Her sisters were no less talented and unconventional than Daphne, though they wouldn’t achieve the anywhere near the kind of renown that she would. As a result, many rumors floated about regarding her personality and private life, most of which proved untrue.Ĭhichester Partnership and Wikimedia Commonsĭaphne du Maurier, born and raised in London, England, was one of three daughters of Sir Gerald du Maurier, a well-known actor. An extremely private person, she rarely gave interviews.Her full title was Dame Daphne du Maurier, Lady Browning, but she never used this designation, either publicly or privately. In 1969, she became Dame Commander of the British Empire for her literary accomplishments.It’s not as widely known that du Maurier also enjoyed some success as a playwright, having had several pieces performed on London stages.Du Maurier was an aficionado of the Brontë family, and it’s believed that Rebecca was in some part inspired by Jane Eyre.Several were directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
Jamaica Inn, Rebecca, My Cousin Rachel, Don’t Look Now, and The Birds all became films. Her big breakthrough was the mysterious adventure novel Jamaica Inn (1936), though 1939’s Rebecca was an even greater success, a key to her lasting legacy, and considered her masterwork. She was only twenty-two when her first novel, The Loving Spirit, was published in 1931. Daphne du Maurier grew up in a family of writers and actors, including her father, Sir Gerald du Maurier, helping to set the stage for a creative life of her own. She was deeply influenced by and inspired by the Brontë sisters, so it’s fitting that among her nonfiction titles is The Infernal World of Branwell Brontë (1960), a portrait of the troubled brother of the literary sisters that she so admired. She wrote plays and nonfiction and as well, including memoirs of her own talented family. But her publishing credits went well beyond her more famous works to include nearly forty novels and short story collections. Her works, which were quite popular in their time, were sometimes criticized as lacking in depth or intellect, a view that has since been revised.ĭu Maurier is best remembered for a half a dozen or so books and stories that were adapted to film. Her novels and stories were rich in detail, with elements of history, romance, and intrigue. 
Daphne du Maurier (– April 19, 1989) was a prolific British novelist, playwright, and short story writer, best known for Rebecca (1938) and other finely constructed works of suspense.
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