Val Gielgud

Val Gielgud , actually Val Henry Gielgud , (born April 28, 1900 in London , † November 30, 1981 ibid) was an English writer and editor ( BBC ).

Gielgud was a son of Frank Gielgud (actually "Franciszek Giełgud") and his wife, the actress Kate Terry . His father came from an old Polish-Lithuanian aristocratic family and his mother from the Terry family of actors. The actor John Gielgud was his younger brother.

Gielgud studied at the University of Oxford , and upon successful completion, he got a job as secretary of Deputies ( House of Commons ). In 1921, while still a student, he married Natalija Mamontowa, a daughter of Sergei Mamontow and Natalja Sergejewna Brassowa . This connection lasted only two years; the couple separated and divorced in 1926. In total, Gielgud was married five times.

In 1929 Gielgud went to the BBC and stayed there until his retirement in 1964 in the radio play department ; which he also directed for many years. In addition to his actual profession, an independent literary work was created over the years, which was received with praise by the public as well as by literary criticism. Together with Eric Maschwitz he wrote some detective novels ; her protagonist was always Inspector Simon Spear from the CID .

Val Gielgud died at the age of 81 on November 30, 1981 in London, where he found his final resting place.

Works (selection)

Autobiography

• One year of grace. A fragment of autobiography . Longmans Green, London 1957.

prose

• Broken men. A novel . 1933.
• Imperial treasure. A novel . Constable, London 1932.
• Simon Spear cycle
  • Death at Broadcasting House . 1934.
  • The goggle-box affair . 1963.
  • Prinvest London . 1965.

radio

• British radio drama. 1922-1956; a survey . Harrap, London 1957.
• Radio theater. Play specially written for broadcasting . MacDonalds, London 1946.
• The right way to radio play writing . Right-Way-Books, Kingston 1948.

literature

• Armin Arnold u. a. (Ed.): Reclams Kriminalromanführer . Reclam, Stuttgart 1978, ISBN 3-15-010278-2 , p. 173.
• Otto Penzler: Detectionary. a biographical dictionary of leading characters in detective and mystery fiction . Overlook Press, Woodstock, NY 1977, ISBN 0-87951-041-2 .

Web links

• Val Gielgud in the Internet Movie Database (English)