Frank Norman
Encyclopedia
Frank Norman was a British novelist and playwright.
His reputation rests on his first memoir Bang to Rights (1958) and his musical play Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be
(1960), but much of the remainder of his work remains fresh and readable. Norman's early success was based in part on the frankness of his memoirs and in part on the style of his writing, which contained both renditions of cockney speakers and his own poor spelling. Jeffrey Bernard
in an obituary of Norman wrote that he was
in 1930 and abandoned by his natural parents. After an unsuccessful adoption he was committed to a succession of children's homes in and around London—the story of which is recounted in his childhood autobiography, Banana Boy (1969). After the homes came a succession of petty crimes for which he was imprisoned, finally leading to a three year stretch at Camp Hill Prison on the Isle of Wight
.
magazine a 10,000 word extract from his prison memoir, Bang to Rights. Championed at first by the editor of Encounter Stephen Spender
, and subsequently by Raymond Chandler
, who wrote the foreword to Bang to Rights, Norman's literary success was assured.
After the success of Bang to Rights Norman wrote a draft of what was to become the musical Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be. This draft found its way Joan Littlewood
who produced it for the Theatre Workshop
at the Theatre Royal, Stratford, with Lionel Bart
writing the music for the songs. The play transferred to the West End
, and Norman won the Evening Standard Drama Award
for best musical in 1960.
Around the same period Norman was writing Stand on Me, an autobiographical memoir of his life in Soho
in the 1950s before imprisonment. His next book The Guntz was a follow-up to Bang to Rights, relating stories from his life as a successful writer. Soho Night and Day (1966) was a collaboration with Jeffrey Bernard whose photographs enlivened Norman's text. Two novels followed in quick succession: The Monkey Pulled His Hair in 1967 and Barney Snip - Artist (1968).
Norman's London reprinted a selection of Norman's early journalism, while Lock'em up and Count'em provides an appraisal of and a plan of reform for the British prison system. The Penguin
collection The Lives of Frank Norman (1972) contains extracts from four of his previously published autobiographical books. A further memoir Why Fings Went West (1975) deals specifically with theatre life in the late 1950s and early 1960s. His last published work of non-fiction was The Fake's Progress written in collaboration with its subject Tom Keating
, the art forger and his wife Geraldine Norman, whom he married in 1971.
Norman's novels of the 1970s lacked some of the power of his earlier work. One of our Own is a rambling novel of East End life; Much Ado About Nuffink (1974), is a semi-autobiographical novel of a working-class playwright whose play "Who Do They Fink They're 'Aving A Go At, Then" becomes a critical success. Down and Out in High Society (1975) is a novel about Soho.
Three late novels, Too Many Crooks Spoil the Caper (1979), The Dead Butler Caper (1980) and The Baskerville Caper (1981) found Norman back in strong form in a series featuring Ed Nelson, an under-employed Soho private detective.
Frank Norman died in December 1980 of Hodgkin's lymphoma
.
His reputation rests on his first memoir Bang to Rights (1958) and his musical play Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be
Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be
Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'be is a play with music, rather than a musical. The play, by Frank Norman, himself a Cockney, has music and lyrics by Lionel Bart, who also grew up in London's East End.-Production background:...
(1960), but much of the remainder of his work remains fresh and readable. Norman's early success was based in part on the frankness of his memoirs and in part on the style of his writing, which contained both renditions of cockney speakers and his own poor spelling. Jeffrey Bernard
Jeffrey Bernard
Jeffrey Bernard was a British journalist, best known for his weekly column "Low Life" in the Spectator magazine, and also notorious for a feckless and chaotic career and life of alcohol abuse. He became associated with the louche and bohemian atmosphere that existed in London's Soho district...
in an obituary of Norman wrote that he was
- a 'natural' writer of considerable wit, powers of sardonic observation and with a razor sharp ear for dialogue particularly as spoken in the underworld.
Early life
Norman was born in BristolBristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
in 1930 and abandoned by his natural parents. After an unsuccessful adoption he was committed to a succession of children's homes in and around London—the story of which is recounted in his childhood autobiography, Banana Boy (1969). After the homes came a succession of petty crimes for which he was imprisoned, finally leading to a three year stretch at Camp Hill Prison on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
.
Writing career
Released from prison in 1957, he started writing what was to become his best known book. Norman's own accounts of how he came to write are at variance with one another, but within a year of his release, he had published in EncounterEncounter (magazine)
Encounter was a literary magazine, founded in 1953 by poet Stephen Spender and early neoconservative author Irving Kristol. The magazine ceased publication in 1991...
magazine a 10,000 word extract from his prison memoir, Bang to Rights. Championed at first by the editor of Encounter Stephen Spender
Stephen Spender
Sir Stephen Harold Spender CBE was an English poet, novelist and essayist who concentrated on themes of social injustice and the class struggle in his work...
, and subsequently by Raymond Chandler
Raymond Chandler
Raymond Thornton Chandler was an American novelist and screenwriter.In 1932, at age forty-five, Raymond Chandler decided to become a detective fiction writer after losing his job as an oil company executive during the Depression. His first short story, "Blackmailers Don't Shoot", was published in...
, who wrote the foreword to Bang to Rights, Norman's literary success was assured.
After the success of Bang to Rights Norman wrote a draft of what was to become the musical Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be. This draft found its way Joan Littlewood
Joan Littlewood
Joan Maud Littlewood was a British theatre director, noted for her work in developing the left-wing Theatre Workshop...
who produced it for the Theatre Workshop
Theatre Workshop
Theatre Workshop is a theatre group noted for their director, Joan Littlewood. Many actors of the 1950s and 1960s received their training and first exposure with the company...
at the Theatre Royal, Stratford, with Lionel Bart
Lionel Bart
Lionel Bart was a writer and composer of British pop music and musicals, best known for creating the book, music and lyrics for Oliver!-Early life:...
writing the music for the songs. The play transferred to the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
, and Norman won the Evening Standard Drama Award
Evening Standard Awards
The Evening Standard Theatre Awards, established in 1955, are presented annually for outstanding achievements in London Theatre. Sponsored by the Evening Standard newspaper, they are announced in late November or early December...
for best musical in 1960.
Around the same period Norman was writing Stand on Me, an autobiographical memoir of his life in Soho
Soho
Soho is an area of the City of Westminster and part of the West End of London. Long established as an entertainment district, for much of the 20th century Soho had a reputation for sex shops as well as night life and film industry. Since the early 1980s, the area has undergone considerable...
in the 1950s before imprisonment. His next book The Guntz was a follow-up to Bang to Rights, relating stories from his life as a successful writer. Soho Night and Day (1966) was a collaboration with Jeffrey Bernard whose photographs enlivened Norman's text. Two novels followed in quick succession: The Monkey Pulled His Hair in 1967 and Barney Snip - Artist (1968).
Later work
A further novel, Dodgem Greaser, published in 1971, contained the fictionalised memoirs of a fairground boy, certainly based on Norman's own boyhood fairground experiences.Norman's London reprinted a selection of Norman's early journalism, while Lock'em up and Count'em provides an appraisal of and a plan of reform for the British prison system. The Penguin
Penguin Books
Penguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large...
collection The Lives of Frank Norman (1972) contains extracts from four of his previously published autobiographical books. A further memoir Why Fings Went West (1975) deals specifically with theatre life in the late 1950s and early 1960s. His last published work of non-fiction was The Fake's Progress written in collaboration with its subject Tom Keating
Tom Keating
For the football player of the same name see Tom Keating .For the priest and author of the same name see Thomas Keating....
, the art forger and his wife Geraldine Norman, whom he married in 1971.
Norman's novels of the 1970s lacked some of the power of his earlier work. One of our Own is a rambling novel of East End life; Much Ado About Nuffink (1974), is a semi-autobiographical novel of a working-class playwright whose play "Who Do They Fink They're 'Aving A Go At, Then" becomes a critical success. Down and Out in High Society (1975) is a novel about Soho.
Three late novels, Too Many Crooks Spoil the Caper (1979), The Dead Butler Caper (1980) and The Baskerville Caper (1981) found Norman back in strong form in a series featuring Ed Nelson, an under-employed Soho private detective.
Frank Norman died in December 1980 of Hodgkin's lymphoma
Hodgkin's lymphoma
Hodgkin's lymphoma, previously known as Hodgkin's disease, is a type of lymphoma, which is a cancer originating from white blood cells called lymphocytes...
.
Works
- Bang to Rights (1958)
- Stand on Me (1960)
- The Guntz (1962)
- Soho Night and Day (1966)
- The Monkey Pulled His Hair (1967)
- Barney Snip - Artist (1968)
- Banana Boy (1969)
- Norman's London (1969)
- Lock'em up and Count'em (1970)
- Dodgem Greaser (1971)
- The Lives of Frank Norman (1972)
- One of our Own (1973)
- Much Ado About Nuffink (1974)
- Why Fings Went West (1975)
- Down and Out in High Society (1975)
- The Fake's Progress (1977) (with Tom Keating and Geraldine Norman)
- Too Many Crooks Spoil the Caper (1979)
- The Dead Butler Caper (1980)
- The Baskerville Caper (1981)
Plays
- Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be (1959)
- A Kayf Up West (1964)
- Insideout (1969)
- Costa Packet