Arthur Russell Thorndike (6 February 1885, Rochester, Kent 7 November 1972) was a British actor and novelist, best known for the Doctor Syn of Romney Marsh novels. Lesser known than his sister Dame Sybil Thorndike but just as versatile, Russell Thorndike's first love was for the pen and, following service in World War I, he devoted himself to writing.
He was born in Rochester, Kent, where his father had recently taken the position of canon at the cathedral. A student at St George's School, Windsor Castle, he was a chorister of St George's Chapel, an experience he later recounted in his book Children of the Garter (1937). At his suggestion, both he and Sybil (who once aspired to be a concert pianist) tried acting as a career in 1903. They became students at Ben Greet's Academy and two years later accompanied fellow members of the company on a North American tour, which included New York. He remained three-and-a-half years with the company, once giving three performances as Hamlet in three different versions of the text on the same day. He also toured in South Africa and Asia.
He was born in Rochester, Kent, where his father had recently taken the position of canon at the cathedral. A student at St George's School, Windsor Castle, he was a chorister of St George's Chapel, an experience he later recounted in his book Children of the Garter (1937). At his suggestion, both he and Sybil (who once aspired to be a concert pianist) tried acting as a career in 1903. They became students at Ben Greet's Academy and two years later accompanied fellow members of the company on a North American tour, which included New York. He remained three-and-a-half years with the company, once giving three performances as Hamlet in three different versions of the text on the same day. He also toured in South Africa and Asia.
Genres: Historical, Horror
Series
Doctor Syn of Romney Marsh
Doctor Syn (1915)
Doctor Syn On The High Seas (1935)
Doctor Syn Returns (1936)
aka The Scarecrow Rides
The Further Adventures Of Doctor Syn (1936)
aka Christopher Syn
Courageous Exploits of Doctor Syn (1938)
The Amazing Quest Of Doctor Syn (1939)
The Shadow of Doctor Syn (1944)
Doctor Syn (1915)
Doctor Syn On The High Seas (1935)
Doctor Syn Returns (1936)
aka The Scarecrow Rides
The Further Adventures Of Doctor Syn (1936)
aka Christopher Syn
Courageous Exploits of Doctor Syn (1938)
The Amazing Quest Of Doctor Syn (1939)
The Shadow of Doctor Syn (1944)
Novels
The Slype (1927)
The Vandekkers (1929)
Herod's Peal (1931)
aka The Devil in the Belfry
The Watch Witch (1932)
The Forbidden Room (1933)
Jet and Ivory (1934)
Show House-Sold (1941)
The House of Jeffreys (1943)
The First Englishman (1949)
The Vandekkers (1929)
Herod's Peal (1931)
aka The Devil in the Belfry
The Watch Witch (1932)
The Forbidden Room (1933)
Jet and Ivory (1934)
Show House-Sold (1941)
The House of Jeffreys (1943)
The First Englishman (1949)
Collections
Plays show
Non fiction show
Books containing stories by Russell Thorndike
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The Valancourt Book of Horror Stories: Volume Two (2017)
(Valancourt Book of Horror Stories, book 2)
edited by
Ryan Cagle and James D Jenkins
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