Noel Langley
Encyclopedia
Noel Langley was a successful novelist, playwright, screenwriter and director. While under contract to MGM he was one of the screenwriters for The Wizard of Oz
. He was chosen for the job on the basis of his children's story, The Tale of the Land of Green Ginger — a children's classic which has seldom been out of print since it was first published in 1937. However, his finished script for The Wizard of Oz was somewhat revised by Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf, revisions that Langley himself strongly objected to, but which appear in the finished film. Langley is on record as saying that he hated the completed product, an opinion not borne out by the general critical and public consensus. The Wizard of Oz has become one of the best-loved films ever made. He attempted to write a sequel based on The Marvelous Land of Oz
using many of the concepts he had added to its predecessor, but this was never realized.
Born in Durban, South Africa, he was first an author and a successful Broadway
playwright. Langley began writing for films in the 1930s. After World War II
, Langley worked on many British films including the film noir They Made Me a Fugitive
(1947), the remake of Tom Brown's Schooldays
(1951), the Alastair Sim
Scrooge
(1951), The Pickwick Papers
(1952), Ivanhoe
(1952) and the Technicolor The Prisoner of Zenda
(1952). (His contribution to Zenda, however, was minimal, since the 1952 film followed the script of the 1937 film version
, on which Langley did not work, nearly word-for-word.)
In 1964, Langley made a series of tapes for New York radio station WBAI, reading "The Tale of the Land of Green Ginger" in its entirety. He subsequently edited it down to fit on an LP, which was issued by the listener-sponsored station and offered as a fund-raising premium. Langley continued to write novels and plays throughout his life. He also wrote short stories for the Saturday Evening Post and other magazines.
Langley died in 1980 in Desert Hot Springs, California
, United States
.
The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)
The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed primarily by Victor Fleming. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, but there were uncredited contributions by others. The lyrics for the songs...
. He was chosen for the job on the basis of his children's story, The Tale of the Land of Green Ginger — a children's classic which has seldom been out of print since it was first published in 1937. However, his finished script for The Wizard of Oz was somewhat revised by Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf, revisions that Langley himself strongly objected to, but which appear in the finished film. Langley is on record as saying that he hated the completed product, an opinion not borne out by the general critical and public consensus. The Wizard of Oz has become one of the best-loved films ever made. He attempted to write a sequel based on The Marvelous Land of Oz
The Marvelous Land of Oz
The Marvelous Land of Oz: Being an Account of the Further Adventures of the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman, commonly shortened to The Land of Oz, published on July 5, 1904, is the second of L. Frank Baum's books set in the Land of Oz, and the sequel to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. This and the next...
using many of the concepts he had added to its predecessor, but this was never realized.
Born in Durban, South Africa, he was first an author and a successful Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
playwright. Langley began writing for films in the 1930s. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Langley worked on many British films including the film noir They Made Me a Fugitive
They Made Me a Fugitive
They Made Me A Fugitive is a 1947 British film noir set in postwar England. Based on the Jackson Budd novel A Convict has Escaped, the black-and-white film was directed by Alberto Cavalcanti with brooding and atmospheric cinematography by noted cameraman Otto Heller...
(1947), the remake of Tom Brown's Schooldays
Tom Brown's Schooldays
Tom Brown's Schooldays is a novel by Thomas Hughes. The story is set at Rugby School, a public school for boys, in the 1830s; Hughes attended Rugby School from 1834 to 1842...
(1951), the Alastair Sim
Alastair Sim
Alastair George Bell Sim, CBE was a Scottish character actor who appeared in a string of classic British films. He is best remembered in the role of Ebenezer Scrooge in the 1951 film Scrooge, and for his portrayal of Miss Fritton, the headmistress in two St. Trinian's films...
Scrooge
Scrooge (1951 film)
Scrooge, released as A Christmas Carol in the United States, is a 1951 film adaptation of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol. It starred Alastair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge and was directed by Brian Desmond Hurst, with a screenplay by Noel Langley.The film also features Kathleen Harrison in an...
(1951), The Pickwick Papers
The Pickwick Papers (film)
The Pickwick Papers is a 1952 British film from George Minter of the Charles Dickens classic. Both screenplay and direction were by Noel Langley. It was awarded a Golden Bear in Russia where the rights were sold for £10,000.-Cast:...
(1952), Ivanhoe
Ivanhoe (1952 film)
Ivanhoe is a 1952 historical film made by MGM. It was directed by Richard Thorpe and produced by Pandro S. Berman. The cast featured Robert Taylor, Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Fontaine, George Sanders, Emlyn Williams, Finlay Currie and Felix Aylmer...
(1952) and the Technicolor The Prisoner of Zenda
The Prisoner of Zenda (1952 film)
The Prisoner of Zenda is a 1952 film version of the classic novel of the same name by Anthony Hope and a remake of the famous 1937 film version. This version was made by Loew's and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, directed by Richard Thorpe and produced by Pandro S...
(1952). (His contribution to Zenda, however, was minimal, since the 1952 film followed the script of the 1937 film version
The Prisoner of Zenda (1937 film)
The Prisoner of Zenda is a 1937 black-and-white adventure film based on the Anthony Hope 1894 novel of the same name and the 1896 play. Of the many film adaptations, this is considered by many to be the definitive version....
, on which Langley did not work, nearly word-for-word.)
In 1964, Langley made a series of tapes for New York radio station WBAI, reading "The Tale of the Land of Green Ginger" in its entirety. He subsequently edited it down to fit on an LP, which was issued by the listener-sponsored station and offered as a fund-raising premium. Langley continued to write novels and plays throughout his life. He also wrote short stories for the Saturday Evening Post and other magazines.
Langley died in 1980 in Desert Hot Springs, California
Desert Hot Springs, California
Desert Hot Springs, also known as DHS, is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. The city is located within the Coachella Valley geographic region, sometimes referred to as the Desert Empire. The population was 25,938 at the 2010 census, up from 16,582 at the 2000 United States...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Partial bibliography
- Cage Me a Peacock, Arthur Barker, 1935. A humorous historical novel set in Rome at the end of the Tarquin era.
- The Land of Green Ginger, Arthur Barker, 1936. A book for children, concerning Abu Ali, the son of Aladdin.
- There's a Porpoise Close Behind Us, Arthur Barker, 1936. A comic drama about English theatre life.
- Three Plays, Arthur Barker, 1936. Farm of Three Echoes, For Ever, and Friendly Relations.
- The Land of Green Ginger was rewritten for a new edition in 1966 and again in about 1975. In 1965, New York radio station WBAI recorded and broadcast Langley reading this story. A shortened version was issued on LP and offered as a fund-raising incentive.
- So Unlike The English, William Morrow, 1937.
- The Wizard of OzThe Wizard of Oz (1939 film)The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed primarily by Victor Fleming. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, but there were uncredited contributions by others. The lyrics for the songs...
, 1939, screenplay with Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf. - Hocus Pocus, Methuen, 1941. A humorous tale set in Hollywood.
- The Music of the Heart, Arthur Barker, 1946. A novel with a circus background.
- The Cabbage Patch, Arthur Barker, 1947. A comic drama about twenty-four hours in the life of Daisy, Lady Buckering.
- The True and Pathetic History of Desbarollda, The Waltzing Mouse, Lindsay Drummond, 1947. A children's book, illustrated by Edward ArdizzoneEdward ArdizzoneEdward Jeffrey Irving Ardizzone, CBE, RA was an English artist, writer and illustrator, chiefly of children's books.-Early life:...
. - Nymph In Clover, Arthur Barker, 1948. The Lysistrata debacle retold.
- There's a Horse in My Tree, with Hazel Pynegar, Arthur Barker, 1948. A humorous book.
- Little Lambs Eat Ivy, Samuel French, 1950. A Light Comedy in Three Acts - produced 1948.
- Edward, My Son; A Play in Three Acts, with Robert Morley, French, 1948.
- Somebody's Rocking My Dreamboat, with Hazel Pynegar, Arthur Barker, 1949. A World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
novel about a group of women fleeing from England on a tramp steamerTramp steamerA ship engaged in the tramp trade is one which does not have a fixed schedule or published ports of call. As opposed to freight liners, tramp ships trade on the spot market with no fixed schedule or itinerary/ports-of-call...
. - The Inconstant Moon, Arthur Barker, 1949. The story of DanteDANTEDelivery of Advanced Network Technology to Europe is a not-for-profit organisation that plans, builds and operates the international networks that interconnect the various national research and education networks in Europe and surrounding regions...
and Beatrice. - Tales of Mystery and Revenge, Arthur Barker, 1950.
- Cuckoo in the Dell, with Hazel Pynegar, Arthur Barker, 1951. A tale of a young Norman knight and moral idealism.
- The Rift in the Lute, also known as The Innocent at Large, Arthur Barker, 1952. An innocent boy finds a colourful, exotic world of "gay sinners" in ancient China.
- Where Did Everybody Go?, Arthur Barker, 1960. A story of a playwright.
- An Elegance of Rebels, a play in three acts, Arthur Barker, 1960.
- The Loner, Triton Books, 1967.
- Edgar CayceEdgar CayceEdgar Cayce was an American psychic who allegedly had the ability to give answers to questions on subjects such as healing or Atlantis while in a hypnotic trance...
on Reincarnation, Hawthorn Books, 1968. - A Dream of Dragonflies, Macmillan, 1971.
- The Return, Kessinger Publishing, 2005. A collection of Saturday Evening Post short stories.
- Desbarollda, the Waltzing Mouse, Durrant Publishing, 2006. A new edition.