Philip MacDonald
Philip MacDonald was a British author and screenwriter born in London around 1896, hailing from a literary family. His grandfather was the renowned Scottish poet George MacDonald, and his father was playwright Ronald MacDonald. Initially writing under the pen name Oliver Fleming, he collaborated with his father on his first two books. MacDonald served in the cavalry during World War I in Mesopotamia and later trained horses for the military. In 1931, he moved to Hollywood to pursue a career in screenwriting, where he produced over twenty screenplays, particularly for the Charlie Chan and Mr. Moto film series. He was also a prolific thriller writer, creating many novels featuring Colonel Anthony Gethryn as the detective protagonist. Notably, his book "Murder Gone Mad" is recognized for introducing elements of serial killers in detective fiction. MacDonald received the Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America twice for his short stories in the 1950s but significantly reduced his writing output after 1960. He passed away in 1980, leaving behind a legacy in both literature and film.
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Philip MacDonald
Playwright
- Born: November 5, 1896?
- Birthplace: London, England
- Died: December 10, 1980
- Place of death: Woodland Hills, California
Biography
Philip MacDonald was born in London, England, around 1896. He came from a long line of authors. His grandfather was George MacDonald, a Scottish poet; his father was the playwright and novelist Ronald MacDonald. Working with his father, MacDonald wrote his first two books under the pen name of Oliver Fleming.
MacDonald served with the cavalry regiment in Mesopotamia during World War I. He later trained horses for the army and bred his own show jumpers. He married author Ruth Howard before moving to Hollywood in 1931 to become a screenwriter.
MacDonald managed to keep a prodigious pace in the United States. He wrote more than twenty screenplays, including several in the Charlie Chan and Mr. Moto series. While in Hollywood, MacDonald continued to write thrillers, managing to pen as many as five in one year. MacDonald’s detective in most of his books was Colonel Anthony Gethryn. His novel, Murder Gone Mad (1931), was one of the first to include a serial killer and was named one of the ten greatest detective novels by John Dickson Carr, a prominent mystery writer.
MacDonald was awarded the Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar twice for his work with short stories in 1953 and 1956. He reduced his output drastically after 1960, only publishing one more novel and a handful of short stories. He died in 1980.