Kyril Bonfiglioli (born Cyril Emmanuel George Bonfiglioli; 29 May 1928 – 3 March 1985) was an English art dealer, magazine editor and comic novelist. His eccentric and witty Mortdecai novels have gained a following since his death.
Bonfiglioli was born in Eastbourne on the south coast of England to an Italo-Slovene father, Emmanuel Bonfiglioli, and an English mother, Dorothy née Pallett. His mother and brother died in an air raid when he was 14. Having served in the British Army from 1947 to 1954, and being widowed, he applied to Balliol College, Oxford, where he took his degree. After his divorce from his second wife, he lived in Silverdale in Lancashire, then in Jersey and Ireland. With Keith Roberts, he edited Science Fantasy magazine for a period from 1964 to 1966, appointed by David Warburton of Roberts and Vinter Ltd.; and the successor Impulse for its first few issues in 1966 before handing the reins to Harry Harrison. He died in Jersey of cirrhosis in 1985, having had five children.[1][2]
He described himself as "an accomplished fencer, a fair shot with most weapons and a serial marrier of beautiful women ... abstemious in all things except drink, food, tobacco and talking ... and loved and respected by all who knew him slightly."[1][3]
Bonfiglioli wrote four books featuring Charlie Mortdecai, three of which were published in his lifetime, and one posthumously as completed by the satirist and parodist Craig Brown. Charlie Mortdecai is the fictional art dealer anti-hero of the series. His character resembles, among other things, an amoral Bertie Wooster with occasional psychopathic tendencies. His Mortdecai comic-thriller trilogy received critical plaudits back in the 1970s and early 1980s. The dry satire and black humour of the books were favourably reviewed by The New Yorker and others. The books are still in print and have been translated into several languages.
Don't Point That Thing At Me was awarded the 1973 CWA New Blood Dagger for the best crime novel by a hitherto unpublished writer.
Actors Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie are among those who are fans of his work.[2] Hugh Laurie praised "the excellent Kyril Bonfigliolo" [sic] in the afternotes of his book The Gun Seller.[4]
The three original books, published out of chronological order:
Bonfiglioli's second wife Margaret wrote and compiled a posthumous anthology of works and anecdotes, called The Mortdecai ABC (London: Penguin / Viking, 2001), ISBN0-670-91084-8.
Mortdecai, a film based on the books directed by David Koepp and starring Johnny Depp in the title role, was released in January 2015. The film was a box office bomb, and received overwhelmingly negative reviews.[5][6] The Rotten Tomatoes aggregated rating for the movie stands at just 12%.[7]
Referencesedit
^ abCarey, Leo (20 September 2004). "The Genuine Article: the strange case of Kyril Bonfiglioli". The New Yorker. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
^ ab. The Sunday Times. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
^Bonfiglioli, Kyril. "After you with the Pistol", Penguin Books, 2014 edition, p. i (first page, publishers preface).
^Hugh Laurie, The Gunseller, Washington Square Press, 1996, p. 345.
^"'Mortdecai' Is One Of Johnny Depp's Worst Flops Ever". Huffingtonpost.com. 25 January 2015. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
^Stephanie Garcia (26 January 2015). "Mortdecai becomes Johnny Depp's fifth consecutive movie to flop at the box office - News - Films". The Independent. London. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
kyril, bonfiglioli, born, cyril, emmanuel, george, bonfiglioli, 1928, march, 1985, english, dealer, magazine, editor, comic, novelist, eccentric, witty, mortdecai, novels, have, gained, following, since, death, contents, biography, charlie, mortdecai, novels, . Kyril Bonfiglioli born Cyril Emmanuel George Bonfiglioli 29 May 1928 3 March 1985 was an English art dealer magazine editor and comic novelist His eccentric and witty Mortdecai novels have gained a following since his death Contents 1 Biography 2 Charlie Mortdecai novels 2 1 2015 film 3 References 4 External linksBiography editBonfiglioli was born in Eastbourne on the south coast of England to an Italo Slovene father Emmanuel Bonfiglioli and an English mother Dorothy nee Pallett His mother and brother died in an air raid when he was 14 Having served in the British Army from 1947 to 1954 and being widowed he applied to Balliol College Oxford where he took his degree After his divorce from his second wife he lived in Silverdale in Lancashire then in Jersey and Ireland With Keith Roberts he edited Science Fantasy magazine for a period from 1964 to 1966 appointed by David Warburton of Roberts and Vinter Ltd and the successor Impulse for its first few issues in 1966 before handing the reins to Harry Harrison He died in Jersey of cirrhosis in 1985 having had five children 1 2 He described himself as an accomplished fencer a fair shot with most weapons and a serial marrier of beautiful women abstemious in all things except drink food tobacco and talking and loved and respected by all who knew him slightly 1 3 Charlie Mortdecai novels editMain article Mortdecai Bonfiglioli wrote four books featuring Charlie Mortdecai three of which were published in his lifetime and one posthumously as completed by the satirist and parodist Craig Brown Charlie Mortdecai is the fictional art dealer anti hero of the series His character resembles among other things an amoral Bertie Wooster with occasional psychopathic tendencies His Mortdecai comic thriller trilogy received critical plaudits back in the 1970s and early 1980s The dry satire and black humour of the books were favourably reviewed by The New Yorker and others The books are still in print and have been translated into several languages Don t Point That Thing At Me was awarded the 1973 CWA New Blood Dagger for the best crime novel by a hitherto unpublished writer Actors Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie are among those who are fans of his work 2 Hugh Laurie praised the excellent Kyril Bonfigliolo sic in the afternotes of his book The Gun Seller 4 The three original books published out of chronological order Don t Point That Thing At Me Weidenfeld and Nicolson 1972 Book OneReissued Penguin 2015 ISBN 978 0 241 97267 0 as film tie in under title Mortdecai dd After You With The Pistol Secker and Warburg 1979 Book Two Something Nasty In The Woodshed Macmillan 1976 Book ThreeAnthologised in The Mortdecai Trilogy Black Spring Press 1991 An historical prequel about one of Charlie s Dutch ancestors All the Tea in China Secker and Warburg 1978 The posthumously completed sequel The Great Mortdecai Moustache Mystery completed by Craig Brown Black Spring Press 1999 Bonfiglioli s second wife Margaret wrote and compiled a posthumous anthology of works and anecdotes called The Mortdecai ABC London Penguin Viking 2001 ISBN 0 670 91084 8 2015 film edit Main article Mortdecai film Mortdecai a film based on the books directed by David Koepp and starring Johnny Depp in the title role was released in January 2015 The film was a box office bomb and received overwhelmingly negative reviews 5 6 The Rotten Tomatoes aggregated rating for the movie stands at just 12 7 References edit a b Carey Leo 20 September 2004 The Genuine Article the strange case of Kyril Bonfiglioli The New Yorker Retrieved 25 October 2018 a b Don t Point That Thing at Me by Kyril Bonfiglioli The Sunday Times Retrieved 17 October 2014 Bonfiglioli Kyril After you with the Pistol Penguin Books 2014 edition p i first page publishers preface Hugh Laurie The Gunseller Washington Square Press 1996 p 345 Mortdecai Is One Of Johnny Depp s Worst Flops Ever Huffingtonpost com 25 January 2015 Retrieved 12 June 2015 Stephanie Garcia 26 January 2015 Mortdecai becomes Johnny Depp s fifth consecutive movie to flop at the box office News Films The Independent London Retrieved 12 June 2015 Rotten Tomatoes MortdecaiExternal links edit nbsp Wikiquote has quotations related to Kyril Bonfiglioli Entertaining review amp quotes Forgotten authors No 56 Kyril Bonfiglioli The Independent Retrieved 17 October 2014 Article on Bonfiglioli in The New Yorker Recollections of Bonfiglioli by an old friend Mortdecai Film on IMDB Kyril Bonfiglioli at IMDb Kyril Bonfiglioli at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kyril Bonfiglioli amp oldid 1151480671, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
