FORTUNE PRESS WRITERS ON FRIDAY
Gilbert Wakefield (1892-1963)
Barrister, Author, Playwright, Actor, Critic & Film/ Screen Writer
Fortune Press published Wakefield’s play “ Room For Two” A Farce, in 1938.
See Timothy D’Arch Smith 577.
The book contains an brave essay entitled “ A Preface on Censorship”.
Gilbert Wakefield was born on 23 April 1892 in Sandgate, Kent. He was educated at Harrow, and University College, Oxford, served in the Great War, and was wounded in France, and afterwards worked in the Intelligence Department at the War Office. In 1919 he was called to the bar, but his passion was for the stage and film.
His film scripts include Sally Bishop (1932), Lord Camber's Ladies (1932) and The Divorce of Lady X (1938) ( that starred Laurence Olivier), and is a movie still readily available.
Wakefield was drama critic for the Saturday Review from 1930-1932.
He was married to the stage and film actress beauty Isabel Jeans ( 1891-1985) and they lived in St John’s Wood, London. They were regularly photographed together in Society corners.
Gilbert died on 4 July 1963 in London.
