Alan Fenton
Encyclopedia
.
Alan Fenton is an English
fiction writer best known for his novels on the Arthurian legends.
, Alan Fenton was educated at Mercers’ School in the City. Having won an open scholarship to Oxford he did two years National Service in the Royal Air Force, becoming a Pilot Officer, before going up to St Edmund Hall to read English Language and Literature.
On graduating, he worked as a trainee in business for a couple of years before writing a sketch for a children’s television programme starring Ronnie Corbett. This led to a career writing comedy sketches and scripts for TV comedy series, Saturday Night Spectaculars and Sunday Nights at the London Palladium
for most of the top comedians of the day, including Ronnie Corbett
, Bruce Forsyth
, Dickie Henderson
, Roy Castle
, Arthur Haines, Jack Douglas
and Joe Baker
, Dick Emery
, Irene Handl
, Des O'Connor
and many others.
After several years of comedy scriptwriting, he drifted back into business. Working for a large American trading organisation he travelled the world, until he and a few friends set up their own company trading in metals and minerals, and ultimately in oil. He was the agent in South Africa for the sanctions-busting commodities dealer Marc Rich
.
Leaving business a few years later, he wrote “Shadow of the Titan”, his first novel, based loosely on his business experiences. Subsequently, his fascination with King Arthur inspired him to write "The Call of Destiny", the first book in the Return of Arthur cycle, and its sequel, "The Hour of Camelot" published in 2010 by Dovecote Press.
Alan Fenton lives in London with his wife and nine Pekinese dogs.
Alan Fenton is an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
fiction writer best known for his novels on the Arthurian legends.
Biography
Born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Alan Fenton was educated at Mercers’ School in the City. Having won an open scholarship to Oxford he did two years National Service in the Royal Air Force, becoming a Pilot Officer, before going up to St Edmund Hall to read English Language and Literature.
On graduating, he worked as a trainee in business for a couple of years before writing a sketch for a children’s television programme starring Ronnie Corbett. This led to a career writing comedy sketches and scripts for TV comedy series, Saturday Night Spectaculars and Sunday Nights at the London Palladium
London Palladium
The London Palladium is a 2,286 seat West End theatre located off Oxford Street in the City of Westminster. From the roster of stars who have played there and many televised performances, it is arguably the most famous theatre in London and the United Kingdom, especially for musical variety...
for most of the top comedians of the day, including Ronnie Corbett
Ronnie Corbett
Ronald Balfour "Ronnie" Corbett, OBE is a Scottish actor and comedian of Scottish and English parentage who had a long association with Ronnie Barker in the British television comedy series The Two Ronnies...
, Bruce Forsyth
Bruce Forsyth
Sir Bruce Joseph Forsyth-Johnson, CBE , commonly known as Bruce Forsyth, or Brucie, is an English TV personality...
, Dickie Henderson
Dickie Henderson
Dickie Henderson, OBE was a London-born entertainer.-Early years:His father, Dick Henderson was a music hall comedian and singer famous for his short, rotund appearance, bowler hat and beautiful singing voice...
, Roy Castle
Roy Castle
Roy Castle OBE was an English dancer, singer, comedian, actor, television presenter and musician. He attended Honley High School, where there is now a building in his name...
, Arthur Haines, Jack Douglas
Jack Douglas (actor)
Jack Douglas, born John Roberton was an English actor most famous for his roles in the Carry On films.- Career :...
and Joe Baker
Joe Baker
Joseph Henry "Joe" Baker was an England international footballer. Born in Liverpool, England, he spent virtually his entire childhood growing up in Motherwell, Scotland...
, Dick Emery
Dick Emery
Richard Gilbert "Dick" Emery was an English comedian and actor. Beginning on radio in the 1950s, an eponymous television series ran from 1963 to 1981. He was the brother of Ann Emery.-Life and career:...
, Irene Handl
Irene Handl
-Life:Irene Handl was born in Maida Vale, London, the daughter of an Austrian banker father and French mother. She took to acting at the relatively advanced age of 36, and studied at the acting school run by the sister of Dame Sybil Thorndike...
, Des O'Connor
Des O'Connor
Des O'Connor, CBE is an English comedian and singer. A former talkshow host, he was the presenter of the long-running Channel 4 gameshow Countdown for two years...
and many others.
After several years of comedy scriptwriting, he drifted back into business. Working for a large American trading organisation he travelled the world, until he and a few friends set up their own company trading in metals and minerals, and ultimately in oil. He was the agent in South Africa for the sanctions-busting commodities dealer Marc Rich
Marc Rich
Marc Rich is an international commodities trader and entrepreneur. He is best known for founding the commodities company Glencore. He was indicted in the United States on federal charges of illegally making oil deals with Iran during the late 1970s-early 1980s Iran hostage crisis and tax evasion...
.
Leaving business a few years later, he wrote “Shadow of the Titan”, his first novel, based loosely on his business experiences. Subsequently, his fascination with King Arthur inspired him to write "The Call of Destiny", the first book in the Return of Arthur cycle, and its sequel, "The Hour of Camelot" published in 2010 by Dovecote Press.
Alan Fenton lives in London with his wife and nine Pekinese dogs.
Novels
- "Shadow of the Titan"
- "The Return of Arthur: The Call of Destiny"
- "The Return of Arthur: The Hour of Camelot"
See also
- King ArthurKing ArthurKing Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
- CamelotCamelotCamelot is a castle and court associated with the legendary King Arthur. Absent in the early Arthurian material, Camelot first appeared in 12th-century French romances and eventually came to be described as the fantastic capital of Arthur's realm and a symbol of the Arthurian world...
- Historical basis for King ArthurHistorical basis for King ArthurThe historical basis of King Arthur is a source of considerable debate among historians. The first datable mention of King Arthur in a historical context comes from a Latin text of the 9th century - more than three centuries after his supposed floruit in 5th to early 6th century Sub-Roman Britain...
- List of Arthurian Characters
- List of films based on Arthurian legend
- Historical FictionHistorical fictionHistorical fiction tells a story that is set in the past. That setting is usually real and drawn from history, and often contains actual historical persons, but the principal characters tend to be fictional...