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RJ (Rubeigh James) Minney (29 August 1895 - 5 January 1979) was an English novelist, biographer, playwright and film producer.

Early life (1895-1920)

He was the son of JR Minney and was born in Kolkata, India on 29 August 1895 . According to the archive Recalling Jewish Calcutta he was born Reuben Joseph Minney but took the name Rubeigh James Minney when he emigrated to England..

Education

Studied history at King’s College London.

Personal life and family

Married Edith Anne Murielle Fox and they had a daughter and a son. In 1933 he was living at “Little Walcott”, Bishops Avenue, London but by 1947 he wrote several letters to The Times from his address at Lawford House, Manningtree in Essex.
The first marriage was dissolved and he married Hetty nee Bolsom. They lived in Hook House, Cousley Wood, Wadhurst, Sussex and Bewl Water reservoir came close to the house when it was filled in 1975.
He was a member of the Savage Club.
He died on 5 January 1979 at Ticehurst, Sussex. A memorial service was held at St James’s Piccadilly on 5th April 1979 and Sir Harold Wilson MP read the lesson while Virginia McKenna read a poem from the film Carve Her Name with Pride.

Journalism

On the editorial staff of “The Pioneer” in Allahabad and “The Englishman” Calcutta (3) and represented the “Times” in Calcutta (4). He was a special reporter attached to the staff of the Duke of Connaught for the opening of India’s first Parliament 1920 xx.(1, 4). In London he was a drama critic for “Daily Chronicle”, “Sunday News” and “Everybody’s Weekly” (1925-1935) and director of Everybody’s Publication Ltd to 1935 (4)), where he eventually became editor (3). Managing editor of “The Sunday Referee” (1935-39 (3)), editor of “The Era” (4), editor of “War Weekly” (published from October 1939 to August 1941 (4), published by Newnes, and eventually stopped because of shortage of paper. Editor of “The Strand Magazine” (1941-42 – (4)) to which many famous writers contributed. He also wrote for “Daily Express” (4). He was listed as editor of “Men Only” in 1955, published by Newnes and there was a book with many leading contributors called “A Stag Party with Men Only” printed by Newnes in 1955.

Novels

First was “Maki” (1921), “The Road to Delhi” (1923 – (4)), “Distant Drums” (1935 – (3)), “Bring Out the Drum” (1950 – (1, 4), Anne of the Sealed Knot (1972) (4)

Biographies

His first big best seller was his 1931 biography “Clive of India” (5). His book on Charlie Chaplin was called Chaplin – The Immortal Tramp (1954). He also wrote Carve Her Name with Pride about heroine spy Violette Szabo, who was posthumously awarded the George Cross and which was later turned into a successful film with Virginia McKenna.

Other books

He wrote Shiva or The Future of India which was published in 1929 and banned (3), and Earl Winterton, Under-Secretary of State for India told it was debarred entry because it was offensive to the people of India. “Hollywood by Starlight” (1935) and a love story of Warren Hastings in 1935 called “Governor General”. He also wrote “How Vainly Men” (1940) and “A Woman of France” (1945), Nothing to Lose (1946, filmed as Time Gentlemen Please 1952 – (4). In 1957 he wrote “Next Stop Peking”.

Films

In 1930, the day after the London opening of “Clive of India”, RJ met Daryl Zanuk, a 1930s impresario and film maker at Claridges. James Braxton wrote (11) “Zanuk invited RJ to Hollywood. RJ declined as he was due to leave for Russia to work on a biography on Rasputin, to which Zanuk reputedly responded; "Now Mr Minney sit down a minute, we haven’t talked about money yet." The next day RJ left for Hollywood”. In Hollywood he made many fims including From 1942 he became a leading figure in the Gainsborough Pictures production team and with producer Ted Black they produced a series of costume melodramas that dominated the market from 1942-46 and were particularly popular with women (www.screenonline.org.uk). Other films he produced included “The Wicked Lady” (1945, which apparently showed British films could compete with Hollywood), “Madonna of the Seven Moons”, “The Magic Bow” and Osbert Sitwell’s “A Place of One’s Own”, with settings designed by Rex Whistler [ref]. He also produced a film of Terence Rattigan’s “The Final Test”. They helped boost the career of new stars including Stewart Granger, James Mason, Patricia Roc and Margaret Lockwood (ibid). Stars who appeared in his pictures include Ronald Coleman, Loretta Young, (1). He spent time as a film producer in a Hollywood studio. “The Idol of Paris”. He resigned from the Arthur Rank Organization (23 January 1947 – (9)). He was Hon. President of the London School of Economics Film Society (1948-49 – 4), a member of Executive and General Council Association of Cine Technicians (1953-1956 – (4). Vice Chairman ACT Films Ltd (1951-1968) and Chairman from 1968 (4).

Plays

W.P. Lipscomb was co-author of “Clive of India” in 1933 (3) which was first produced by the village players of Gt Hucklow in Derbyshire (4) and it ran for over a year in London and was made into a film by 20th Century Fox in 1934 (4). With Sir Osbert Sitwell he wrote “Gentle Caesar” (1), a biography of Tsar Ncholas II, first produced at Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham (1943 – (4)) and “Red Horizon” (3). With Juliet Rhys-Williams there was “They had his Number”, which was first produced at the Hippodrome, Bolton in 1942 (4). His play “The Voice of the People” was first produced in Southend in 1950 (4).

Criticism

According to The Times parliamentary report when Lieut-Com Kenworthy MP asked Earl Winterton why Shiva was disbarred entry, he replied: “It would be improper to read to the House some of the passages which exceed in grossness and coarseness anything published in this country for a long time”(7) About Next Stop Peking, The Times reviewer wrote “Mr Minney does not pretend to know. He was invited to China to take part in the Shaw centenary celebrations and stayed to do the regular tour and be impressed. This is another delegate's view among the many we have lately had from China - easily readable, superficial.” (10).

Politics

He was Labour Party uk candidate for Southend East in 1950 and for Bexley in 1955 (4). In 1955 Edward Heath won for the Conservatives with 28,610 votes (54.27%) and RJ for Labour won 24,111 votes (45.73%) in an 82.55% turnout of the 63,863 electorate. In July 1956 he went to Peking to speak at the centenary celebrations for George Bernard Shaw (4)

Travels

He has travelled to Tibet on horseback across the Himalayas and flown across India in a plane that arrived in a packing case. He visited Japan, China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaya, East Africa, Morocco, Egypt, the Middle East, Russia, South America, Turkey and most of the countries in Europe. (2)

List of works

Filmography • 1959 A Farthing Damages Author of the Original Work • 1958 Carve Her Name with Pride Based on the book by • 1956 Clive of India Author of the Original Work • 1953 The Final Test Producer • 1952 Time Gentlemen Please! From the novel "Nothing to Lose" by • 1948 Idol of Paris Producer • 1946 The Magic Bow Produced by • 1945 A Place of One's Own Produced by • 1945 The Wicked Lady Produced by • 1945 Madonna of the Seven Moons Produced by • 1943 Dear Octopus Scenario by • 1938 Clive of India Author of the Original Work • 1935 Clive of India Screenplay. Based on the play 'Clive of India' by

1. Flyleaf notes of The Governors Lady 1951 2. Flyleaf notes of Puffin Asquith 1973 3. Who was Who in the Theatre 4. Who was Who 5. Daily Telegraph 6 January 1979 “R J Minney dies at 83” 6. Daily Telegraph 6 April 1979 IN MEMORIAM – R J Minney 7. The Times, 12 March 1929 8. The Times 2 and 3 November 1933 9. The Times, 24 January 1947 10. The Times 28 November 1957 11. James Braxton writing in the auction catalogue of Dreweatt Neate “House Sale: The Estate of the late RJ Minney. Thursday 21 October 2004”

External links

www.rjminney.com official RJ Minney website by family.