Jack Trevor Story (30 March 1917 – 5 December 1991) was a British novelist, publishing prolifically from the 1940s to the 1970s. His best-known works are the 1949 comic mystery ''The Trouble with Harry'' (which was adapted for Alfred Hitchcock's 1955 film of the same name), the Albert Argyle trilogy (''Live Now, Pay Later'', ''Something for Nothing'' and ''The Urban District Lover''), and his Horace Spurgeon novels (''I Sit in Hanger Lane'', ''One Last Mad Embrace'', ''Hitler Needs You''). He also wrote under the names Alex Atwell, Bret Harding and Rex Riotti.

Early life

Story was born in Hertford, England, in 1917, the son of a baker's roundsman and a domestic servant. During the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

his father was killed, after which his mother moved to

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a College town, university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cam ...

and worked in one of the colleges. As a young boy, Story worked as a butcher's lad making local deliveries. He stated that his early education was derived from ''

The Modern Boy ''The Modern Boy'' (later ''Modern Boy'') was a British boys' magazine published between 1928 and 1939 by the Amalgamated Press. It ran to some 610 issues. It was first launched on 11 February 1928 and cost 2d (two old pence, when there were 24 ...

'', '' Melody Maker'' and ''Action'' publications.

Career

Later, as a writer, it was stated that he regularly wrote 4,000 words a day and took only two or three weeks to finish a novel; he even wrote one in just 10 days. Often he was seen with many glamorous women, which amazed his many friends and acquaintances, and for which he gained a reputation. His domestic life was chaotic, owing to his serial infidelity and bankruptcy; this often provided the inspiration for his work. He was from a working-class background and was essentially self-taught as a writer, basing his approach on that of his idol

William Saroyan William Saroyan (; August 31, 1908 – May 18, 1981) was an Armenian-American novelist, playwright, and short story writer. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1940, and in 1943 won the Academy Award for Best Story for the film ''T ...

. He first achieved success as a genre writer, with the Pinetop Jones Western stories (writing as Bret Harding); he later contributed to the

Sexton Blake Sexton Blake is a fictional character, a detective who has been featured in many British comic strips, novels and dramatic productions since 1893. Sexton Blake adventures were featured in a wide variety of British and international publications ...

detective series. His writing is unpretentious and effective, although it often assumes the reader's sympathies lie with the protagonist even when behaving poorly. Politically he was determinedly anti-establishment.

Later life

When he was penniless in the 1970s he moved to the then new town of Milton Keynes, where he was given a flat above the Museum of Rural Life as the "writer and poet in residence" of the town, which was still being built around him. At that time (1976–1979), Milton Keynes had its own black-and-white TV station, broadcasting for a few hours daily. Story was seen frequently on the station. He meant to stay in Milton Keynes only one year, but remained there for the rest of his life. Although his later works never reached a wide audience, he was respected by many in the media. He wrote a weekly column for ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'' in the 1970s, and appeared on TV in the series ''Jack on the Box'' in 1979. He wrote several screenplays, including the 1962 TV play ''

Mix Me a Person ''Mix Me a Person'' is a 1962 British crime drama film directed by Leslie Norman, starring Anne Baxter, Donald Sinden, Adam Faith, Walter Brown and Carole Ann Ford. The screenplay concerns a young London criminal who is faced with being hang ...

'', and the film version of '' Live Now, Pay Later'', as well as successful films for

Anna Neagle Dame Florence Marjorie Wilcox (''née'' Robertson; 20 October 1904 – 3 June 1986), known professionally as Anna Neagle, was an English stage and film actress, singer, and dancer. She was a successful box-office draw in the British cinema ...

and

Herbert Wilcox Herbert Sydney Wilcox CBE (19 April 1890 – 15 May 1977) was a British film producer and director. He was one of the most successful British filmmakers from the 1920s to the 1950s. He is best known for the films he made with his third wif ...

: ''

These Dangerous Years ''These Dangerous Years'' (also known as ''Dangerous Youth'') is a 1957 British drama musical film directed by Herbert Wilcox and starring George Baker, Frankie Vaughan, Carole Lesley, Thora Hird, Kenneth Cope, David Lodge and John Le Mesurie ...

'' (1957), ''

Wonderful Things! ''Wonderful Things!'' is a 1958 British comedy romance film directed by Herbert Wilcox and starring Frankie Vaughan, Jocelyn Lane and Wilfrid Hyde-White. It was written by Jack Trevor Story. The screenplay concerns two fishermen brothers who cl ...

'' (1958) and ''

The Heart of a Man ''The Heart of a Man'' is a 1959 British drama film directed by Herbert Wilcox and starring Frankie Vaughan, Anne Heywood and Tony Britton. Its plot concerns a millionaire in disguise who gives a young man money to help him pursue his singing c ...

'' (1959). Story's final broadcast was an audio diary, ''Jack's Last Tape''.

Family

Story was married three times, was divorced once and had eight children. Two of his wives predeceased him.

Selected bibliography

Series * ''Pinetop Jones'' (as by Bret Harding) *''Fugitive'' (1953) *''Guns Of Pecos (1953) *''Renegade'' (1953) *''Appointment in Topeka'' (1954) *''Blood Feud'' (1954) *''California in the Morning'' (1954) *''Oregon Grab'' (1954) *''South of Arroyo'' (1954) *''Vigilante'' (1954) Albert Argyle * ''Live Now, Pay Later'' (

Secker & Warburg Harvill Secker is a British publishing company formed in 2005 from the merger of Secker & Warburg and the Harvill Press. History Secker & Warburg Secker & Warburg was formed in 1935 from a takeover of Martin Secker, which was in receivership, ...

, 1963) * ''Something for Nothing'' (1963) * ''The Urban District Lover'' (1964) * ''Albert Rides Again'' (

Allison & Busby Allison & Busby (A & B) is a publishing house based in London established by Clive Allison and Margaret Busby in 1967. The company has built up a reputation as a leading independent publisher. Background Launching as a publishing company in Ma ...

/ W. H. Allen, 1990) * ''Live Now, Pay Later Trilogy'' (omnibus) (1989) Horace Spurgeon Fenton *''I Sit in Hanger Lane'' (1968) *''Hitler Needs You'' (Allison and Busby, 1970) *''One Last Mad Embrace'' (Allison and Busby, 1970) Novels *''The Trouble with Harry'' (T.V. Boardman, 1949; Macmillan, New York; Leveret Press, 1985) *''Protection for a Lady'' (1950) *''Green to Pagan Street'' (1952) *''Scarlet Widow'' (1953) (as by Rex Riotti) *''Brother Satan'' (1954) (as by Alex Atwell) *''Horse Thief Trail'' (1954) (as by Alex Atwell) *''Legacy of Lead'' (1954) (as by Alex Atwell) *''Murder On My Mind'' (1955) *''The Trouble with Trudy'' (1955) *''The Money Goes Round and Round'' (Alvin Redman, 1958) *''Murder in the Sun'' (1958) *''Nine o'Clock Shadow'' (1958) *''Mix Me a Person'' (1959) *''Man Pinches Bottom'' (1962) *''Dishonourable Member'' (1969) *''Little Dog's Day'' (Allison and Busby, 1971) *''Wind in the Snottygobble Tree'' (Allison and Busby, 1971) *''Crying Makes Your Nose Run'' (David Bruce & Watson, 1974) *''Morag's Flying Fortress'' (1976) *''Up River'' (1979) Omnibus *''Story on Crime'' (1975)

Legacy

The Jack Trevor Story Memorial Cup is an award maintained by his friend

Michael Moorcock Michael John Moorcock (born 18 December 1939) is an English writer, best-known for science fiction and fantasy, who has published a number of well-received literary novels as well as comic thrillers, graphic novels and non-fiction. He has worke ...

, the winner being determined by a special committee organized by Moorcock. The prize money is given on the condition that "the entire award must be spent 'in a week to a fortnight' and the recipient must have nothing to show for it. Most winners use the money for a big night or a foreign vacation. One winner, a trawlerman from Hull who spent the money with the expertise of a drunken sailor before he got home, had to spend the money all over again just to prove to his shipmates that he’d won it." The conditions echo what Story reportedly said at his second bankruptcy when asked in court where the money from his films had gone: "You know how it is, your honour ‑ two hundred or two thousand ‑ it always lasts a week to a fortnight. You can spend a couple of hundred easy just going around the supermarket." Winners of the Jack Trevor Story Memorial Cup include Fred Normandale,

Steve Aylett Steve Aylett (born 1967 in Bromley, United Kingdom) is an English author of satirical science fiction, fantasy, and slipstream. According to the critic Bill Ectric, "much of Aylett’s work combines the bawdy, action-oriented style of Voltaire wit ...

Nicholas Lezard Nicholas Andrew Selwyn LezardThe Cambridge University List of Members up to 31 December 1991, Cambridge University Press, p. 814 is an English journalist, author and literary critic. Background and education The Lezard family went from London to ...

and

Howard Waldrop Howard Waldrop (born September 15, 1946) is a science fiction author who works primarily in short fiction. He received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 2021. Personal life Though born in Houston, Mississippi, Waldrop has spent ...

.Jeff, VanderMeer
"Congrats to Howard Waldrop: First American to Win the Jack Trevor Story Memorial Cup"
''The Southern Reach'', 27 August 2009.

References

External links

Jack Trevor Story: A tribute and resource site

Bibliography for Jack Trevor Story
* *

"Jack’s Unforgettable Christmas"
Savoy, 1991. {{DEFAULTSORT:Story, Jack Trevor 1917 births 1991 deaths People from Hertford 20th-century English novelists English male novelists British columnists 20th-century English male writers Authors of Sexton Blake