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Arthur Hailey
Arthur Hailey.jpg
Born Arthur Frederick Hailey
(1920-04-05)5 April 1920
Luton, Bedfordshire, England
Died 24 November 2004(2004-11-24) (aged 84)
Lyford Cay, New Providence, Bahamas
Occupation Novelist
Nationality British-Canadian
Notable works Hotel (1965)
Airport (1968)
Wheels (1971)
Spouses Joan Fishwick (1944–1950; div.)
Sheila Dunlop (1951–2004; his death)
Children 6

Arthur Frederick Hailey (born April 5, 1920 – died November 24, 2004) was a famous British-Canadian writer. He wrote exciting stories that took place in real-world settings like hotels, airports, or hospitals. His books, including bestsellers like Hotel (1965), Airport (1968), and Wheels (1971), sold over 170 million copies in 38 languages!

Arthur Hailey's Early Life

Arthur Frederick Hailey was born on April 5, 1920, in Luton, England. He was the only child of George Wellington Hailey, a factory worker, and Elsie Wright Hailey.

Arthur loved to read and started writing poems, plays, and stories when he was very young. His mother encouraged him to write and even let him skip chores so he could focus on his stories. She also taught him typing and shorthand, hoping he would get an office job instead of working in a factory.

When he was 14, Arthur couldn't get a scholarship to continue school. From 1934 to 1939, he worked as an office boy and clerk in London. In 1939, he joined the Royal Air Force and became a pilot during World War II. He rose to the rank of flight lieutenant.

After the war, in 1947, Arthur moved to Canada because he wasn't happy with the government in England. He became a citizen of both Britain and Canada. He settled in Toronto and worked in different jobs, like real estate and advertising. He was also the editor of a magazine called Bus and Truck Transport. All this time, he kept writing.

Arthur Hailey's Writing Career

Arthur Hailey's professional writing career began in 1955. He wrote a TV script called Flight into Danger. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation bought it, and it aired on April 3, 1956. This story was about a plane in trouble because its crew couldn't fly it anymore. It was a huge success and was shown all over the world.

The story was later turned into a novel called Runway Zero-Eight and a movie called Zero Hour! in 1957. You might know its plot from the famous comedy movie Airplane! (1980), which made fun of the original story.

Because Flight into Danger was so popular, Arthur Hailey became a sought-after TV writer. He wrote for many popular shows like Studio One and Playhouse 90. In 1959, he turned one of his TV plays into his first novel, The Final Diagnosis. This book was about the head doctor in a hospital lab. It received good reviews and became a popular choice for a book club.

His second novel, In High Places (1962), was about world politics. It was also chosen by a book club and became a bestseller in Canada.

Breakthrough Success

Arthur Hailey's biggest success came in 1965 with his novel Hotel. This book followed what happened over five days in a fancy hotel in New Orleans. It stayed on The New York Times bestseller list for 48 weeks and was one of the top-selling novels of the year.

Hotel set the pattern for Arthur Hailey's future books. His stories always featured ordinary people in exciting situations within a specific industry. He would research these industries in great detail to make his stories feel very real.

After Hotel became a hit, Hailey moved to California. In 1968, he became internationally famous with his fourth novel, Airport. This book told the story of one busy night at a big international airport. It was the number one book on The New York Times list for 30 weeks and was the top-selling novel of the year.

The movie based on Airport, released in 1970, was also a huge success. It was the second-highest-grossing film of the year and was nominated for ten Academy Awards, including best picture. The success of this movie led to many other "disaster films" in the 1970s.

Later Works and Retirement

After the financial success of Airport, Arthur Hailey moved to The Bahamas for tax reasons. He planned to stay for only two years but loved it so much that he lived there for the rest of his life.

In 1971, he published Wheels, a novel set in the car industry. Like Airport, it was a number one bestseller and the highest-selling novel of its year. He followed this with two more number one bestsellers: The Moneychangers (1975), about the banking world, and Overload (1979), about the energy crisis.

In 1979, after Overload was published, Arthur Hailey announced he was retiring. However, after having heart surgery, he felt much better and decided to write again. His novel Strong Medicine (1984), about the pharmaceutical industry, was another major bestseller.

His later novels included The Evening News (1990) and his final novel, Detective (1997). After this, Arthur Hailey mostly wrote for fun, except for a short history book about his home in the Bahamas.

Arthur Hailey's writings are kept in special libraries at the University of Toronto and the University of the Bahamas.

Arthur Hailey's Personal Life

Arthur Hailey was married twice. In 1944, he married Joan Fishwick, and they had three children. They divorced in 1950. In 1951, he married Sheila Dunlop, and they also had three children. Sheila Hailey wrote a book in 1978 called I Married a Best Seller: My Life with Arthur Hailey. Even though her book wasn't always flattering, they stayed married for 53 years.

Arthur Hailey passed away peacefully in his sleep on November 24, 2004, at his home in the Bahamas. He was 84 years old, and doctors believed he had a stroke.

Arthur Hailey's Novels

  • The Final Diagnosis (1959)
  • In High Places (1962)
  • Hotel (1965)
  • Airport (1968)
  • Wheels (1971)
  • The Moneychangers (1975)
  • Overload (1979)
  • Strong Medicine (1984)
  • The Evening News (1990)
  • Detective (1997)

Selected Screen Adaptations

See also

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