Arthur Upfield

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Arthur Upfield
Arthur Upfield

Arthur William Upfield (1 September 1890 - 13 February 1964 ) was an Australian writer, best known for his works of detective fiction featuring Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte ('Bony') of the Queensland Police Force.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Upfield was born in Gosport, Hampshire, England on 1 September 1890. [1] His father was a draper. In 1910, after doing poorly in examinations towards becoming a real estate agent, Upfield was sent to Australia by his father.[2]

For most of the next twenty years he travelled throughout the outback working at a number of jobs. He learnt much of Aboriginal culture, later to be used in his books.

With the outbreak of World War I, he joined the First Australian Imperial Force on 23 August 1914.[3] Upfield sailed from Brisbane on the HMAT Anglo Egyptian on 24 September 1914 to Melbourne. At the time of sailing he had the rank of Driver and was with the 1st Light horse Brigade Train (5 Company ASC [Army Service Corps]).[4] In Melbourne he was at a camp for several weeks before sailing to Egypt.[5] He fought at Gallipoli and in France, and married an Australian nurse, Ann Douglass, in Egypt in 1915. He was discharged in England on 15 October 1919.[6] He worked as a private secretary to an army officer.[1] In 1921 he returned to Australia with his wife and their son.[7]

Upfield created the character of Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte, based on a man known as 'Tracker Leon' whom he had met in his travels. Leon Wood was a half-caste Aborigine who was employed as a tracker by the Queensland Police.[1]The novels featuring 'Bony', as the character was also known, were far more successful than other Upfield writings.

3 Jasmine Street, Bowral, the house where Upfield spent his last years and died
3 Jasmine Street, Bowral, the house where Upfield spent his last years and died
Snowy Rowles, convicted for The Murchison Murders, standing beside the car of James Ryan, photographed by Arthur Upfield.  Ryan was one of the victims.
Snowy Rowles, convicted for The Murchison Murders, standing beside the car of James Ryan, photographed by Arthur Upfield. Ryan was one of the victims.

Late in life Upfield became a prominent member of the Australian Geological Society, involved in scientific expeditions.[7] In particular he led a major expedition in 1948 to northern and western parts of Australia in 1948, including the Wolfe Creek crater. The Wolfe Creek crater was a setting for his novel The Will of the Tribe published in 1962.[8]

After living at Bermagui, New South Wales, Upfield moved to Jasmine Street, Bowral, New South Wales. Upfield died at Bowral on 13 February, 1964. His last work, The Lake Frome Monster, published in 1966, was completed by J.L. Price and Dorothy Stange.

In 1957, his lifelong companion, Jessica Hawke, published a biography of the author entitled Follow My Dust!. It is generally held however, that this was written by Upfield himself.[2]

[edit] Works

The Sands of Windee book cover
The Sands of Windee book cover

Upfield's novels were held in high regard by some fellow writers. In 1987, H.R.F. Keating included The Sands of Windee (1931) in his list of the 100 best crime and mystery books ever published. J.B. Priestley wrote of Upfield: "If you like detective stories that are something more than puzzles, that have solid characters and backgrounds, that avoid familiar patterns of crime and detection, then Mr Upfield is your man." Others have found Upfield's prose stilted. Much of the appeal of Arthur Upfield's stories lies in the depiction of outback Australian life in the 1930s through into the 1950s.

In The Sands of Windee, a story about a "perfect murder", Upfield invented a method to destroy carefully all evidence of the crime. Upfield's "Windee method" was used in a true-life crime, The Murchison Murders.

Upfield's novels were very popular in America (originally because so many American servicemen stationed out there during WW2 read them and brought copies back), England and translated into German.

From 1972 - 1973 a 26-episode television series was produced by Fauna Productions (the folks who brought you Skippy the Bush Kangaroo). After a long search for a half-white, half-Aborigine actor, the producers chose English actor Jon Finch for the role of Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte. When he suddenly became unavailable, Fauna's John McCallum flew to London in panic, and was lucky enough to audition New Zealand actor James Laurenson on his last day there. Offered the lead role, Laurenson hurriedly flew to Australia, reading "Bony" books all the way over. The series was called Boney, partly to make the pronunciation of the name more obvious, and partly because that had been Upfield's original intention - a publisher's misprint on the first novel had renamed the character! Most of the episodes were based directly on one of the novels, but there were some adaptations. Two original scripts were not directly based on any novel; five novels were not adapted for television, effectively ‘reserving’ them in case a third series eventuated. At the time, many of the books were reprinted with the spelling altered to ‘Boney’ on the covers (although retaining the original in the text), and featuring a photo from the relevant episode.[1]

[edit] Table of books

Name of book Setting English language publication [9] Title of German translation and date of publication
The House of Cain Hutchinson, London, n.d. [1928];

1st U.S. Edition: Dorrance, Philadelphia, 1929; 2nd US Edition: (pirated) Dennis McMillan, San Francisco, 1983.

The Barrakee Mystery Near Wilcannia, New South Wales Hutchinson, London, n.d. [1929];

2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1965; 1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1965 - as The Lure of the Bush.

Bony und der Bumerang, 1966
The Beach of Atonement Dongara, Western Australia[10] Hutchinson, London, n.d. [1930].
The Sands of Windee 'Windee' is a fictional sheep station near Milparinka_, a hundred and fifty miles (240 km) north of Broken Hill. Windee covered 1 300 000 acres (5,300 km²) of land and ran 70 000 sheep. Hutchinson, London, n.d. [1931];

1st Australian Edition: Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1958; 2nd UK Edition: Angus & Robertson, London, 1959.

Ein glücklicher Zufall, 1961
A Royal Abduction Hutchinson, London, [1932];

1st US Edition: (pirated) Dennis McMillan, Miami Beach, 1984.

Gripped by Drought Hutchinson, London, n.d. [1932]
The Murchison Murders Upfield's own account of the murders in the Murchison region Midget Masterpiece Publishing, Sydney, n.d. [1934];

1st US Edition: (pirated) Dennis McMillan, Miami Beach, 1987.

Wings Above the Diamantia Lake Eyre region Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1936; 2nd Australian Edition: Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1940

1st UK Edition: Hamilton, London, n.d. [1937] - as Winged Mystery 1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1943 - as Wings Above the Claypan

Das rote Flugzeug, 1991
Mr. Jelly's Business Takes place at Burracoppin and Merredin east of Perth in the Wheat Belt of Western Australia along the Rabbit-proof fence. The railway station in the story map and the water pipe have changed little since Upfield's day (he worked clearing brush in Burracoppin). Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1937; 2nd Australian Edition: Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1964

1st UK Edition: Hamilton, London, 1938 1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1943 - as Murder Down Under

Mr. Jellys Geheimnis, 1965
Winds of Evil Silverton, New South Wales and the nearby Barrier Range which is north and east of Broken Hill Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1937; 2nd Australian Edition: Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1961

1st UK Edition Hutchinson, London, n.d. [1939] 1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1944

Bony stellt eine Falle, 1962
The Bone is Pointed "Opal Town" or Opalton, Queensland in the Channel Country of the Diamantina River Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1938; 2nd Australian Edition: Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1966

1st UK Edition: Hamilton, London, 1939 1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1947; US Book Club Edition: Unicorn Mystery Book Club, New York, 1946

Todeszauber, 1965
The Mystery of Swordfish Reef Takes place from Bermagui, New South Wales; the reef extends from Montague Island. The plot is based on the 1880 disappearance of the geologist Lamont Young near Mystery Bay, New South Wales.[11] Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1939; Aust. Book Club Edition:Readers Book Club, Melbourne, 1963

1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1960; UK Book Club Edition: The Companion Book Club, London, 1963; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1971 1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1943

Der Kopf im Netz, 1959
Bushranger of the Skies Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1940; 2nd Australian Edition: Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1963

1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Book Club, New York, 1944 - as No Footprints in the Bush

Bony und die Todesotter, 1965
Death of a Swagman Lake Mungo in south-western New South Wales 1st Australian Edition: Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1947; 2nd Australian Edition: Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1962

1st UK Edition: Aldor, London, 1946 Doubleday/Crime Book Club, New York, 1945; US Book Club Edition: Unicorn Mystery Book Club, New York, 1946

Bony wird verhaftet, 1964
The Devil's Steps 1st Australian Edition: Invincible Press, Sydney, n.d. [1950-1953]; 2nd Australian Edition: Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1965

1st UK Edition: Aldor, London, 1948 Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1946; US Book Club Edition: Unicorn Mystery Book Club, New York, 1946

Der Pfad des Teufels, 1992
An Author Bites the Dust Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1948

1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1948; US Book Club Edition: Unicorn Mystery Book Club, New York, 1948

Die Leute von nebenan, 1959
The Mountains Have a Secret Set mostly in the Grampians mountain range in western Victoria. 1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1952; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified)

Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1948; US Book Club Edition: Unicorn Mystery Book Club, New York, 1948

Tödlicher Kult, 1990
The Widows of Broome Set in Broome, Western Australia 1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1951; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1967

Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1950; US Book Club Edition: Dollar Mystery Guild, New York, 1950

Die Witwen von Broome, 1958
The Bachelors of Broken Hill Broken Hill, New South Wales 1st Australian Edition: Invincible Press, Sydney, between 1950 and 1953

1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1958; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified); Large Print Edition: Ulverscroft, Leicester, 1974 Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1950; US Book Club Edition: Detective Book Club, New York, 1951

Die Junggesellen von Broken Hill, 1960
The New Shoe Aireys Inlet; The Split Point Lighthouse and Broken Rock[12] 1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1952; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1968

Doubleday/Crime Book Club, New York, 1951

Der neue Schuh, 1960
Venom House 1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1953; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1970

Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1952; US Book Club Edition: Unicorn Mystery Club, New York, 1952

Die Giftvilla, 1959
Murder Must Wait Mitford, New South Wales 1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1953; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified)

Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1953; US Book Club Edition: Detective Book Club, New York, 1953

Viermal bei Neumond, 1960
Death of a Lake Heinemann, London, 1954

1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1954

Der sterbende See, 1959
Sinister Stones Kimberley region of Western Australia 1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1955 - as Cake in the Hat Box; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified)

Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1954

Der schwarze Brunnen, 1960
The Battling Prophet The Murray River Heinemann, London, 1956; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified) Der streitbare Prophet, 1960
The Man of Two Tribes 1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1956 - as Man of Two Tribes; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified)

Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1956

Höhle des Schweigens, 1961
The Bushman Who Came Back 1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1957 - as Bony Buys a Woman

Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1957

Bony kauft eine Frau, 1960
Follow My Dust! Heinemann, London, 1957
Bony and the Black Virgin; also published as The Torn Branch "Lake Jane", a fictional lake in the Murray-Darling Basin[13] 1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1959; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified) Bony und die schwarze Jungfrau, 1962
Journey to the Hangman "Daybreak", a fictional mining town 150 miles from Laverton, Western Australia 1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1959 - as Bony and the Mouse; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified)

Doubleday/Crime Club, New York. 1959

Bony und die Maus, 1961
Valley of Smugglers Possibly set in a town and valley similar to Kangaroo Valley, New South Wales not far from Bowral where Upfield lived for the last years of his life. [14] However, Robertson on the top of the escarpment, which is known for its potatoes, is also possible.

The waterfall may be Fitzroy Falls in Morton National Park.[13]

Narrates some episodes of the Ned Kelly true history.

1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1960 - as Bony and the Kelly Gang; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified)

Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1960; US Book Club Edition: Detective Book Club, New York, n.d. [1960]

Fremde sind unerwünscht, 1963
The White Savage 1st UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1961 - as Bony and the White Savage; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified)

Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1961

Bony und die weiße Wilde, 1962
The Will of the Tribe Wolfe Creek crater[13] First UK Edition: Heinemann, London, 1962

Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1962

Wer war der zweite Mann?, 1963
Madman's Bend Heinemann, London, 1963

1st US Edition: Doubleday/Crime Club, New York, 1963 - as The Body at Madman's Bend

Bony übernimmt den Fall, 1964
The Lake Frome Monster

[Note: This posthumously published work was based on an unfinished manuscript and detailed notes left by Upfield. It was completed by J L Price and Mrs Dorothy Strange.]

Heinemann, London, 1966; 2nd UK Edition: Heinemann, London, (date not identified) Gefahr für Bony, 1967
Breakaway House Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1987
The Great Melbourne Cup Mystery ETT Imprint, Watson's Bay, Sydney, 1996

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Petri Liukkonen (2003). Arthur Upfield (1890*-1964). Books and Writers. www.kirjasto.sci.fi. Retrieved on 2006-01-14. (Although some authorities give his birth date as 1888, his birth certificate is reported to state 1890.)
  2. ^ a b The Arthur Upfield Mystery - Bony (transcript of radio show 12 May 2002). Radio National, Books and Writing. Australian Broadcasting Corporation (2002). Retrieved on 2006-01-16.
  3. ^ Walker, Terry (1993). Murder on the Rabbit Proof Fence: The strange case of Arthur Upfield and Snowy Rowles. Carlisle, Western Australia: Hesperian Press. ISBN 0-85905-189-7. 
  4. ^ First World War Unit Embarkation Rolls (search for Arthur Upfield). Nominal rolls. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved on 2006-02-03.
  5. ^ Upfield, Arthur. "One Digger's War", Melbourne Herald, 19 April 1934. Copy of article with Upfield's World War 1 Military Records held by the National Archives of Australia.
  6. ^ First World War Nominal Roll (File: 53-103 Start Name: Upchurch,Andrew End Name: Upritchard, William John) (PDF). Nominal rolls. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved on 2006-02-03.
  7. ^ a b Jonathan Vos Post (2004). Arthur Upfield. Periodic Table of Mystery Authors. Magic Dragon Multimedia. Retrieved on 2006-01-15.
  8. ^ Kees de Hoog (2004). Arthur W. Upfield, Creator of Detective Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte (Bony) of the Queensland Police. Collecting Books and Magazines. www.collectingbooksandmagazines.com/. Retrieved on 2006-02-09.
  9. ^ Barry John Watts. Arthur Upfield and Detective-Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte of the Queensland Police. Pegasus Book Orphanage. Retrieved on 2006-01-15.
  10. ^ 'Beach Of Atonement' Discussion Forum. Famous Folk Arthur W. Upfield Discussion Forum. www.proboards.com. Retrieved on 2006-02-05.
  11. ^ Bermagui. Travel. Fairfax Digital (2004). Retrieved on 2006-05-17.
  12. ^ N.L. Nicholson (2003). Images of the Lighthouse and Eagle Rock featuring in Upfield's Novel, "The New Shoe". Dingo's Breakfast Club: Australian Natural History; Human ecological context for the "Bony" mysteries by Arthur William Upfield. nicholnl.wcp.muohio.edu. Retrieved on 2006-02-05.
  13. ^ a b c N.L. Nicholson (2003). Australian Natural History; Human ecological context for the "Bony" mysteries by Arthur William Upfield. Dingo's Breakfast Club. nicholnl.wcp.muohio.edu. Retrieved on 2006-02-05.
  14. ^ The Wild, Wombat's Wonderings!Part 4 [sic]. (Journal of trip to Australia in 1999-2000). The Latham-Albany-Schenectady-Troy Science Fiction Association (2000). Retrieved on 2006-02-05.

[edit] External links

  • Don Storey (2005). Boney. Classic Australian Television. Retrieved on 2006-01-16.
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