E. Phillips Oppenheim facts for kids

Quick facts for kids E. Phillips Oppenheim
Edward Phillips Oppenheim
Born	Edward Phillips Oppenheim (1866-10-22)22 October 1866 Tottenham, London, England
Died	3 February 1946(1946-02-03) (aged 79) St. Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands, UK
Pen name	Anthony Partridge (5 novels)
Occupation	Novelist
Period	1887–1943
Genre	Thriller romances

This Blue Plaque was displayed at the Cedars public house, Evington, Leicester.

Edward Phillips Oppenheim (born October 22, 1866 – died February 3, 1946) was a famous English writer. He wrote many popular books, especially thrillers. His stories were full of exciting adventures, interesting characters, and international secrets. People loved his books because they were easy to read and very entertaining. He even appeared on the cover of Time magazine in 1927!

The Life of a Prolific Writer

Edward Phillips Oppenheim was born on October 22, 1866, in Tottenham, London. His parents were Henrietta Susannah Temperley Budd and Edward John Oppenheim, who was a leather merchant.

Early Life and First Steps in Writing

Edward went to Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys until he was about 17. However, his family needed money, so he had to leave school. He then worked in his father's leather business for almost 20 years.

His father helped him publish his very first novel. It did just well enough to cover its costs. Between 1908 and 1912, he also wrote five novels using a different name, "Anthony Partridge."

Around 1900, a rich New York leather merchant named Julien Stevens Ulman bought Oppenheim's father's business. Ulman enjoyed Oppenheim's books. He made Oppenheim a paid director so that he could focus more on his writing.

Becoming a Master of Suspense

Oppenheim quickly found a way to write popular stories. He became very well-known for his exciting books. In 1913, another famous suspense writer, John Buchan, called Oppenheim his "master in fiction."

Publishers were always printing new copies of his books because people wanted more of his stories. One publication said readers had an "insatiable demand" for his work.

In 1892, Oppenheim married an American woman named Elise Clara Hopkins. They lived in Evington, Leicestershire, and had one daughter. During World War I, he worked for the British government's Ministry of Information.

How Oppenheim Wrote His Stories

Oppenheim once explained his writing method in 1922. He would start by creating an interesting character. Then, he would imagine a dramatic situation for that character. This situation would become the beginning of a long chain of events.

He never used a detailed plan for his books. He felt that his characters would not like being told what to do! When he needed bad guys for his spy stories, he often used Prussian soldiers or anarchists.

The Popularity of His Books

In 1927, The New York Times said that Oppenheim had "hundreds of thousands" of fans. They noted that his books could be found in almost every home. He even appeared on the cover of Time magazine on September 12, 1927.

His books were seen as fun entertainment. For example, a review in 1933 described his book Crooks in the Sunshine. It said his criminals were so fancy they fit right into high society. The review added there wasn't much mystery, but lots of "dress-suit crime."

Another review in 1936 for his 100th novel, A Magnificent Hoax, said the book was a trick on the reader. It led you through almost 300 pages, only for nothing too terrible to happen. Readers expected his unique mix of spy secrets, dangerous women, double agents, and exciting plots. His book The Great Impersonation (1920) was considered his best work.

Besides his many novels and short stories, he also wrote his own life story, called The Pool of Memory, in 1942.

Later Life and Legacy

Oppenheim's success allowed him to buy a fancy house on the French riviera and a yacht. Later, he bought a house in Guernsey. He lost access to this house during World War II.

After the war, he got his house back, Le Vauquiedor Manor in St. Martins. He died there on February 3, 1946. His wife also passed away there later that year.

The New York Times wrote after his death that his books were easy to write and easy to read. They were perfect for a summer vacation when people wanted to escape into a story. He wrote by telling his stories to a secretary. He once wrote seven books in just one year! He created a "glamorous world of international intrigue, romance and plushy society." He is remembered as a very talented entertainer.

A Look at His Many Works

Oppenheim wrote a huge number of books during his career. He published over 100 novels and 38 collections of short stories. Many of his short story collections featured the same characters in different adventures.

Selected Novels

Here are some of his many novels:

• Expiation (1887)
• The Mystery of Mr. Bernard Brown (1896)
• Mysterious Mr. Sabin (1898)
• The Man and His Kingdom (1899)
• A Lost Leader (1906)
• The Great Secret (1908)
• The Illustrious Prince (1910)
• Havoc (1911)
• The Double Life of Mr. Alfred Burton (1913)
• The Black Box (1915)
• The Great Impersonation (1920)
• Jacob's Ladder (1921)
• The Great Prince Shan (1922)
• The Golden Beast (1926)
• Miss Brown of X.Y.O. (1927)
• The Million Pound Deposit (1930)
• The Lion and the Lamb (1930)
• The Spy Paramount (1934)
• The Colossus of Arcadia (1938)
• Last Train Out (1940)
• The Shy Plutocrat (1941)

Selected Short Story Collections

Here are some of his short story collections:

• The Long Arm of Mannister (1908)
• Peter Ruff and the Double-Four (1912)
• The Amazing Partnership (1914)
• The Game of Liberty (1915)
• Mysteries of the Riviera (1916)
• Aaron Rodd, Diviner (1920)
• Ambrose Lavendale, Diplomat (1920)
• The Seven Conundrums (1923)
• Crooks in the Sunshine (1932)
• General Besserley's Puzzle Box (1935)

Books on the Big Screen: Film Adaptations

Many of Oppenheim's exciting stories were turned into movies! Here are some of them:

• The Black Box (1915)
• Mr. Grex of Monte Carlo (1915)
• The Game of Liberty (1916)
• The World's Great Snare (1916)
• The Cinema Murder (1920)
• The Golden Web (1920 and 1926)
• The Mystery of Mr. Bernard Brown (1921)
• The Mystery Road (1921)
• Behind Masks (1921)
• The Great Impersonation (filmed three times: 1921, 1935, and 1942)
• A Lost Leader (1922)
• Expiation (1922)
• False Evidence (1922)
• The Great Prince Shan (1924)
• Monte Carlo (1925)
• The Passionate Quest (1926)
• Prince of Tempters (1926)
• Millionaires (1926)
• Sisters of Eve (1928)
• The Lion and the Lamb (1931)
• Strange Boarders (1936)
• The Amazing Quest of Ernest Bliss (1936)

Images for kids

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  Oppenheim with his wife and daughter

See also

In Spanish: Edward Phillips Oppenheim para niños