About
Edgar Wallace, born Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace in Greenwich, London, in 1875, was a prolific British writer. Abandoned at nine days old, he was adopted by a fish porter. After a stint in the army, he became a war correspondent for Reuters and the Daily Mail during the Boer War. His first major success, The Four Just Men (1905), launched his career. He wrote approximately 175 novels and 24 stage plays, creating characters like Mr. J. G. Reeder and Detective Sgt. Elk. A pioneer of the modern thriller, he was among the first British crime writers to use police detectives as protagonists. In 1931, he moved to Hollywood and wrote the original story treatment for King Kong.
* 1875-04-01 — † 1932-02-10
Major works
- The Four Just Men (1905)novel
- Sanders of the River (1911)novel
- The Crimson Circle (1922)novel
- The Mind of Mr. J. G. Reeder (1925)novel
- King Kong (story treatment) (1932)story treatment
Key milestones
- 1905Publication of his first major success, The Four Just Men.
- 1931Moves to Hollywood and writes the original story treatment for King Kong.
- 1932Dies in Hollywood of pneumonia complicated by undiagnosed diabetes.
Themes
Vigilante justiceCrime and detectionColonial adventureSuspenseBeauty and the beast
Sources: britannica.com · bbc.co.uk