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Life and career
John Creasey was born in Southfields, Surrey, to a working-class family. He was the seventh of nine children of Ruth and Joseph Creasey, a poor coach maker. Creasey was educated at Fulhan Elementary School and Sloane School, both in London. From 1923 to 1935 he worked various clerical, factory, and sales jobs while trying to establish himself as a writer. After a number of rejections, Creasey's first book was published during 1930. His first crime novel, Seven Times Seven, was published during January, 1932 by Melrose. It was a story about a gang of criminals. During 1935 he became a full-time writer. During 1937 alone, twenty-nine of his books were published. A phenomenally fast writer, he once suggested that he could be shut up in a glass-box and write there a whole book.
The Gideon's Way television series was produced from 1964 to 1966 in the UK, based on the Commander George Gideon character. From 1965 to 1966 a television version of Creasey's The Baron character was produced, starring Steve Forrest as The Baron. Between 1967 and 1971 the BBC produced a radio version of Creasey's Roger West stories with actor Patrick Allen in the title role as Scotland Yard Chief Inspector Roger "Handsome" West, with Allen's real-life wife Sarah Lawson playing the role of West's wife Janet.
During 1938, he created the character The Toff with the first novel Introducing the Toff. The Toff series would continue for 59 novels from 1938 to 1978. The Toff was The Honourable Richard Rollison, who was born a "toff", a courtesy title given to the eldest sons of Viscounts and Barons. He is an aristocrat and an amateur sleuth and detective.
During World War II, he created the character of Dr. Stanislaus Alexander Palfrey, a British secret service agent, who forms Z5, a secret underground group that owes its allegiance to the Allies. The first novel of the Dr. Palfrey series, consisting of 34 titles, was Traitor's Doom, published during 1942 by John Long, while the last was The Whirlwind during 1979.
During 1962, Creasey won an Edgar Award for Best Novel, from the Mystery Writers of America (MWA), for Gideon's Fire, written under the pseudonym J. J. Marric. During 1969 he received the MWA's greatest honor, the Grand Master Award.
Several movies have been made based on John Creasey novels: Salute the Toff (1952, also known as Brighthaven Express in the USA), Hammer the Toff (1952), John Ford's Gideon's Day (1958, also known as Gideon of Scotland Yard in the USA), released by Columbia Pictures, and Cat and Mouse (1958, also known as The Desperate Men in the USA), written as Michael Halliday.
He died at Salisbury, Wiltshire during 1973.
In 2007, his family transferred all of Creasey's copyrights and other legal rights to Owatonna Media. His son Richard is a distinguished television producer, having served both in the private sector and at the BBC, and as the British producer of Patrick Watson's worldwide Canadian television documentary series The Struggle for Democracy
Political career
As well as being an author, Creasey was a committed Liberal party affiliate though he later became an independent. He said that he had been organising Liberal street-corner meetings from the age of 12. At the time of the 1945 general election Creasey was Chairman of the local Liberal Association in Bournemouth where his publicity and writing skills were instrumental in helping the Liberals to an atypical second place. He was adopted as prospective parliamentary candidate for Bournemouth West during 1946 and appeared on the platform at the 1947 Liberal Assembly, which was held in Bournemouth.
He fought Bournemouth West in the 1950 general election, coming third. He became increasingly unhappy with the party through the 1950s though and disagreed so much with the party's policy concerning the Suez Crisis he resigned his membership. However after the Orpington by-election success of 1962 and impressed with Jo Grimond's management of the party he seemed to be reviving his Liberal activity. By January 1966 however, he had initiated the All Party Alliance, a pressure group which sought to unite the best people from all parties.
Creasey fought by-elections as an independent in support of this idea during 1967 at Nuneaton, Brierley Hill and Manchester Gorton. He also fought Oldham West during June 1968. He did well for an independent with the first-past-the-post system, having limited resources and often little time to campaign.
In Oldham West he beat his old party's candidate into fourth place. He could not seem to end affection for the Liberal party however, congratulating Birmingham Ladywood by-election victor Wallace Lawler during July 1969 and attending the 1969 party assembly albeit to promote All Party Alliance aims.
Crime Writer's Association (CWA)
During 1953, John Creasey founded the Crime Writer's Association (CWA) in the UK. The CWA New Blood Dagger was awarded in memory of CWA founder John Creasey, this dagger for first books by previously unpublished writers is sponsored by BBC Audiobooks and includes a prize of £1000. This award was known previously as the John Creasey Memorial Dagger.
Honor
He was awarded the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for services in the United Kingdom's National Savings Movement during World War II.
Bibliography
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The Gideon series by J. J. Marric (1955-1976)
Gideon's Day (1955)
Gideon's Week (1956)
Gideon's Night (1957)
Gideon's Month (1958)
Gideon's Staff (1959)
Gideon's Risk (1960)
Gideon's Fire (1961)
Gideon's March (1962)
Gideon's Ride (1963)
Gideon's Vote (1964)
Gideon's Lot (1965)
Gideon's Badge (1966)
Gideon's Wrath (1967)
Gideon's River (1968)
Gideon's Power (1969)
Gideon's Sport (1970)
Gideon's Art (1971)
Gideon's Men (1972)
Gideon's Press (1973)
Gideon's Fog (1975)
Gideon's Drive (1976)
Dr. Palfrey series (1942-1979)
1. Traitor's Doom (November, 1942, John Long)
2. The Valley of Fear (May, 1943, John Long) aka The Perilous Country (1949 Long, 1966 Arrow, 1967 Long, 1973 Walker in U.S. re-releases)
3. The Legion of the Lost (November, 1943. John Long)
4. Dangerous Quest (1944)
5. Death in the Rising Sun (1945)
6. The Hounds of Vengeance (1945)
7. Shadow of Doom (1946)
8. The House of the Bears (1946)
9. Dark Harvest (1947)
10. The Wings of Peace (1948)
11. The Sons of Satan (1948)
12. The Dawn of Darkness (1949)
13. The League of Light (1949)
14. The Man Who Shook the World (1950)
15. The Prophet of Fire (1951)
16. The Children of Hate (1952) aka The Killers of Innocence
17. The Touch of Death (1954)
18. The Mists of Fear (1955)
19. The Flood (1956)
20. The Plague of Silence (1958)
21. The Drought (1959) aka Dry Spell
22. The Terror (1962)
23. The Depths (1963)
24. The Sleep (1964)
25. The Inferno (1965)
26. The Famine (1967)
27. The Blight (1968)
28. The Oasis (1969)
29. The Smog (1970)
30. The Unbegotten (1971)
31. The Insulators (1972)
32. The Voiceless Ones (1973)
33. The Thunder-Maker (1976)
34. The Whirlwind (1979)
The Toff series, by John Creasey (1938-1978)
1. Introducing the Toff (1938)
2. The Toff Goes On (1939)
3. The Toff Steps Out (1939)
4. Here Comes the Toff (1940)
5. The Toff Breaks In (1940)
6. Salute the Toff (1941)
7. The Toff Proceeds (1941)
8. The Toff Goes to Market (1942)
9. The Toff Is Back (1942)
10. The Toff Among Millions (1943)
11. Accuse the Toff (1943)
12. The Toff and the Curate (1944) aka The Toff and the Deadly Parson
13. The Toff and the Great Illusion (1944)
14. Feathers for the Toff (1945)
15. The Toff and the Lady (1946)
16. The Toff on Ice (1946) aka Poison for The Toff
17. Hammer the Toff (1947)
18. The Toff in Town (1947)
19. The Toff Takes Shares (1948)
20. The Toff and Old Harry (1949)
21. The Toff on Board (1949)
22. Fool the Toff (1950)
23. Kill the Toff (1950)
24. A Knife for the Toff (1951)
25. The Toff Goes Gay (1951) aka A Mask for the Toff
26. Hunt the Toff (1952)
27. Call the Toff (1953)
28. The Toff Down Under (1953) aka Break the Toff
29. Murder Out of the Past (1953)
30. The Toff at Butlin's (1954)
31. The Toff at the Fair (1954) aka Last Laugh For The Toff
32. A Six for the Toff (1955) aka A Score for the Toff
33. The Toff and the Deep Blue Sea (1955)
34. Make-Up for the Toff (1956) aka Kiss the Toff
35. The Toff in New York (1956)
36. Model for the Toff (1957)
37. The Toff on Fire (1957)
38. The Toff and the Stolen Tresses (1958)
39. The Toff on the Farm (1958) aka Terror for the Toff
40. Double for the Toff (1959)
41. The Toff and the Runaway Bride (1959)
42. A Rocket for the Toff (1960)
43. The Toff and the Kidnapped Child (1960) aka The Kidnapped Child
44. Follow the Toff (1961)
45. The Toff and the Teds (1961) aka The Toff and the Tough
46. A Doll for the Toff (1959)
47. Leave It to the Toff (1962)
48. The Toff and the Spider (1965)
49. The Toff in Wax (1966)
50. A Bundle for the Toff (1967)
51. Stars for the Toff (1968)
52. The Toff and the Golden Boy (1969)
53. The Toff and the Fallen Angels (1970)
54. Vote for the Toff (1971)
55. The Toff and the Trip-Trip-Triplets (1972)
56. The Toff and the Terrified Taxman (1973)
57. The Toff and the Sleepy Cowboy (1974)
58. The Toff and the Crooked Copper (1977)
59. The Toff and the Dead Man's Finger (1978)
The Baron Series by Anthony Morton (1937-1979)
Meet the Baron (1937) (UK) aka The Man in the Blue Mask (USA)
The Baron Returns (1937) (UK) aka The Return of Blue Mask (USA)
The Baron Again (1938) (UK) aka Salute Blue Mask (USA)
The Baron at Bay (1938) (UK) aka Blue Mask at Bay (USA)
Alias the Baron (1939) (UK) aka Alias Blue Mask (USA)
The Baron at Large (1939) (UK) aka Challenge Blue Mask (USA)
Versus the Baron (1940) (UK) aka Blue Mask Strikes Again (USA)
Call for the Baron (1940) (UK) aka Blue Mask Victorious (USA)
The Baron Comes Back (1943)
A Case for the Baron (1945)
Reward for the Baron (1945)
Career for the Baron (1946)
The Baron and the Beggar (1947)
Blame the Baron (1948)
A Rope for the Baron (1949)
Books for the Baron (1949)
Cry for the Baron (1950)
Trap the Baron (1950)
Attack the Baron (1951)
Shadow the Baron (1951)
Warn the Baron (1952)
The Baron Goes East (1953)
The Baron in France (1953)
Danger for the Baron (1953)
The Baron Goes Fast (1954)
Nest-Egg for the Baron (1954) aka Deaf, Dumb and Blonde
Help from the Baron (1955)
Hide the Baron (1956)
Frame the Baron (1957) aka The Double Frame
Red Eye for the Baron (1958) aka Blood Red
Black for the Baron (1959) aka If Anything Happens to Hester
Salute for the Baron (1960)
A Branch for the Baron (1961) aka The Baron Branches Out
Bad for the Baron (1962) aka The Baron and the Stolen Legacy
A Sword for the Baron (1963) aka The Baron and the Mogul Sword
The Baron on Board (1964)
The Baron and the Chinese Puzzle (1965)
Sport for the Baron (1966)
Affair for the Baron (1967)
The Baron and the Missing Old Master (1968)
The Baron and the Unfinished Portrait (1969)
Last Laugh for the Baron (1970)
The Baron Goes A-Buying (1971)
The Baron and the Arrogant Artist (1972)
Burgle the Baron (1973)
The Baron, King-Maker (1975)
Love for the Baron (1979)
John Creasey Books Published by John Long
(This is a partial list which consists of titles that were published by John Long Ltd., a UK publisher).
Seven Times Seven (1932)
Dangerous Journey
I am the Withered Man
Traitor's Doom (Doctor Palfrey Thriller, 1942)
The Perilous Country (Doctor Palfrey Thriller), originally released as The Valley of Fear (1943)
The Legion of the Lost (Doctor Palfrey Thriller, 1943)
Dangerous Quest (Doctor Palfrey Thriller)
The House of the Bears (Doctor Palfrey Thriller)
The Hounds of Vengeance (Doctor Palfrey Thriller)
Dark Harvest (Doctor Palfrey Thriller)
The Wings of Peace (Doctor Palfrey Thriller)
The League of Light (Doctor Palfrey Thriller)
The Children of Despair (Doctor Palfrey Thriller)
Shadow of Doom (Doctor Palfrey Thriller)
Death in the Rising Sun (Doctor Palfrey Thriller)
Sons of Satan (Doctor Palfrey Thriller)
The Man who Shook the World(Doctor Palfrey Thriller)
Death Stands By (Department Z Adventure)
Prepare for Action (Department Z Adventure)
The Death Miser (Department Z Adventure)
The League of Dark Men (Department Z Adventure)
First Came a Murder (Department Z Adventure)
Dark Peril (Department Z Adventure)
Murder Must Wait (Department Z Adventure)
The Peril Ahead (Department Z Adventure)
Go away Death (Department Z Adventure)
The Day of Disaster (Department Z Adventure)
Carriers of Death (Department Z Adventure)
Days of Danger (Department Z Adventure)
Island of Peril (Department Z Adventure)
The Mark of the Crescent(Department Z Adventure)
The Terror Trap (Department Z Adventure)
Thunder In Europe (Department Z Adventure)
Dead or Alive (Department Z Adventure)
No Darker Crime (Department Z Adventure)
Panic! (Department Z Adventure)
Death by Night(Department Z Adventure)
Death Round the Corner (Department Z Adventure)
Redhead (Department Z Adventure)
Menace (Department Z Adventure)
Sabotage (Department Z Adventure)
The Masters of Bow Street (Historical Fiction re founding of Scotland Yard)