List of works by Leslie Charteris
Leslie Charteris (born Leslie Charles Bowyer Yin; 1907–1993) was a British-American writer best known for his series on stories featuring Simon Templar, also known as The Saint.[1] Born in Singapore to a Chinese father, Suat Yin Chwan, and his English wife, Lydia (née Bowyer), Charteris travelled extensively with his family until beginning his education in England in 1919.[2][3] In 1925 he enrolled at King's College, Cambridge, but left after a year in order to become a writer;[4] to support himself, he worked as a goldminer, bartender, professional bridge player and temporary policeman. In October 1926 he changed his name by deed poll to Leslie Charles Bowyer Charteris-Ian, and professionally used the shorter version, Leslie Charteris.[1]
Novels↙ | 19 |
---|---|
Collections↙ | 14 |
Scripts↙ | 8 |
Translations↙ | 1 |
Novellas↙ | 11 |
Non-fiction↙ | 2 |
Introduction↙ | 1 |
References and footnotes |
Charteris's first novel, X Esquire, which he later described as "an appallingly bad book", was published in 1927;[5] his second novel—The White Rider, published in 1928—is "overwritten and poorly constructed", according to his biographer Joan DelFattore.[5] In his third novel, Meet the Tiger (1928), he introduced the character of Simon Templar, a debonair gentleman crook who goes by the nom de guerre, The Saint.[6]
Charteris continued writing Saint books and the series gained in popularity because of its "mix of light humour, sophisticated settings, and story-line emphasising the role of a crusader tackling the forces of evil", which had "special appeal in the depression".[1] Charteris moved to the United States in 1932 and soon began writing screenplays, the first of which resulted in Midnight Club, released in 1933.[7][8]
Charteris also worked on three books of non-fiction and an introduction to the 1980 re-issue of The Saint Meets the Tiger. The works consisted of a translation from Spanish to English of the autobiography of the bullfighter Juan Belmonte, a language guide to Spanish, and a guide to Paleneo, a wordless, pictorial sign language invented by Charteris.[9] He died in Windsor, Berkshire, in April 1993.[1]
Novels and story collections
Charteris's description of Simon Templar in The Saint Goes West.[10]
Screenplays
![](../I/Roger_Moore_The_Saint_1969.JPG.webp)
Title[61] | Year | Co-writer(s) | Studio | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Midnight Club | 1933 | Seton I. Miller | Paramount Pictures | [62] |
The Saint's Double Trouble | 1940 | Ben Holmes | RKO Radio Pictures | [63] |
The Saint's Vacation | 1941 | Jeffrey Dell | RKO Radio Pictures | [64] |
The Saint in Palm Springs | 1941 | Jerome Cady | RKO Radio Pictures | [65] |
Lady on a Train | 1945 | – | Universal | [66] |
River Gang | 1945 | – | Universal | [67] |
Two Smart People | 1946 | Ethel Hill | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer | [68] |
Tarzan and the Huntress | 1947 | Jerry Gruskin, Rowland Leigh | RKO Radio Pictures | [69] |
Non-fiction
![](../I/Torero_Belmonte.JPG.webp)
Title | Year of first publication |
First edition publisher | Category | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Juan Belmonte, Killer of Bulls: The Autobiography of a Matador | 1937 | Heinemann, London | Autobiography | Charteris undertook the translation from Spanish to English | [8] |
Spanish for Fun | 1964 | Hodder & Stoughton, London | Language guide | – | [70] |
Paleneo: A Universal Sign Language | 1972 | Hodder & Stoughton, London | Sign language guide | Paleneo, a wordless, pictorial sign language, was invented by Charteris | [71] |
The Saint Meets the Tiger | 1980 | Charter Communications, Indianapolis, IN | Saint novel | Introduction only | [61] |
Notes and references
Notes
- Novelisation of the film of the same name, for which Charteris also wrote the script.[8]
- by Harry Harrison, Leslie Charteris.[55]
- by Fleming Lee, Leslie Charteris; novelisation of a comic strip.[57]
- by Fleming Lee, Leslie Charteris; novelisation of a television script.[59]
References
- Lycett 2004.
- Lofts & Adley 1985, pp. 4–5.
- "Dr. S. C. Yin (Son created 'The Saint') dies at 82". Singapore Free Press. 3 April 1958. p. 1.
- Wright 1997, p. 76.
- DelFattore 1989, p. 61.
- Lofts & Adley 1985, p. 6.
- DelFattore 1989, p. 62.
- "Leslie Charteris". Contemporary Authors. Gale. Retrieved 3 January 2014. (subscription required)
- DelFattore 1989, p. 66–67.
- Charteris 2013, p. 4.
- DelFattore 1989, pp. 58–59.
- Lofts & Adley 1985, pp. 11–12.
- Wright 1997, pp. 47–50.
- "X Esquire". British Library Catalogue. London: British Library. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "The White Rider". British Library Catalogue. London: British Library. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "Meet the Tiger". British Library Catalogue. London: British Library. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "The Bandit". British Library Catalogue. London: British Library. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- Although not considered a Saint book, this novel did introduce the character of Insp. Claude Eustace Teal, who became a recurring figure in the Saint series.
- "Daredevil". British Library Catalogue. London: British Library. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "Enter the Saint". British Library Catalogue. London: British Library. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "Knight Templar". British Library Catalogue. London: British Library. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "The Last Hero". British Library Catalogue. London: British Library. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "Featuring the Saint". British Library Catalogue. London: British Library. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "Alias the Saint". British Library Catalogue. London: British Library. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "She Was a Lady". British Library Catalogue. London: British Library. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "Holy Terror". British Library Catalogue. London: British Library. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "Getaway. A "Saint" novel". British Library Catalogue. London: British Library. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "Once More the Saint". British Library Catalogue. London: British Library. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "The Brighter Buccaneer. More "Saint" stories". British Library Catalogue. London: British Library. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "Misfortunes of Mr. Teal". British Library Catalogue. London: British Library. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "Boodle. Stories of "The Saint."". British Library Catalogue. London: British Library. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "Saint Goes On". British Library Catalogue. London: British Library. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "The Saint in New York". British Library Catalogue. London: British Library. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "Saint Overboard". British Library Catalogue. London: British Library. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "Thieves' Picnic". British Library Catalogue. London: British Library. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "Prelude for War". British Library Catalogue. London: British Library. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "Follow the Saint". Library of Congress Catalogue. Washington: Library of Congress. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "The Happy Highwayman". British Library Catalogue. London: British Library. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "The Saint in Miami". Library of Congress Catalogue. Washington: Library of Congress. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "The Saint Goes West". British Library Catalogue. London: British Library. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "The Saint Steps In". Library of Congress Catalogue. Washington: Library of Congress. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "The Saint on Guard". Library of Congress Catalogue. Washington: Library of Congress. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "The Saint Sees it Through". Library of Congress Catalogue. Washington: Library of Congress. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "Call for the Saint". British Library Catalogue. London: British Library. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "Saint Errant". Library of Congress Catalogue. Washington: Library of Congress. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "The Saint in Europe". Library of Congress Catalogue. Washington: Library of Congress. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "The Saint on the Spanish Main". Library of Congress Catalogue. Washington: Library of Congress. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "The Saint Around the World". Library of Congress Catalogue. Washington: Library of Congress. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "Thanks to the Saint". Library of Congress Catalogue. Washington: Library of Congress. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "The Señor Saint". Library of Congress Catalogue. Washington: Library of Congress. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "The Saint to the Rescue". Library of Congress Catalogue. Washington: Library of Congress. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "Trust the Saint". Library of Congress Catalogue. Washington: Library of Congress. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- "The Saint in the Sun". Library of Congress Catalogue. Washington: Library of Congress. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- Barer 2003, pp. 113–14.
- "Vendetta for the Saint". Library of Congress Catalogue. Washington: Library of Congress. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- Barer 2003, p. 174.
- "The Saint in Pursuit". Library of Congress Catalogue. Washington: Library of Congress. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- Barer 2003, pp. 176–77.
- "The Saint and the People Importers". Library of Congress Catalogue. Washington: Library of Congress. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
- DelFattore 1989, p. 60.
- "Midnight Club". AFI Catalog. American Film Institute. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
- "The Saint's Double Trouble". AFI Catalog. American Film Institute. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
- "The Saint's Vacation". AFI Catalog. American Film Institute. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
- "The Saint in Palm Springs". AFI Catalog. American Film Institute. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
- "Lady on a Train". AFI Catalog. American Film Institute. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
- "River Gang". AFI Catalog. American Film Institute. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
- "Two Smart People". AFI Catalog. American Film Institute. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
- "Tarzan and the Huntress". AFI Catalog. American Film Institute. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
- Wright 1997, p. 86.
- DelFattore 1989, p. 67.
Sources
- Barer, Burl (2003). The Saint: A Complete History in Print, Radio, Film and Television of Leslie Charteris' Robin Hood of Modern Crime, Simon Templar, 1928–1992. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-0-7864-1680-6.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Charteris, Leslie (2013) [1928]. The Saint Goes West. London: Mulholland Books. ISBN 978-1-4447-6630-1.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- DelFattore, Joan (1989). "Leslie Charteris". In Benstock, Bernard; Staley, Thomas (eds.). British Mystery Writers, 1920–39. Detroit: Gale Research. ISBN 978-0-8103-4555-3.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Lofts, W.O.G.; Adley, Derek (April 1985). "The 'Saint' Stories of Leslie Charteris". The Book and Magazine Collector. Diamond Publishing Group (14).CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- Lycett, Andrew (2004). "Ian, Leslie Charles Bowyer Charteris (1907–1993)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/51562. Retrieved 20 January 2014. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.) (subscription or UK public library membership required)
- Wright, Norman (June 1997). "Leslie Charteris's 'The Saint'". The Book and Magazine Collector. Diamond Publishing Group (159). UPC 977-0-95286-006-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)