Mr. Mulliner

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Mr. Mulliner
First appearance"The Truth about George" (1926)
Last appearance"George and Alfred" (1967)
Created by P. G. Wodehouse
In-universe information
GenderMale
NationalityBritish

Mr. Mulliner is a fictional character from the short stories of P. G. Wodehouse. Mr. Mulliner is a loquacious pub raconteur who, no matter what the topic of conversation, can find an appropriate (if improbable) story about a member of his family to match it.

Contents

Like much of Wodehouse's work, the Mr. Mulliner stories were originally written for magazine publication. Thirty-eight of the 43 overall Mulliner stories were originally published between 1926 and 1937. After one brief 1940 anecdote, the final four stories appeared much later, being published between 1958 and 1972.

Overview

Like his fellow Wodehouse character, the Oldest Member, the raconteur Mr. Mulliner can turn any conversation into a "recollection", or funny story. A habitué of the Angler's Rest pub, his fellow drinkers are identified only by their beverages. (Mr. Mulliner is a Hot Scotch and Lemon .) Wodehouse revealed in an introduction that he devised Mr. Mulliner after collecting notebooks full of ideas that could not be used because they were too outlandish, until he had the happy notion of a fisherman whose veracity could be doubted.

The tales of Mulliner all involve one of his relations: there are dozens upon dozens of cousins, nieces, and nephews. These include stories about loves lost, found and rekindled; fortunes made and lost; and opportunities grasped or missed. They take place across the globe: Los Angeles's Hollywood and the English Country House are the settings for many.

Two Mulliner stories ("Gala Night" and "The Rise of Minna Nordstrom") are not primarily about one of Mr. Mulliner's relatives. However, in these two cases, Mr. Mulliner states that the stories were told to him by relatives; he is therefore reporting a story told to him by a relation, rather than a story about a relation.

Stories

The Mulliner stories all employ an unusual structure. At the beginning of each story, an unnamed first-person narrator sets the scene at the Angler's Rest pub, describing the conversation at the bar-parlour. This will lead to Mr. Mulliner entering the conversation, generally elaborating on the conversational theme, and remarking that it reminds him of a story involving a relative. Then, no more than a page or two into the story, Mr. Mulliner effectively takes over the narration of the tale, describing the events that befell the relative in question. In the earlier stories, the unnamed first-person narrator returns very briefly to close out the tale back at the Angler's Rest—in later stories, the story ends when Mr. Mulliner has concluded it.

Mr. Mulliner himself is rarely a character in the tales he tells. An exception is the story "George and Alfred", in which Mr. Mulliner tries to help out one of his nephews who has been accused of a crime. In this story, we learn that Mr. Mulliner is a friend of Hollywood studio head Jacob Z. Schnellenhamer, and that he has stayed on Schnellenhamer's yacht while it was cruising the Mediterranean. We also learn that Mr. Mulliner's first name, whatever it may be, is not George.

Little else is revealed of Mulliner's character beyond his large family, his choice of beverage, and his hobby of fishing (which he mentions in one story replaced his earlier hobby of golf). Nevertheless, Mulliner narrates forty-three short stories. Many are collected in the three books, containing nine stories each, which bear his name:

Fifteen other stories are scattered in other volumes:

One story -- 1940's "Shock Dogs", which is more of a brief topical conversation than a story -- has never been reprinted or collected in any form outside of its original publication in Punch magazine. [1] It is signed with initials only (P.G.W.) but the Articles and Verse listing in the bound Punch volume CXCVIIJ Jan-June 1940 attributes the story to Wodehouse, P. G. It mentions by name Hitler, Brauchitsch, and Goebbels, which is very unusual for an author who so seldom allowed politics to impinge on his novels and stories.

The World of Mr Mulliner is an omnibus containing 41 of the 43 stories narrated by Mr. Mulliner. It omits "Shock Dogs", and 1937's "Romance at Droitgate Spa", which appears in several other Wodehouse compilations but without the framework of Mr. Mulliner's narration. The World of Mr Mulliner also includes one other story which has a tangential connection to the series: "From a Detective's Notebook" (1959) is narrated by the detective Adrian Mulliner, who had previously been established as one of Mr. Mulliner's innumerable nephews. Strictly speaking, despite its appearance in the Mr. Mulliner omnibus, this tale cannot be considered a Mr. Mulliner story, as Mr. Mulliner does not narrate it, appear in it, and is not actually referenced in it in any way. [2]

Also note that a handful of what were to become "Mr. Mulliner stories" were originally published in magazines without the framework of Mr. Mulliner telling the story in question. (These include three stories about Bobbie Wickham, as well as one about James Rodman.) When revised for book publication, Wodehouse added the Mulliner openings and narration — and it is these revised versions which appear in all Mulliner and Wodehouse anthologies to this day. These revised stories can often be distinguished by Mulliner identifying the prime character of the story as a "distant cousin" (or some other far-flung relation) whose surname is not Mulliner.

Known relatives

Forebears:

Grandmother:

Uncles:

Aunts:

Brothers:

Sisters-in-law:

First cousins:

Cousins by marriage:

First cousins, once removed:

First cousin, once removed, by marriage:

Distant cousins:

Distant cousins by marriage:

Nephews:

Note that Mr. Mulliner has three nephews named George, all different people.


Nephews by marriage:

Nieces:

Nieces by marriage:

Nature of relationship uncertain:

Other minor characters

Original appearances

  1. "The Truth about George"
  2. "A Slice of Life"
    • U.K.: Strand, August 1926
    • U.S.: Liberty, 7 August 1926
  3. "Mulliner's Buck-U-Uppo"
    • U.K.: Strand, November 1926
    • U.S.: Liberty, 4 September 1926
  4. "The Romance of a Bulb-Squeezer"
    • U.K.: Strand, March 1927
    • U.S.: Liberty, 12 March 1927
  5. "The Story of William"
    • U.K.: Strand, May 1927
    • U.S.: Liberty, 9 April 1927 (as "It Was Only a Fire")
  6. "Those in Peril on the Tee"
    • UK: Strand, June 1927
    • US: Liberty, 21 May 1927
      • Original UK version is narrated by the Oldest Member, not Mr. Mulliner.
  7. "Came the Dawn"
    • U.K.: Strand, July 1927
    • U.S.: Liberty, 11 June 1927
  8. "The Bishop's Move"
    • U.K.: Strand, September 1927
    • U.S.: Liberty, 20 August 1927
  9. "Portrait of a Disciplinarian"
    • U.K.: Strand, October 1927
    • U.S.: Liberty, 24 September 1927
  10. "Honeysuckle Cottage"
    • Initially published without Mr. Mulliner framework
    • Subsequently, rewritten. First appearance as a Mr. Mulliner story in Meet Mr. Mulliner, September 1927
  11. "The Reverent Wooing of Archibald"
  12. "The Ordeal of Osbert Mulliner"
    • UK: Strand, December 1928
    • US: Liberty, 24 November 1928
  13. "Unpleasantness at Bludleigh Court"
    • UK: Strand, February 1929
    • US: Liberty, 2 February 1929
  14. "The Man Who Gave Up Smoking"
    • UK: Strand, March 1929
    • US: Liberty , 23 March 1929
  15. "The Story of Cedric"
    • UK: Strand, May 1929
    • US: Liberty, 11 May 1929
  16. "Something Squishy"
    • Initially published without Mr. Mulliner framework
    • Subsequently, rewritten. First appearance as a Mr. Mulliner story in Mr. Mulliner Speaking, April 1929
  17. "The Awful Gladness of the Mater"
    • Initially published without Mr. Mulliner framework
      • UK: Strand, May 1925
      • US: Saturday Evening Post, 21 March 1925
    • Subsequently, rewritten. First appearance as a Mr. Mulliner story in Mr. Mulliner Speaking, April 1929
  18. "The Passing of Ambrose"
    • Initially published without Mr. Mulliner framework
      • UK: Strand, July 1928
      • US: Cosmopolitan, August 1928
    • Subsequently, rewritten. First appearance as a Mr. Mulliner story in Mr. Mulliner Speaking, April 1929
  19. "Gala Night"
    • UK: Strand, June 1930
    • US: Cosmopolitan, May 1930
  20. "Best Seller"
    • Early version published without Mr. Mulliner framework as "Parted Ways"
      • UK: Strand, December 1914
      • US: Pictorial Review, June 1915
    • Subsequently, rewritten. First appearance as a Mr. Mulliner story:
      • UK: Strand, July 1930
      • US: Cosmopolitan, June 1930
  21. "The Knightly Quest of Mervyn"
    • UK: Strand, July 1931 (as "Quest")
    • US: Cosmopolitan, April 1931 (as "Quest")
  22. "The Voice from the Past"
    • UK: Strand, December 1931
    • US: American, November 1931
  23. "The Smile that Wins"
    • UK: Strand, February 1932
    • US: American, October 1931
  24. "Strychnine in the Soup"
    • UK: Strand, March 1932
    • US: American, December 1931 (as "The Missing Mystery")
  25. "The Story of Webster"
    • UK: Strand, May 1932 (as "The Bishop's Cat")
    • US: American, February 1932
  26. "Cats will be Cats"
    • UK: Strand, June 1932 (as "The Bishop's Folly")
    • US: American, March 1932 (as "The Bishop's Folly")
  27. "Open House"
    • UK: Strand, April 1932
    • US: American, April 1932
  28. "Monkey Business"
    • UK: Strand, December 1932
    • US: American Magazine , December 1932 (as "A Cagey Gorilla")
  29. "The Nodder"
    • UK: Strand, January 1933
    • US: American Magazine, January 1933 (as "Love Birds")
  30. "The Juice of an Orange"
    • UK: Strand, February 1933
    • US: American Magazine, February 1933 (as "Love on a Diet")
  31. "The Rise of Minna Nordstrom"
    • Early US version published without Mr. Mulliner framework; UK version is narrated by Mr. Mulliner
    • UK: Strand, April 1933
    • US: American Magazine, March 1933 (as "A Star is Born")
  32. "The Castaways"
    • UK: Strand, June 1933
  33. "The Fiery Wooing of Mordred"
    • US: Cosmopolitan, December 1934
    • UK: Strand, February 1935
  34. "Archibald and the Masses"
    • US: Cosmopolitan, August 1935
    • UK: Strand, February 1936
  35. "The Code of the Mulliners"
    • US: Cosmopolitan, February 1935
    • UK: Strand, April 1935
  36. "Buried Treasure"
    • UK: Strand, September 1936
    • US: This Week , 27 September 1936 (as "Hidden Treasure")
  37. "Romance at Droitgate Spa"
    • Early version published without Mr. Mulliner framework
    • US: Saturday Evening Post, 20 February 1937
    • UK: Strand, August 1937
    • Subsequently, rewritten. First -- and ONLY -- appearance as a Mr. Mulliner story in the 1937 US-only book The Crime Wave at Blandings . All further appearances of this story revert to the pre-Mulliner version. Not collected in The World of Mr. Mulliner.
  38. "Anselm Gets His Chance"
    • US: Saturday Evening Post, 3 July 1937
    • UK: Strand, July 1937
  39. "Shock Dogs"
    • UK: Punch, 14 February 1940
    • A very brief topical discussion, never reprinted. Not collected in The World of Mr. Mulliner.
  40. "The Right Approach"
    • Early version published without Mr. Mulliner framework as "Joy Bells For Barmy"
      • US: Cosmopolitan, October 1947
    • Subsequently, rewritten. First appearance as a Mr. Mulliner story:
  41. "Big Business"
    • Early version published without Mr. Mulliner framework
    • Subsequently, rewritten. First appearance as a Mr. Mulliner story in the 1959 book A Few Quick Ones
  42. "George and Alfred"
    • Early version published without Mr. Mulliner framework as "Rallying Round Old George"
    • Subsequently, rewritten. First appearance as a Mr. Mulliner story:
  43. "Another Christmas Carol"
    • Early version published without Mr. Mulliner framework
    • Subsequently, rewritten. First appearance as a Mr. Mulliner story in the 1972 book The World of Mr. Mulliner

Adaptations

Fourteen Mulliner stories were adapted for television as part of the 1974–1978 television series Wodehouse Playhouse , though Mr Mulliner himself only appeared in the pilot episode. In the episode, "The Reverent Wooing of Archibald", Mr Mulliner was portrayed by William Mervyn. [3]

Richard Griffiths starred as Mr Mulliner in a series of radio adaptations of the stories, including six episodes in 2002 under the title Meet Mr Mulliner and four episodes in 2004 under the title More Mr Mulliner. The series aired on BBC Radio 4. [4]

Notes

  1. ↑ McIlvaine (1990), p. 178, D124.92.
  2. ↑ McIlvaine (1990), pp. 115–116, B5. In the first edition of The World of Mr Mulliner, the 40 main stories vary between 11 and 20 pages in length. "Another Christmas Carol" is not more than 5 pages long, and "From a Detective's Notebook" is not more than 4 pages long.
  3. ↑ "Comedy Playhouse presents: The Reverent Wooing of Archibald". BBC Genome. BBC. 9 July 1974. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  4. ↑ "BBC Genome (Mr Mulliner episode listings)". BBC Genome. BBC. Retrieved 16 October 2019.

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References


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