble beginnings to become a successful author, journalist, and playwright. Wallace's extensive bibliography includes crime novels, historical romances, and science fiction, but he is best remembered for his detective stories and thrillers.

Early Life

Edgar Wallace was born in Greenwich, London, to actors Richard Horatio Edgar and Polly Richards. Abandoned by his father in infancy, Wallace was adopted by a fish porter named George Freeman. He left school at the age of 12 and held various jobs, including selling newspapers and working in a rubber factory, before enlisting in the British Army at the age of 18. He served in the Royal West Kent Regiment and later in the Medical Staff Corps, where he began to write poetry and journalism.

Career

After his military service, Wallace became a correspondent for the London newspaper The Daily Mail during the Second Boer War in South Africa. His experiences there inspired his first collection of poetry, "The Mission that Failed!" (1898), and subsequently, his first book of war reporting, "Unofficial Despatches" (1901). His early journalistic work led to a successful career as a writer.

Wallace's breakthrough as a fiction writer came with the publication of his detective novel "The Four Just Men" (1905). The novel was notable for its suspenseful plot and its innovative method of publication; Wallace offered a prize to readers who could solve the mystery, a marketing stunt that nearly bankrupted him due to the overwhelming response. Despite this initial financial setback, the book established Wallace as a popular author.

Over his career, Wallace wrote more than 170 novels, 18 stage plays, and numerous articles and short stories. His works were characterized by fast-paced narratives, engaging plots, and a prolific output that made him one of the most popular writers of his time. Among his most famous creations is the character J.G. Reeder, a detective known for his psychological insight into criminals.

Later Life and Death

In the later years of his life, Wallace became involved in the film industry, working as a scriptwriter in Hollywood. However, his time in the United States was short-lived. Edgar Wallace returned to England due to health issues and died of pneumonia complicated by diabetes in 1932, at the age of 56.

Legacy

Edgar Wallace's legacy as a master of the thriller genre endures. Many of his works have been adapted into films, television series, and radio dramas. His novel "King Kong" (1933) was famously adapted into the iconic monster movie of the same name, released posthumously. Wallace's prolific output and his ability to engage readers with his storytelling prowess have cemented his place as one of the early 20th century's most influential writers in the crime and thriller genres.