Daphne du Maurier

Daphne du Maurier was born in London, England to actors Sir Gerald du Maurier and Muriel Beaumont. Her family encouraged her artistic ambitions from an early age, as her father introduced her to various theater actors and her great uncle, a journalist and editor, published her early writing in Bystander magazine. Du Maurier published her first novel, The Loving Spirit, in 1931. The book attracted the attention of British Airborne officer Lieutenant-General Frederick Browning, whom du Maurier married in 1932. The couple had three children and spent much of their life together in the town of Cornwall, the rugged, coastal setting for many of du Maurier’s works. Officially titled Lady Browning after her marriage, du Maurier continued to write under her maiden name. At age 31 du Maurier published her most famous work, the psychological thriller Rebecca. The novel was an immediate bestseller, going on to win the 1938 National Book Award and cementing du Maurier’s status as a master of gothic romance and horror. In 1940 Rebecca was adapted into an Oscar-winning film by Alfred Hitchcock, who also adapted du Maurier’s novel Jamaica Inn and “The Birds.” Her short story Don’t Look Now was brought to the screen by director Nicolas Roeg in what is considered a classic and influential work of British horror. In addition to her many novels and short stories, Du Maurier wrote three plays and several works of nonfiction, including a biography of her father. In 1969, she was named a Dame of the British Empire in recognition of her artistic contributions. She died in Cornwall at the age of 81.