Marie Adelaide Belloc Lowndes
Encyclopedia
Marie Adelaïde Lowndes, née Belloc (August 5, 1868 – November 14, 1947), was a prolific English
novelist.
Active from 1904 until her death, she had a literary reputation for combining exciting incident with psychological
interest. Her most famous novel, The Lodger (1913), based on the Jack the Ripper
murders, has been adapted for the screen
five different times; the first movie version was Alfred Hitchcock
's silent film
The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog
(1927), followed by Maurice Elvey
's in 1932, John Brahm
's in 1944, Man in the Attic
in 1953, and David Ondaatje's in 2009. Another novel of hers, Letty Lynton (1931), was the basis for the 1932 motion picture of the same name
starring Joan Crawford
.
Born in Marylebone
, London
and raised in La Celle-Saint-Cloud
, France, Mrs Belloc Lowndes was the only daughter of French barrister
Louis Belloc and English feminist Bessie Parkes
. Her brother was Hilaire Belloc
. Her paternal grandfather was the French painter Jean-Hilaire Belloc
and her maternal great-grandfather was Joseph Priestley
. In 1896 she married Frederic Sawrey Lowndes.
Her first novel, The Heart of Penelope, was published in 1904. From then on novels, reminiscences and plays came from her quill at the rate of one per year until 1946. In the novel, I, too, Have Lived in Arcadia, published in 1942, Mrs. Belloc Lowndes told the story of her mother's life, compiled largely from old family letters and her own memories of her early life in France.
She died November 14, 1947 at the home of her elder daughter, Countess Iddesleigh (wife of the third Earl
) in Eversley Cross, Hampshire. She was interred in France, in La Celle-Saint-Cloud
near Versailles
, where she spent her youth.
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...
novelist.
Active from 1904 until her death, she had a literary reputation for combining exciting incident with psychological
Psychological novel
A psychological novel, also called psychological realism, is a work of prose fiction which places more than the usual amount of emphasis on interior characterization, and on the motives, circumstances, and internal action which springs from, and develops, external action...
interest. Her most famous novel, The Lodger (1913), based on the Jack the Ripper
Jack the Ripper
"Jack the Ripper" is the best-known name given to an unidentified serial killer who was active in the largely impoverished areas in and around the Whitechapel district of London in 1888. The name originated in a letter, written by someone claiming to be the murderer, that was disseminated in the...
murders, has been adapted for the screen
Film adaptation
Film adaptation is the transfer of a written work to a feature film. It is a type of derivative work.A common form of film adaptation is the use of a novel as the basis of a feature film, but film adaptation includes the use of non-fiction , autobiography, comic book, scripture, plays, and even...
five different times; the first movie version was Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
's silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog
The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog
The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog is a silent film directed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1926 and released on 14 February 1927 in London and on 10 June 1928 in New York City. The film, based on a story by Marie Belloc Lowndes and a play Who Is He? co-written by Belloc Lowndes, concerns the hunt for a...
(1927), followed by Maurice Elvey
Maurice Elvey
Maurice Elvey was the most prolific film director in British history. He directed nearly 200 films between 1913 and 1957. During the silent film era he directed as many as twenty films per year....
's in 1932, John Brahm
John Brahm
John Brahm was a film and television director possibly best known today for directing a dozen of the original Twilight Zone episodes including the now classic "Time Enough at Last"...
's in 1944, Man in the Attic
Man in the Attic
Man in the Attic is a 1953 mystery film directed by Hugo Fregonese. It was released in the United States on December 23 by Twentieth Century Fox...
in 1953, and David Ondaatje's in 2009. Another novel of hers, Letty Lynton (1931), was the basis for the 1932 motion picture of the same name
Letty Lynton
Letty Lynton is a 1932 MGM drama film starring Joan Crawford, Robert Montgomery and Nils Asther. The film was directed by Clarence Brown, and based on the 1931 novel of the same name by Marie Adelaide Belloc Lowndes. Crawford plays the title character, in a tale of love and blackmail.The film has...
starring Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford , born Lucille Fay LeSueur, was an American actress in film, television and theatre....
.
Born in Marylebone
Marylebone
Marylebone is an affluent inner-city area of central London, located within the City of Westminster. It is sometimes written as St. Marylebone or Mary-le-bone....
, London
London
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...
and raised in La Celle-Saint-Cloud
La Celle-Saint-Cloud
La Celle-Saint-Cloud is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris from the center.-Transport:...
, France, Mrs Belloc Lowndes was the only daughter of French barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
Louis Belloc and English feminist Bessie Parkes
Bessie Rayner Parkes
Bessie Rayner Parkes Belloc was one of the most prominent English feminists and campaigners for women’s rights in Victorian times and also a poet, essayist and journalist.- Early life :...
. Her brother was Hilaire Belloc
Hilaire Belloc
Joseph Hilaire Pierre René Belloc was an Anglo-French writer and historian who became a naturalised British subject in 1902. He was one of the most prolific writers in England during the early twentieth century. He was known as a writer, orator, poet, satirist, man of letters and political activist...
. Her paternal grandfather was the French painter Jean-Hilaire Belloc
Jean-Hilaire Belloc
Jean-Hilaire Belloc was a French painter.-Life:He was a student in the studio of Antoine Gros then of Jean-Baptiste Regnault. He won a medal at the 1810 Paris Salon for his Death of Gaul, friend of Ossian.He was professor of drawing at the l'École-de-Médecine...
and her maternal great-grandfather was Joseph Priestley
Joseph Priestley
Joseph Priestley, FRS was an 18th-century English theologian, Dissenting clergyman, natural philosopher, chemist, educator, and political theorist who published over 150 works...
. In 1896 she married Frederic Sawrey Lowndes.
Her first novel, The Heart of Penelope, was published in 1904. From then on novels, reminiscences and plays came from her quill at the rate of one per year until 1946. In the novel, I, too, Have Lived in Arcadia, published in 1942, Mrs. Belloc Lowndes told the story of her mother's life, compiled largely from old family letters and her own memories of her early life in France.
She died November 14, 1947 at the home of her elder daughter, Countess Iddesleigh (wife of the third Earl
Earl of Iddesleigh
Earl of Iddesleigh, in the County of Devon, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1885 for the Conservative politician Sir Stafford Northcote, 8th Baronet...
) in Eversley Cross, Hampshire. She was interred in France, in La Celle-Saint-Cloud
La Celle-Saint-Cloud
La Celle-Saint-Cloud is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris from the center.-Transport:...
near Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
, where she spent her youth.