Wibberley, Leonard, 1915-1983

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Leonard Wibberley was born April 9, 1915, in Dublin, Ireland. He attended schools in Ireland and England and was an apprentice to a London publisher. At sixteen, he became a copy boy at the Sunday Dispatch; during the Depression, he worked as street fiddler, ditch digger, dishwasher, and cook. From 1932-1936, he was a reporter for the London Daily Mirror and assistant London editor for the Malayan Straits Times and the Singapore Free Press; he then became editor of the Trinidad Evening News in the West Indies. Wibberley worked for the Shell Oil Company in Trinidad from 1939-41. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1943 to work for Walsh Kaiser Shipyards while also serving as cable editor for the Associated Press. He was the American correspondent for the London Evening News and a staff writer for The Los Angeles Times from 1950 until his death of a heart attack on November 22, 1983, in Santa Monica, California. Wibberley wrote more than one hundred books, including stories for children, historical novels, satires, plays, and mysteries. Many of these were written under the pseudonyms Leonard Holton, Christopher Webb, and Patrick O'Connor. Wibberley is best known for his trilogy of political satires The Mouse That Roared, The Mouse on the Moon, and The Mouse that Saved the West; the first two were made into successful motion pictures.

From the description of Leonard Wibberley papers, 1953-1983. (San Leandro Community Library). WorldCat record id: 700520981

Biographical Note

Leonard Wibberley was born April 9, 1915, in Dublin, Ireland. He attended schools in Ireland and England and was an apprentice to a London publisher. At sixteen, he became a copy boy at the Sunday Dispatch ; during the Depression, he worked as street fiddler, ditch digger, dishwasher, and cook. From 1932-1936, he was a reporter for the London Daily Mirror and assistant London editor for the Malayan Straits Times and the Singapore Free Press ; he then became editor of the Trinidad Evening News in the West Indies. Wibberley worked for the Shell Oil Company in Trinidad from 1939-1941. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1943 to work for Walsh Kaiser Shipyards while also serving as cable editor for the Associated Press. He was the American correspondent for the London Evening News and a staff writer for The Los Angeles Times from 1950 until his death of a heart attack on November 22, 1983, in Santa Monica, California.

Wibberley wrote more than one hundred books, including stories for children, historical novels, satires, plays, and mysteries. Many of these were written under the pseudonyms Leonard Holton, Christopher Webb, and Patrick O'Connor. Wibberley is best known for his five political satires The Mouse That Roared, Beware of the Mouse, The Mouse on the Moon, The Mouse on Wall Street, and The Mouse that Saved the West ; the first two were made into successful motion pictures.

From the guide to the Leonard Wibberley papers, 1953-1983, (USC Libraries Special Collections)

Biographical Note

Leonard Wibberley was born April 9, 1915, in Dublin, Ireland. He attended schools in Ireland and England and was an apprentice to a London publisher. At sixteen, he became a copy boy at the Sunday Dispatch ; during the Depression, he worked as street fiddler, ditch digger, dishwasher, and cook. From 1932-1936, he was a reporter for the London Daily Mirror and assistant London editor for the Malayan Straits Times and the Singapore Free Press ; he then became editor of the Trinidad Evening News in the West Indies. Wibberley worked for the Shell Oil Company in Trinidad from 1939-1941. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1943 to work for Walsh Kaiser Shipyards while also serving as cable editor for the Associated Press. He was the American correspondent for the London Evening News and a staff writer for The Los Angeles Times from 1950 until his death of a heart attack on November 22, 1983, in Santa Monica, California.

Wibberley wrote more than one hundred books, including stories for children, historical novels, satires, plays, and mysteries. Many of these were written under the pseudonyms Leonard Holton, Christopher Webb, and Patrick O'Connor. Wibberley is best known for his five political satires The Mouse That Roared, Beware of the Mouse, The Mouse on the Moon, The Mouse on Wall Street, and The Mouse that Saved the West ; the first two were made into successful motion pictures.

From the guide to the Leonard Wibberley papers, 1953-1983, (USC Libraries Special Collections)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Wibberley, Leonard, 1915-1983. Leonard Wibberley papers, 1953-1983. University of Southern California, USC Libraries
creatorOf Wibberley, Leonard, 1915-1983. Leonard Wibberley papers, 1953-1983. University of Southern California, USC Libraries
creatorOf Wibberley, Leonard. 880-01 <>. Mahidol University, test
referencedIn Reginald, R. Leonard Wibberley (1915-1983) / Robert Reginald. California State University, San Bernardino, John M. Pfau Library
creatorOf Atkinson, Brooks, 1894-1984,. Saturday review book review letters received, 1958-1967 (bulk 1960-1962). Pennsylvania State University Libraries
creatorOf Leonard Wibberley papers, 1953-1983 USC Libraries Special Collections
creatorOf Leonard Wibberley papers, 1953-1983 USC Libraries Special Collections
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Holton, Leonard, 1915-1983. person
associatedWith Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826 person
associatedWith O'Connor, Patrick, 1915-1983. person
associatedWith Reginald, R. person
associatedWith Webb, Christopher, 1915-1983. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
California--Los Angeles
Subject
Authors, Irish
Authors, Irish
Children's literature
Historical fiction
Screenwriters
Screenwriters
Travel writing
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1915-04-09

Death 1983-11-22

Irish (Republic of Ireland)

English

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