Kenneth Horne (writer)
Kenneth Horne (28 April 1900 – 5 June 1975) was an English writer and playwright. Born in Westminster, London, he was active between 1933 and 1970, and his works included A Lass and a Lackey, Fools Rush In, Trial and Error, Public Mischief and The Coming-Out Party, as well as film scripts. (He should not be confused with popular radio comedian Kenneth Horne of a similar age-group.)
Biography
Kenneth Horne was born in Westminster, London, on 28 April 1900.[1] He read many works by George Bernard Shaw, and later the two men shared the same manager.[2] During the Second World War, Horne worked in the Air Ministry.[1]
Horne was married twice
Horne's first play to be performed in the
Horne made his film debut as a screenwriter in 1938's
Horne died of cancer[2] on 5 June 1975.[1]
Themes
Horne's work often dealt with conflicting 19th and 20th century values, as well as the opposition of instinct and morality. As with his contemporary, Noël Coward, Horne challenged traditional speech patterns in British comedies, though where Coward's characters remain outrageous, Horne's ultimately return to what is expected from society.[2]
Many of Horne's plays feature young, often virginal women who, in their burgeoning sexuality, "offer themselves up, with some degree of apprehension, for ravishment."[2] Actor George Cole, who appeared in the West Side run of A Public Mischief, wrote of Horne's style: "Kenneth Horne's scripts were always carefully crafted to let the humour come naturally without being forced. He insisted that, in order to work properly, comedy should always be played straight".[4][7][1]
Legacy
Horne's grandson, the English writer Robert Farrar, describes Horne as
"school-of-Moliere, a pleaser, an artist of the depression and the war years whose brief was to make an audience feel safe and loved. You could put on your nicest clothes, turn up at the theatre and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you were going to have good time."[2]
Partial bibliography
The following list is derived from Horne's published work, as catalogued at WorldCat.
- Yes and No, A Comedy in Two Acts and an Epilogue. London: French. 1938. OCLC 2454639.
- The Good Young Man: A Comedy in Three Acts. London: English Theatre Guild. 1940. OCLC 13000149.
- OCLC 12599699.
- Jane Steps Out: A Comedy in Three Acts. London: French. 1945. OCLC 12633177.
- OCLC 12952617.
- Two Dozen Red Roses. London: English Theatre Guild. 1950. OCLC 3528682. (adapted from a work by Aldo De Benedetti)
- OCLC 12593112. (filmed in 1958)
- OCLC 12580977. (also known as Wasn't It Odd?)
- Sleeping Partnership: A Comedy in Two Acts. London: English Theatre Guild. 1952. OCLC 13000832.
- The Badger Game: A Short Play in One Act. London: English Theatre Guild. 1953. OCLC 12643019.
- Trial and Error: A Comedy in Three Acts. London: French. 1954. OCLC 12596501.
- The Devil Was Sick. London: French. 1957. OCLC 12599693.
- OCLC 13000509.
- A Public Mischief: A Comedy in Two Acts. London: English Theatre Guild. 1965. OCLC 12047453.
References
- ^ a b c d e "Obituary: Mr Kenneth Horne". The Times. London. 6 June 1975. p. 17.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Farrar, Robert (2009). "Article: My grandfather Kenneth Horne, playwright". Psychodrome.co.uk. Archived from the original on 10 August 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
- ^ a b "Jonathan Horne". The Telegraph. 12 July 2010. Archived from the original on 12 March 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
- ^ a b
ISBN 9781782194699.
- ^ "Almost a Honeymoon". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
- ^ a b "Filmography: Horne, Kenneth". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 4 February 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
- ^ "Kenneth Horne". Contemporary Authors. Gale. Retrieved 20 January 2014. (subscription required)
External links
- Kenneth Horne at IMDb