Gerard Fairlie
Gerard Fairlie was a multifaceted individual born on November 1, 1899, and he lived an adventurous life until his death on April 12, 1983. He began his career at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and served in the Scots Guards, where he also made a mark as a heavyweight boxer. During World War II, he advanced to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Royal Sussex Regiment and received notable awards, including the Croix de Guerre and the Bronze Star. Fairlie also competed as a bobsledder for the British team in the 1924 Olympics.
Beyond his military and athletic endeavors, Fairlie was a prolific writer, particularly known for his contributions to mystery fiction. He penned thirty-two mystery novels, including the last seven in the Bulldog Drummond series, originally created by his late friend H. C. McNeile. The character Bulldog Drummond became a popular figure in literature and film, establishing trends in detective fiction that influenced later characters like James Bond and Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot. Additionally, Fairlie wrote screenplays and plays, including works for the iconic Charlie Chan series and authored several nonfiction books. His literary legacy continues to be recognized today, with some of his works, like *The Rope Which Hangs*, gaining significant collector interest.
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Subject Terms
Gerard Fairlie
Author
- Gerard Fairlie
- Born: November 1, 1899
- Birthplace: London, England
- Died: April 12, 1983
- Place of death: London, England
- Sapper
- Born: September 28, 1888
- Birthplace: Bodmin, Cornwall, England
- Died: August 14, 1937
- Place of death: West Chiltington, Sussex, England
Biography
Gerard Fairlie was born on November 1, 1899, and died on April 12, 1983. Between his birth and his death, he had an adventurous and creative life. He attended the Royal Military College at Sandhurst and served in the Scots Guards from 1917 to 1924. In the service, he was a heavyweight boxer in 1919. From 1939 to 1945, he served in the Royal Sussex Regiment, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was also awarded the Croix de Guerre and the Bronze Star. In addition to participating in boxing, Fairlie found more adventure on the British bobsled team in the 1924 Olympics.
His creative side showed up in his work as a golf writer and sports correspondent for The Times of London and other English publications. However, it was in his fiction writing that his creativity flowered. He was the author of thirty-two mysteries, including the last seven Bulldog Drummond novels, which he wrote under name of his late friend H. C. McNeile, who had started the series and modeled the hero Captain Hugh “Bulldog” Drummond after Fairlie. Bulldog was a two-fisted, tough detective that captivated the public, particularly during the time between the World Wars.
Bulldog even made it onto the movie screen in 1937, when Ray Milland played the character in B.D. Escapes. Fairlie was also one of the writers for a new detective series in the 1930’s about a Chinese detective, Charlie Chan. He wrote the screenplay for Charlie Chan in Shanghai in 1935, among other films.
Bulldog is believed to have paved the way for another literary and screen hero: James Bond. Once James Bond took over the spotlight, Bulldog faded. It is also believed that Agatha Christie created a hero as the opposite of Bulldog, a Belgium detective named Hercule Poirot. Fairlie wrote two plays and fourteen other screenplays in both England and America. He wrote an autobiography in 1952 called With Prejudice and four other nonfiction books. Recently, a first edition hard copy of his 1932 mystery The Rope Which Hangs was listed with a book dealer for five hundred dollars, far above its original cost.