Mary Freeman Byrne (née Keith) (4 October 1886 – 18 January 1961) was an American author who sometimes wrote under the

pen name A pen name, also called a ''nom de plume'' or a literary double, is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name. A pen na ...

Marie Byrne. Byrne was born in Brockton,

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

, and trained for the stage at the Leland Powers Theatrical School in

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

. She appeared in plays with such actors of the day as

Joan Davis Josephine "Joan" Davis (June 29, 1907 – May 22, 1961) was an American comedic actress whose career spanned vaudeville, film, radio, and television. Remembered best for the 1950s television comedy ''I Married Joan'', Davis had a successful earl ...

and

Donald Meek Thomas Donald Meek (14 July 1878 – 18 November 1946) was a Scottish-American actor. He first performed publicly at the age of eight and began appearing on Broadway in 1903. Meek is perhaps best known for his roles in the films '' You Can't T ...

. She gave up acting and settled in

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

after marrying Ferdinand Byrne, who had a medical practise in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

. Byrne wrote short stories for American and British magazines, including ''Modern Weekly'', ''Charm'', and ''Home Weekly''. Byrne published her novel ''Softly Softly'' in 1958, under the pen name Marie Byrne. Byrne died at coastal Old House Farm,

West Itchenor West Itchenor is a village and civil parish, on the Manhood Peninsula, in the Chichester District of West Sussex, England. It lies north of the B2179 Chichester to West Wittering road 4.5 miles (7.3 km) southwest of Chichester. The vill ...

, West Sussex England in 1961 whereas her main home was declared to be 3 Watford Home, Northwood, Middlesex. Her estate was publicly sworn at £16,673 (). Her executors were Natalie W V Wolff, Phyllis R Doyle, and Miles Austin Byrne, an actor-relative.

References

1886 births 1961 deaths 20th-century American women writers Pseudonymous women writers People from Brockton, Massachusetts Writers from Massachusetts 20th-century pseudonymous writers {{US-story-writer-stub