Novels ↙ | 42 |
---|---|
Collections ↙ | 9 |
Plays ↙ | 4 |
Music ↙ | 7 |
Non-fiction ↙ | 3 |
References and footnotes |
Sax Rohmer (pseudonym of Arthur Henry "Sarsfield" Ward; 1883–1959) was a British writer of songs sketches, plays and stories. [1] Born in Birmingham to Irish immigrant parents, the family moved to London in about 1886, where Rohmer was schooled. His formal education finished in 1901, following the death of his alcoholic mother. [2] After attempting careers in the civil service, as well as the banking, journalism and gas industries, Rohmer began writing comic songs, monologues and sketches for music hall performers, including Little Tich and George Robey. [1] [3] [4] Rohmer's first book was Pause!, a series of sketches conceived by Robey and written by Rohmer, which was published anonymously in 1910; his second book was the ghost-written biography of Little Tich, published with Tich's real name, Harry Relph. [5]
In 1913 The Mystery of Dr. Fu-Manchu was published, a novel that introduced Dr. Fu Manchu, described by Rohmer as "the yellow peril incarnate in one man". [1] The book brought the author popularity and wealth; [4] in total he wrote 13 Fu Manchu books during his lifetime and, although he killed the character off more than once, public pressure always demanded his return. [6] Fu Manchu is the character with which Rohmer "remains most strongly identified" [1] and was described by Rohmer's biographer Will Murray as one of the literary characters that "has achieved universal acceptance and popularity which will not be forgotten", along with Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan and Dracula. [7] From 1951 onwards, Rohmer published five novels with Sumuru as the central antagonist; she was a female counterpart of Fu Manchu and her novels, too, were both popular and successful. [8]
Rohmer contracted the Asian flu in 1958 and died the following year after related complications. [8] His best-known character has outlived him through numerous film, radio and television interpretations. [1]
Title | Year of first publication | First edition publisher | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
"Bang went the Chance of a Lifetime!" | 1908 | Francis, Day and Hunter, London | [9] | |
"Tom Took Tickets for Two" | 1909 | Francis, Day and Hunter, London | [10] | |
"I've Been Looking for You for Years, and Years and Years" | 1909 | Francis, Day and Hunter, London | Written and composed by R. Noel, Rohmer & T. W. Thurban | [11] |
"The Camels' Parade : A Desert Arabesque" | 1910 | Ascherberg, Hopwood & Crew, London | Later arranged for military band by M. Retford. | [12] |
"Aboo Tabah" | 1910 | None listed | Written by Rohmer and T. W. Thurban | [13] |
"The Pigtail of Li Fang Fu" | 1919 | Reynolds & Co, London | Musical monologue; written and composed by Rohmer. Transcription for piano arranged by T. W. Thurban | [14] |
"Orange Blossoms: A Chinese Tale" | 1921 | Reynolds & Co, London | Musical monologue | [15] |
Title | Year of first publication | First edition publisher | Category | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pause! | 1910 | Greening (London) | Stories and essays | Published anonymously; some material co-conceived with George Robey | [4] [16] |
Little Tich: A Book of Travels and Wanderings | 1911 | Greening (London) | Anecdotes and sketches | Ghostwriter collaborator on autobiography of Little Tich, published under Tich's name only | [2] [17] |
The Romance of Sorcery | 1914 | Methuen Publishing, London | Occult history | A history of the occult and its main practitioners | [6] [18] |
Apologia Alchymiae | 1925 | John M. Watkins, London | Occult | A re-statement of Alchemy by Richard Watson Councell, M.D. with a preface by Sax Rohmer | [6] [19] |
"A tall, dignified Chinese, wearing a fur-collared overcoat and a fur cap, alighted and walked in ... For a mere instant while the light flooded out from the opened door, I had seen the face of the man in the fur cap, and in that instant my imaginary monster came to life ... I knew that I had seen Dr Fu-Manchu! His face was the living embodiment of Satan".
Rohmer, describing the moment of inspiration for Fu Manchu. [20]
Title [21] [22] | Year of first publication | First edition publisher | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
The Mystery of Dr. Fu-Manchu | 1913 | Methuen Publishing, London | In later editions the hyphen was dropped from Fu Manchu's name and the book's title. [4] Published in the U.S. as The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu. | [23] [24] |
The Sins of Séverac Bablon | 1914 | Cassell, London | [25] | |
The Yellow Claw | 1915 | McBride, New York | Published in the UK by Methuen Publishing, London (1915) | [26] [27] |
The Devil Doctor | 1916 | Methuen Publishing, London | also published as The Return of Dr Fu-Manchu | [28] |
The Exploits of Captain O'Hagan | 1916 | Jarrold Publishing, London | Short story collection | [29] [30] |
The Si-Fan Mysteries | 1917 | Methuen Publishing, London | also published as The Hand of Fu-Manchu | [31] |
Brood of the Witch-Queen | 1918 | Pearson, London | [32] | |
Tales of Secret Egypt | 1918 | Methuen Publishing, London | Short story collection | [30] [33] |
The Orchard of Tears | 1918 | Methuen Publishing, London | [34] | |
The Quest of the Sacred Slipper | 1919 | Pearson, London | [35] | |
Dope: A Story of Chinatown and the Drug Traffic | 1919 | Cassell, London | [36] | |
The Golden Scorpion | 1919 | Methuen Publishing, London | [37] | |
The Dream Detective, Being Some Account of the Methods of Moris Klaw | 1920 | Jarrold Publishing, London | Short story collection | [30] [38] |
The Green Eyes of Bâst | 1920 | Cassell, London | [39] | |
The Haunting of Low Fennel | 1920 | Pearson, London | Short story collection | [30] [40] |
Bat-Wing | 1921 | Cassell, London | [41] | |
Fire-Tongue | 1921 | Cassell, London | [42] | |
Tales of Chinatown | 1922 | Cassell, London | Short story collection | [30] [43] |
Grey Face | 1924 | Cassell, London | [44] | |
Yellow Shadows | 1925 | Cassell, London | [45] | |
Moon of Madness | 1927 | Doubleday, Page, Garden City, NY | Published in the UK by Cassell, London (1927) | [46] [47] |
She Who Sleeps | 1928 | Doubleday, Doran, Garden City, NY | Published in the UK by Cassell, London (1928) | [46] [48] |
The Emperor of America | 1929 | Doubleday, Doran, Garden City, NY | Published in the UK by Cassell, London (1929) | [46] [49] |
The Day the World Ended | 1930 | Doubleday, Doran, Garden City, NY | Published in the UK by Cassell, London (1930) | [46] [50] |
Daughter of Fu Manchu | 1931 | Doubleday, Doran, Garden City, NY | Published in the UK by Cassell, London (1931) | [46] [51] |
Yu'an Hee See Laughs | 1932 | Doubleday, Doran, Garden City, NY | Published in the UK by Cassell, London (1932) | [46] [52] |
Tales of East and West | 1932 | Cassell, London | Short story collection | [30] |
The Mask of Fu Manchu | 1932 | Doubleday, Doran, Garden City, NY | Published in the UK by Cassell, London (1933) | [46] [53] |
Fu Manchu's Bride | 1933 | Doubleday, Doran, Garden City, NY | Published in the UK as The Bride of Fu Manchu, Cassell, London (1933) | [54] [55] |
The Trail of Fu Manchu | 1934 | Doubleday, Garden City, NY | Published in the UK by Cassell, London (1934) | [56] [57] |
The Bat Flies Low | 1935 | Doubleday, Doran, Garden City, NY | Published in the UK by Cassell, London (1935) | [56] [58] |
President Fu Manchu | 1936 | Doubleday, Doran, Garden City, NY | Published in the UK by Cassell, London (1936) | [56] [59] |
White Velvet | 1936 | Doubleday, Doran, Garden City, NY | Published in the UK by Cassell, London (1936) | [56] [60] |
Salute to Bazarada and Other Stories | 1939 | Cassell, London | Short story collection | [30] |
The Drums of Fu Manchu | 1939 | Doubleday, Garden City, NY | Published in the UK by Cassell, London (1939) | [56] [61] |
The Island of Fu Manchu | 1941 | Doubleday, New York | Published in the UK by Cassell, London (1941) | [56] [62] |
Seven Sins | 1943 | McBride, New York | Published in the UK by Cassell, London (1944) | [56] [63] |
Egyptian Nights | 1944 | Hale, London | Short story collection | [30] |
Shadow of Fu Manchu | 1948 | Doubleday, Doran, New York | Published in the UK by Jenkins, London (1949) | [56] [64] |
Hangover House | 1949 | Random House, New York | Published in the UK by Jenkins, London (1950) | [65] [66] |
Nude in Mink | 1950 | Fawcett Books, New York | Published in the UK as The Sins of Sumuru, by Jenkins, London (1950) | [65] [67] |
Wulfheim | 1950 | Jarrold Publishing, London | Published under the pseudonym Michael Furey | [68] |
Sumuru | 1951 | Fawcett Books, New York | Published in the UK as The Slaves of Sumuru, by Jenkins, London (1952) | [65] [69] |
The Fire Goddess | 1952 | Fawcett Books, New York | Published in the UK as Virgin in Flames, by Jenkins, London (1953) | [65] [70] |
The Moon is Red | 1954 | Jenkins, London | [71] | |
Return of Sumuru | 1954 | Fawcett Books, New York | Published in the UK as Sand and Satin, by Jenkins, London (1955) | [65] [72] |
Sinister Madonna | 1956 | Jenkins, London | [73] | |
Re-Enter Fu Manchu | 1957 | Fawcett Books, New York | Published in the UK as Re-Enter Dr. Fu Manchu, by Jenkins, London (1957) | [65] [74] |
Emperor Fu Manchu | 1959 | Jenkins, London | [75] | |
The Secret of Holm Peel and Other Strange Stories | 1970 | Ace Books, New York | Published posthumously; short story collection | [74] [30] |
The Wrath of Fu Manchu and Other Stories | 1973 | Stacey, London | Published posthumously; short story collection | [74] |
There are 13 novels, 4 short stories, and a play about Dr. Fu Manchu and his nemesis, Denis Nayland Smith.
Denis Nayland Smith
There are 3 short stories featuring Denis Nayland Smith in which Dr. Fu Manchu does not appear
Gaston Max
There are 4 novels featuring the Parisian detective, Gaston Max.
John Robert Colombo compiled the Sumuru Omnibus in 2011.
Bimbashi Baruk
There are 10 short stories featuring this Egyptian major, collected in Bimbashi Baruk of Egypt (Egyptian Nights) (1944)
Moris Klaw
There are 10 short stories featuring this detective and ghost-breaking hero, collected in The Dream Detective (1920)
Title | First performance | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
Round in Fifty | 6 March 1922 | by Rohmer and Julian & Lauri Wylie; first performed at the Cardiff Empire, Cardiff | [74] |
The Eye of Siva | 8 August 1923 | First performed at the New Theatre, London. Revived: Scala Theatre, 16 January 1933 | [74] |
Fu Manchu: A Chinese Melodrama | 22 August 1927 | by Rohmer and Willard Mack; originally written for Broadway in 1919, but not performed until Grand Opera House, Cincinnati, OH. Produced and directed by Stuart Walker | [74] |
Secret Egypt | 4 August 1928 | First performed at the Q Theatre, London | [74] |
The Nightingale | 15 July 1947 | by Rohmer and Michael Martin Harvey; first performed at the Prince's Theatre, London | [2] |
Dr. Fu Manchu is a supervillain who was introduced in a series of novels by the English author Sax Rohmer beginning shortly before World War I and continuing for another forty years. The character featured in cinema, television, radio, comic strips and comic books for over 100 years, and he has also become an archetype of the evil criminal genius and mad scientist, while lending his name to the Fu Manchu moustache.
Arthur Henry "Sarsfield" Ward, better known as Sax Rohmer, was an English novelist. He is best remembered for his series of novels featuring the master criminal Fu Manchu.
The Mask of Fu Manchu is a 1932 American pre-Code film directed by Charles Brabin. Written by Irene Kuhn, Edgar Allan Woolf and John Willard, it was based on the 1932 novel of the same name by Sax Rohmer. The film, featuring Boris Karloff as Fu Manchu and Myrna Loy as his daughter, revolves around Fu Manchu's quest for the golden sword and mask of Genghis Khan. Lewis Stone played his nemesis.
The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu is a 1980 comedy film. It was the final film featuring star Peter Sellers and David Tomlinson. Based on characters created by Sax Rohmer, the film stars Sellers in the dual role of Fu Manchu, a megalomaniacal Chinese evil genius, and English country gentleman detective Nayland Smith.
Denis Nayland Smith is a character who was introduced in the series of novels Dr. Fu Manchu by the English author Sax Rohmer. He is a rival to the villain Dr. Fu Manchu.
Harry Alan Towers was a British radio and independent film producer and screenwriter. He wrote numerous screenplays for the films he produced, often under the pseudonym Peter Welbeck. He produced over 80 feature films and continued to write and produce well into his eighties. Towers was married to the actress Maria Rohm, who appeared in many of his films.
The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu is a 1929 American pre-Code drama film directed by Rowland V. Lee and starring Warner Oland as Dr. Fu Manchu. It was the first Fu Manchu film of the talkie era. Since this was during the transition period to sound, a silent version was also released in the United States, although only the sound version exists today. The film's copyright was renewed.
The Collier Hour, also known as Collier's Radio Hour, broadcast on the NBC Blue Network from 1927 to 1932, was radio's first major dramatic anthology.
The Face of Fu Manchu is a 1965 thriller film directed by Don Sharp and based on the characters created by Sax Rohmer. It stars Christopher Lee as the eponymous villain, a Chinese criminal mastermind, and Nigel Green as his pursuing rival Nayland Smith, a Scotland Yard detective.
The Brides of Fu Manchu is a 1966 British/West German Constantin Film co-production adventure crime film based on the fictional Chinese villain Dr. Fu Manchu, created by Sax Rohmer. It was the second film in a series, and was preceded by The Face of Fu Manchu. The Vengeance of Fu Manchu followed in 1967, The Blood of Fu Manchu in 1968, and The Castle of Fu Manchu in 1969. It was produced by Harry Alan Towers for Hallam Productions. Like the first film, it was directed by Don Sharp, and starred Christopher Lee as Fu Manchu. Nigel Green was replaced by Douglas Wilmer as Scotland Yard detective Nayland Smith.
The Mystery of Dr. Fu-Manchu (1913) is the first novel in the Dr. Fu Manchu series by Sax Rohmer. It collates various short stories that were published the preceding year. The novel was also published in the U.S. under the title The Insidious Dr. Fu-Manchu and was adapted into the film The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu.
The Vengeance of Fu Manchu is a 1967 British crime thriller adventure film directed by Jeremy Summers and starring Christopher Lee, Horst Frank, Douglas Wilmer and Tsai Chin. It was the third British/West German Constantin Film co-production of the Dr. Fu Manchu series and the first to be filmed in Hong Kong at the renowned Shaw Brothers studio. It was generally released in the U.K. through Warner-Pathé on 3 December 1967.
Fah Lo Suee is a character who was introduced in the series of novels Dr. Fu Manchu by the English author Sax Rohmer (1883-1959). She is the daughter of Dr. Fu Manchu and an unnamed Russian woman, sometimes shown as an ally, sometimes shown as a rival. The character featured in cinema and comic strips and comic books alongside her father, sometimes using another names, and she has also become an archetype of the Dragon Lady.
The Adventures of Dr. Fu Manchu is a syndicated American television series that aired in 1956. The show was produced by Hollywood Television Service, a subsidiary of Republic Pictures.
The Return of Dr. Fu Manchu is a 1930 American pre-Code film directed by Rowland V. Lee. It is the second of three films starring Warner Oland as the fiendish Fu Manchu, who returns from apparent death in the previous film, The Mysterious Dr. Fu Manchu (1929), to seek revenge on those he holds responsible for the death of his wife and child.
The Blood of Fu Manchu, also known as Kiss of Death, Kiss and Kill and Against All Odds, is a 1968 British adventure crime film directed by Jesús Franco, based on the fictional Asian villain Dr. Fu Manchu created by Sax Rohmer. It was the fourth film in a series, and was preceded by The Vengeance of Fu Manchu. The Castle of Fu Manchu followed in 1969.
The Shadow of Fu Manchu is an adventure radio drama adapted from the first nine Fu Manchu novels by Sax Rohmer. The syndicated series aired from 1939 to 1940 in 15-minute installments.
Cay Van Ash was a Professor of English Literature at Waseda University in Japan and a writer.
Sumuru is a female supervillain created by Sax Rohmer, author of the Fu Manchu series of novels. She first appeared in a 1945-1946 BBC radio serial, which was rewritten as a novel in 1950. Four more novels were published between 1951 and 1956. Two movies were then made in the 1960s and one more in 2003.
Harry Agar Lyons was an Irish-born British actor. He was born in Cork, Ireland in 1878 and died in Wandsworth, London, England in 1944 at age 72.