Donald James | |
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Born | Donald James Wheal 22 August 1931 World's End, Chelsea, London, England, United Kingdom |
Died | 28 April 2008 London |
(aged 76)
Pen name | Thomas Dresden, James Barwick |
Occupation | Television writer, novelist, non-fiction writer |
Language | English |
Alma mater | Pembroke College, Cambridge |
Period | 1964—2007 |
Notable works | Inspector Vadim novels |
Spouse | Married three times |
Children | Twin daughters |
Donald James (born Donald James Wheal; 22 August 1931—28 April 2008) was a British television writer, novelist and non-fiction writer.
Born in World's End, Chelsea, and educated at Sloane Grammar School and Pembroke College, Cambridge (where he read history), James completed his National Service in the Parachute Regiment before returning to London to work as a supply teacher.
He was the author of the best-selling novels Vadim, Monstrum, The Fortune Teller and The Fall of the Russian Empire, as well as non-fiction books such as The Penguin Dictionary of the Third Reich. He wrote under a number of pseudonyms, notably Thomas Dresden and James Barwick (originally in collaboration with fellow writer Tony Barwick, another long-term contributor to the various television productions of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and their company, AP Films/Century 21).
James's career as a scriptwriter included work on TV series such as The Adventurer, The Avengers, The Champions, Department S, Joe 90, Mission: Impossible, The Persuaders!, The Protectors, Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), The Saint, The Secret Service, Space: 1999, Terrahawks and UFO. He wrote for a total of 22 titles, including the Century 21 film Doppelgänger, and acted in small three roles between 1961 and 1962.