Kenneth Royce Gandley (1920–1997) was an English thriller writer who also wrote under name Ken Royce, and the

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...

Oliver Jacks.

Early life

Royce was born in Croydon, UK in 1920, and began writing at school. He would buy cheap exercise books and sell them fully illustrated for twice the price. During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

he served with "various regiments" and reached the rank of captain. He ran his own travel business, and made full use of it to gather background for his books.

Career

Royce wrote 36 thriller novels between 1959 and 1997 under his own name (including ''The Third Arm'', ''The Stalin Account'', ''Fall-Out'', ''10,000 Days'' and ''Channel Assault''), and three as Jacks. His best-known works were his novels featuring semi-reformed cat burglar William 'Spider' Scott, an XYY man, whose extra 'Y' chromosome (in the erroneous-but-conventional wisdom of the time) gave him a pre-disposition towards criminality. After attempting to 'go straight', he finds his talents are in demand not only from the criminal underworld, but also the secret service, and he is co-opted into dangerous undercover work (usually through blackmail, the temptations of money, or through his interest being piqued). A television series of ''

The XYY Man ''The XYY Man'' began as a series of novels by Kenneth Royce, featuring the character of William (or Willie) 'Spider' Scott, a one-time cat-burglar who leaves prison aiming to go straight but finds his talents still to be very much in demand ...

'' in 1976-7 (adapting the early books) created a popular appetite for the character, and also that of his nemesis, Detective Sergeant George Bulman, a relatively minor character in the original books, but brought to life on the screen by the memorable performance of

Don Henderson Donald Francis Henderson (10 November 1931 – 22 June 1997)Ancestry/Find My Past (his birth was registered in the December 1931 quarter) was an English actor. He was known for playing both "tough guy" roles and authority figures, and is remem ...

. After the run of Spider Scott programmes ended, the character of Bulman had many television adventures not based on Royce's work (the series '' Strangers'', 1978–82, and ''

Bulman ''Bulman'' is a British television crime drama series, principally written and created by Murray Smith. It was first broadcast on ITV on 5 June 1985. The series, featuring retired ex-cop George Bulman (Don Henderson) and his assistant Lucy Mc ...

'', 1985-7). The popularity of these probably contributed to Royce choosing to make Scott and Bulman unlikely allies and joint leads from ''The Crypto Man'' through ''No Way Back'', while he wrote more Bulman novels towards the end of his life, including ''The Judas Trail'' (1996) and ''Shadows'' (1996). Royce was married and lived in Buckinghamshire, UK. He died in 1997.

Bibliography

William "Spider" Scott/ George Bulman novels

*''The XYY Man'' (1970) *''Concrete Boot'' (1971) *''The Miniatures Frame'' (1972) *''Spider Underground'' (''The Masterpiece Affair'') (1973) *''Trap Spider'' (1974) *''The Crypto Man'' (1984) *''The Mosley Receipt'' (1985). *''No Way Back'', a.k.a. ''Hashimi's Revenge'' (1986 - a direct sequel to ''The Mosley Receipt''). *''The Judas Trail'' (1996) *''Shadows'' (1996)

TV adaptations

*''

'' (1976-1977) *'' Strangers'' (1978-1982) *''

'' (1985-1987) {{DEFAULTSORT:Royce, Kenneth 1920 births 1997 deaths English writers