Collier, John, 1901-1980

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English author.

From the description of John Collier Papers, ca. 1920-1976. (Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center (HRC); University of Texas at Austin). WorldCat record id: 122545971

John Collier, a writer of various genres, was born in London on May 3, 1901. He obtained a private education, and began writing poetry at age nineteen, and was first published in 1920. During the early 1930s he concentrated on writing novels and short stories. One of Collier's most popular works from this period was His Monkey Wife, first published in 1930. In this short novel, Collier covers the controversial topic of conjugal love between a man and a chimpanzee. Collier became best known as a writer of fantasy, and though largely unpopular in his native country, gained significant popularity in the United States.

In 1935 Collier moved from England to Hollywood where he began writing screenplays. He would remain an active screenwriter for the next thirty years, as well as do substantial writing for television. Some of Collier's screenplays include Elephant Boy (1937), I Am a Camera (1955), and The War Lord (1965). Collier devoted much effort during the late 1960s to the transformation of Milton's Paradise Lost into a screenplay. However, despite being published in book form, his hopes of turning the screenplay into a film were never realized. Collier's other published works include Gemini (poetry collection, 1931), Tom's A-Cold (novel, 1933), Defy the Foul Fiend (novel, 1934), Presenting Moonshine (short story collection, 1941), Fancies and Goodnights (short story collection, 1951), Pictures in the Fire (short story collection, 1958), The John Collier Reader (short story collection, 1972), and The Best of John Collier (short story collection, 1975).

Collier died of a stroke in Pacific Palisades, California on April 6, 1980. For the most part, his work has been ignored by scholars, but still holds wide appeal among readers of fantasy.

From the guide to the John Collier Papers TXRC99-A5., ca. 1920-1976, (Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, University of Texas at Austin)

English writer who moved to Los Angeles in 1935, spending much of the remainder of his life involved with the movie industry.

These two plays were performed in Los Angeles at the Belasco Theatre in June and July, 1943; they were part of a program entitled "Horror Tonight: Masterpieces of the Macabre."

From the description of One-act plays and publicity material, 1943. (University of Arizona). WorldCat record id: 29699429

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Ruck, Berta, 1878-1978. Letter to John Collier. [s.l.] [19--] May 6. University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf Lowndes, Marie Adelaide Belloc, 1868-1947. Letters to (John) Collier. Westminster, Eng. 1933. University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf O'Brien, Edward Joseph Harrington, 1890-1941. Letter to John Collier. Oxford. 1932 Apr. 29. University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf Catherine Turney Papers Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens
creatorOf Gilbert, Stuart. Letters to John Collier. Seine, France. 1931. University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf Cukor, George, 1899-1983. Sylvia Scarlett / George Cukor, réal. ; Gladys Unger, John Collier, Mortimer Offner, scénario ; Roy Webb, comp. ; Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Edmund Gwenn... [et al.], act. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Massingham, H. J. (Harold John), 1888-1952. Letter to John Collier. Bucks. 1933 Dec. 30. University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf Collier, John, 1901-1980. John Collier collection, 1931-1935. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf John Collier Papers TXRC99-A5., ca. 1920-1976 Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center
creatorOf Marsh, Edward Howard, Sir, 1872-1953. Letters to John Collier. Gray's Inn. [1931-1934]. University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf Walpole, Hugh, 1884-1941. Letters to John Collier. Cumberland, Eng. 1933. University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf Vines, Sherard, 1890-1974. Letters : to John [Collier]. [s.l.]., 1930-1931. University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf Squire, John Collings, Sir, 1884-1958. Letters to [John] Collier, 1931. University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf Gosse, Philip, 1879-1959. Letters to [John] Collier. Sussex, Eng. [19]33. University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf McNeill-Moss, Geoffrey, 1886-1954. Letters to John Collier. Ford Place, Sussex, Eng. 1931-1934. University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf Ede, James. Letter to Johnnie [Collier]. Millbank, Canada. 1932 Feb. 22. University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf Sitwell, Edith, 1887-1964. Letters, 1917-1960. University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf Collier, John, 1901-1980. John Collier collection, 1931-1935. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Micheli, Odette. Letter to [John] Collier. Paris, France. [19--] Feb. 24. University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf Collier, John, 1901-1980. One-act plays and publicity material, 1943. University of Arizona Libraries
creatorOf Forster, E.M. (Edward Morgan), 1879-1970. Letters to John Collier. Dorking, England. 1930-1935. University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf Sitwell, Osbert, 1892-1969. Letters, 1918-1957. University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf Collier, John, 1901-1980. John Collier Papers, ca. 1920-1976. Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center
creatorOf Bell, Adrian, 1902-1980. Letters to John Collier. Suffolk, Eng. [19--] University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf Lowndes, Belloc, 1868-1947. Letters to [John] Collier. Barton St., Westminster. 1933. University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf Cukor, George, 1899-1983. Sylvia Scarlett / George Cukor, réal. ; Gladys Unger, John Collier, Mortimer Offner, scénario ; Roy Webb, comp. ; Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Edmund Gwenn... [et al.], act. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Lewis, Wyndham, 1882-1957. Letters, 1921-1934. University of Iowa Libraries
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Barker, Lee person
associatedWith Barker, Lee. person
associatedWith Belasco Theatre (Los Angeles, Calif.) corporateBody
associatedWith Bell, Adrian, 1902-1980. person
associatedWith Ede, James. person
associatedWith Forster, E.M. (Edward Morgan), 1879-1970. person
associatedWith Gilbert, Stuart. person
associatedWith Gosse, Philip, 1879-1959. person
associatedWith Lewis, Wyndham, 1882-1957. person
associatedWith Lowndes, Marie Adelaide Belloc, 1868-1947. person
associatedWith Marsh, Edward Howard, Sir, 1872-1953. person
associatedWith Massingham, H. J. (Harold John), 1888-1952. person
associatedWith McNeill-Moss, Geoffrey, 1886-1954. person
associatedWith Micheli, Odette. person
associatedWith Milton, John, 1608-1674 person
associatedWith O'Brien, Edward Joseph Harrington, 1890-1941. person
associatedWith Ruck, Berta, 1878-1978. person
associatedWith Schwartz, Jacob. person
associatedWith Sitwell, Edith, 1887-1964. person
associatedWith Sitwell, Osbert, 1892-1969. person
associatedWith Squire, John Collings, Sir, 1884-1958. person
associatedWith Turney, Catherine. person
associatedWith Vines, Sherard, 1890-1974. person
associatedWith Walpole, Hugh, 1884-1941. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Subject
English literature
Horror plays
Milton, John, 1608-1674
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1901-05-03

Death 1980-05-06

Britons

English

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