13 Facts About Francis Durbridge

Francis Henry Durbridge was an English dramatist and author, best known for the creation of the character Paul Temple, the gentlemanly detective who appeared in 16 BBC multi-part radio serials from 1938 onward.

Francis Durbridge continued to do so while studying English at the University of Birmingham.

Francis Durbridge created the character of Paul Temple, a crime novelist and detective, in the 1930s.

Francis Durbridge forged a successful career as a writer for the stage with seven plays, the last of which, Sweet Revenge, was written in 1991.

Francis Durbridge wrote 43 novels, many of which were adapted from his scripts, sometimes with the help of others.

Francis Durbridge remained as Steve for the rest of the radio run.

Between 1952 and 1980, Francis Durbridge wrote 17 TV serials for the BBC.

Francis Durbridge wrote many Paul Temple novels, but mostly worked with a co-author because Francis Durbridge regarded himself as a writer of dialogue, a scriptwriter rather than a novelist.

Francis Durbridge is thought to have been Charles Hatton, with whom Durbridge collaborated on the following four Temple novelisations up until 1948.

Francis Durbridge wrote three Tim Frazer novels: The World of Tim Frazer, Tim Frazer Again and Tim Frazer Gets the Message.

Francis Durbridge died at his home in Barnes, London, aged 85, in 1998.

None of the episodes of The Francis Durbridge Serial are believed to have survived.

All episodes of Francis Durbridge Presents survive except for The World of Tim Frazer of which only episode 3 and 10 are thought to still exist.