14 Facts About Christopher Fry

Christopher Fry was an English poet and playwright.

Christopher Fry is best known for his verse dramas, especially The Lady's Not for Burning, which made him a major force in theatre in the 1940s and 1950s.

Christopher Fry adopted Elizabeth Fry's faith, and became a Quaker.

Christopher Fry gave up his school career in 1932 to found the Tunbridge Wells Repertory Players, which he ran for three years, directing and starring in the English premiere of George Bernard Shaw's A Village Wooing in 1934.

Christopher Fry wrote the music for She Shall Have Music in 1935.

Christopher Fry was then commissioned to write a play by Alec Clunes, manager of the Arts Theatre in London.

In 1950, Christopher Fry adapted a translation of Jean Anouilh's Invitation to the Castle as Ring Round the Moon for director Peter Brook.

Christopher Fry wrote Venus Observed, which was produced at the St James's Theatre by Laurence Olivier.

Christopher Fry Plummer had an understudy role that he wrote about in his memoir.

Christopher Fry's next plays were translations from French dramatists: The Lark, an adaptation of Jean Anouilh's L'Alouette, in 1955; Tiger At The Gates, based on Jean Giraudoux's La guerre de Troie n'aura pas lieu, in 1955; Duel of Angels, adapted from Giraudoux's Pour Lucrece, in 1960; and Judith, by Giraudoux, in 1962.

In later life Christopher Fry lived in the village of East Dean in West Sussex, and died, from natural causes, in Chichester in 2005.

Christopher Fry collaborated with Denis Cannan on a screenplay for the film version of John Gay's The Beggar's Opera, for director Peter Brook, starring Laurence Olivier.

Christopher Fry was one of the writers of the film, Ben-Hur, directed by William Wyler.

Christopher Fry collaborated on other screenplays including Barabbas, which starred Anthony Quinn, and The Bible: In the Beginning, directed by John Huston.