Roger Longrigg
Encyclopedia
Roger Erskine Longrigg (1 May 1929 – 26 February 2000) was a prolific British novelist. As well as publishing some books under his own name, he principally wrote popular novels in a wide range of different styles, using different pseudonyms for each. He wrote the lightly erotic school story, The Passion Flower Hotel, as Rosalind Erskine; Scottish historical novels as Laura Black; spy thrillers as Ivor Drummond; mystery thrillers as Frank Parrish; and black comedies about dysfunctional families as Domini Taylor. His other pseudonyms included Megan Barker and Grania Beckford. He had 55 books published in total.
, Scotland, the son of a brigadier
. He lived as a child in the Middle East, where his father was stationed, but returned to England to study at Bryanston School
. He then read History at Magdalen College, Oxford
. After completing his degree, he started working for an advertising agency in 1955, before writing two comic novels, A High-Pitched Buzz (1956) and Switchboard (1957), based on his experiences there. Both were published under his real name.
In 1959 he married, and decided to become a full-time writer, adopting different styles and pseudonyms to suit different audiences. His real identity was kept secret. One of his most successful novels, written as Rosalind Erskine, was The Passion Flower Hotel (1962), a story of how 15-year-old girls at a boarding school establish a brothel to cater for boys from a nearby school. The mystery surrounding the true authorship of the book was eventually revealed by the "William Hickey
" column of the Daily Express
. The novel was later turned into a stage musical
scripted by Wolf Mankowitz
, a radio play, and a film
starring Nastassja Kinski
.
On another occasion, as Frank Parrish, he was awarded the John Cheever mystery writers' prize for a first published thriller, creating some embarrassment when it was revealed that in fact it was his 20th published book. A later novel, Mother Love (1983), credited to Domini Taylor, was adapted into a TV series
in 1989, starring Diana Rigg
and David McCallum
. He also wrote books about horse racing
and fox hunting
.
Longrigg died in Farnham
, Surrey, at the age of 70.
Life
Roger Longrigg was born in EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland, the son of a brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
. He lived as a child in the Middle East, where his father was stationed, but returned to England to study at Bryanston School
Bryanston School
Bryanston School is a co-educational independent school for both day and boarding pupils in Blandford, north Dorset, England, near the village of Bryanston. It was founded in 1928...
. He then read History at Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
. After completing his degree, he started working for an advertising agency in 1955, before writing two comic novels, A High-Pitched Buzz (1956) and Switchboard (1957), based on his experiences there. Both were published under his real name.
In 1959 he married, and decided to become a full-time writer, adopting different styles and pseudonyms to suit different audiences. His real identity was kept secret. One of his most successful novels, written as Rosalind Erskine, was The Passion Flower Hotel (1962), a story of how 15-year-old girls at a boarding school establish a brothel to cater for boys from a nearby school. The mystery surrounding the true authorship of the book was eventually revealed by the "William Hickey
William Hickey (columnist)
"William Hickey" is the pseudonymous byline of a gossip column published in the British daily newspaper, the Daily Express. It was named for the 18th century diarist of that name....
" column of the Daily Express
Daily Express
The Daily Express switched from broadsheet to tabloid in 1977 and was bought by the construction company Trafalgar House in the same year. Its publishing company, Beaverbrook Newspapers, was renamed Express Newspapers...
. The novel was later turned into a stage musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
scripted by Wolf Mankowitz
Wolf Mankowitz
Cyril Wolf Mankowitz was an English writer, playwright and screenwriter of Russian Jewish descent.-Early life:...
, a radio play, and a film
Passion Flower Hotel (film)
Passion Flower Hotel is a 1978 comedy film featuring the erotic ventures of schoolgirls residing at a private boarding school. It was directed by André Farwagi...
starring Nastassja Kinski
Nastassja Kinski
Nastassja Kinski is a German-born American-based actress who has appeared in more than 60 films. Her starring roles include her Golden Globe Award-winning portrayal of the title character in Tess and her roles in two erotic films , as well as parts in Wim Wenders' films The Wrong Move; Paris,...
.
On another occasion, as Frank Parrish, he was awarded the John Cheever mystery writers' prize for a first published thriller, creating some embarrassment when it was revealed that in fact it was his 20th published book. A later novel, Mother Love (1983), credited to Domini Taylor, was adapted into a TV series
Mother Love (TV series)
Mother Love is a British television drama that first aired in 1989. It was adapted by Andrew Davies from Laura Black's novel concerning a mother's obsessive love for her son, vengeful hatred of his father, her ex-husband, and the effect on her daughter-in-law and grandchildren...
in 1989, starring Diana Rigg
Diana Rigg
Dame Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg, DBE is an English actress. She is probably best known for her portrayals of Emma Peel in The Avengers and Countess Teresa di Vicenzo in the 1969 James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service....
and David McCallum
David McCallum
David Keith McCallum, Jr. is a Scottish actor and musician. He is best known for his roles as Illya Kuryakin, a Russian-born secret agent, in the 1960s television series The Man from U.N.C.L.E., as interdimensional operative Steel in Sapphire & Steel, and Dr...
. He also wrote books about horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
and fox hunting
Fox hunting
Fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking, chase, and sometimes killing of a fox, traditionally a red fox, by trained foxhounds or other scent hounds, and a group of followers led by a master of foxhounds, who follow the hounds on foot or on horseback.Fox hunting originated in its current...
.
Longrigg died in Farnham
Farnham
Farnham is a town in Surrey, England, within the Borough of Waverley. The town is situated some 42 miles southwest of London in the extreme west of Surrey, adjacent to the border with Hampshire...
, Surrey, at the age of 70.