Daphne Du Maurier

Dame Daphne du Maurier
The young Daphne du Maurier (about 1930)
Born	(1907-05-13)13 May 1907 London, England, UK
Died	19 April 1989(1989-04-19) (aged 81) Fowey, Cornwall, England, UK
Resting place	Kilmarth, Cornwall
Occupation	Novelist
Nationality	British
Period	1931–89
Genre	Literary fiction
Notable works	Rebecca The Scapegoat "The Birds"
Notable awards	National Book Award (U.S.)
Spouse	Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Browning (1932-1965; his death)
Children	3
Relatives	Sir Gerald du Maurier (father) Muriel, Lady du Maurier (mother) George du Maurier (grandfather)
Website
www.dumaurier.org

Dame Daphne du Maurier, Lady Browning, DBE (/ˈdæfni duː ˈmɒri.eɪ/; 13 May 1907 – 19 April 1989) was an English author and playwright.

Although she is classed as a romantic novelist, her stories seldom feature a conventional happy ending, and have been described as ‘moody and resonant’ with overtones of the paranormal. These bestselling works were not at first taken seriously by the critics, but have since earned an enduring reputation for storytelling craft. Many have been successfully adapted into films, including the novels Rebecca and Jamaica Inn and the short stories "The Birds" and "Don't Look Now".

Du Maurier spent much of her life in Cornwall where most of her works are set. As her fame increased through her novels and the films based upon them, she became more reclusive.

Her father was the actor Gerald du Maurier, and her grandfather was the artist and writer George du Maurier.

Daphne du Maurier was born in London, the middle child of three daughters of the prominent actor-manager Sir Gerald du Maurier and actress Muriel Beaumont (maternal niece of journalist, author, and lecturer William Comyns Beaumont). Her grandfather was the author and Punch cartoonist George du Maurier, who created the character of Svengali in the novel Trilby. Her elder sister Angela also became a writer, and her younger sister Jeanne was a painter.