Desmond Skirrow
Encyclopedia
Desmond Skirrow was a British advertising executive and writer of thrillers.
. Like his creator, Brock works in advertising in London, but is also a part-time agent for an undercover department run by The Fat Man. The three novels, It Won't Get You Anywhere, I Was Following This Girl, and I'm Trying to Give It Up, are tough, irreverent, and witty. Punch called them "the Chandler formula, basically, but louder and funnier."
Desmond Skirrow also wrote a children's book, The Case of The Silver Egg , which was televised as The Queen Street Gang. It involves the adventures of a group of boys tracking down a gang of villains and is in the tradition of Emil and The Detectives with a dash of Roald Dahl
thrown in.
Amongst Skirrow's other work is a poem, "Ode On A Grecian Urn
Summarized", which was included in the New Oxford Book of Light Verse edited by Kingsley Amis
.
In 1963 Desmond Skirrow met with Alida Haskins who showed him the macquette of Cowboy Kate and Other Stories by Sam Haskins
. He then put words to the purely visual story devised by Sam and Alida. He was subsequently introduced, by Alida, to Sam's publisher, the Bodley Head in London, who went on to publish his thriller novels. Sam Haskins
next book November Girl was published in 1966 and Desmond Skirrow once again provided text for the melancholic visual story.
He was the Creative Director of a major London advertising agency, Masius Wynne-Williams, but died prematurely in 1976 at the age of 53.
Career
In the late 1960s he wrote three outstanding spy novels about a fictional British agent named John BrockJohn Brock (fictional character)
John Brock is a fictional British undercover agent created by Desmond Skirrow. He appeared in three fast-paced, witty, and irreverent spy novels written in the late 1960s. Like his creator, he is an advertising executive in London but he is also a part-time agent for a secret department run by...
. Like his creator, Brock works in advertising in London, but is also a part-time agent for an undercover department run by The Fat Man. The three novels, It Won't Get You Anywhere, I Was Following This Girl, and I'm Trying to Give It Up, are tough, irreverent, and witty. Punch called them "the Chandler formula, basically, but louder and funnier."
Desmond Skirrow also wrote a children's book, The Case of The Silver Egg , which was televised as The Queen Street Gang. It involves the adventures of a group of boys tracking down a gang of villains and is in the tradition of Emil and The Detectives with a dash of Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl was a British novelist, short story writer, fighter pilot and screenwriter.Born in Wales to Norwegian parents, he served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, in which he became a flying ace and intelligence agent, rising to the rank of Wing Commander...
thrown in.
Amongst Skirrow's other work is a poem, "Ode On A Grecian Urn
Ode on a Grecian Urn
"Ode on a Grecian Urn" is a poem written by the English Romantic poet John Keats in May 1819 and published in January 1820 . It is one of his "Great Odes of 1819", which include "Ode on Indolence", "Ode on Melancholy", "Ode to a Nightingale", and "Ode to Psyche"...
Summarized", which was included in the New Oxford Book of Light Verse edited by Kingsley Amis
Kingsley Amis
Sir Kingsley William Amis, CBE was an English novelist, poet, critic, and teacher. He wrote more than 20 novels, six volumes of poetry, a memoir, various short stories, radio and television scripts, along with works of social and literary criticism...
.
In 1963 Desmond Skirrow met with Alida Haskins who showed him the macquette of Cowboy Kate and Other Stories by Sam Haskins
Sam Haskins
Sam Haskins, born Samuel Joseph Haskins , was a South African photographer best known for his contribution to nude photography, pre-Photoshop in-camera image montage, and his books, the most influential of which were Cowboy Kate and Haskins Posters...
. He then put words to the purely visual story devised by Sam and Alida. He was subsequently introduced, by Alida, to Sam's publisher, the Bodley Head in London, who went on to publish his thriller novels. Sam Haskins
Sam Haskins
Sam Haskins, born Samuel Joseph Haskins , was a South African photographer best known for his contribution to nude photography, pre-Photoshop in-camera image montage, and his books, the most influential of which were Cowboy Kate and Haskins Posters...
next book November Girl was published in 1966 and Desmond Skirrow once again provided text for the melancholic visual story.
He was the Creative Director of a major London advertising agency, Masius Wynne-Williams, but died prematurely in 1976 at the age of 53.