Hunter, Norman
Entry updated 11 November 2024. Tagged: Author.
(1899-1995) UK professional conjuror and author for children and Young Adult readers, in active service during World War One; active as a writer from before World War Two, his publishing career having begun with Simplified Conjuring for All (1923); during a sojourn in South Africa, from 1949 to 1970, he wrote nothing. He began publishing work of genre interest with a humorous fairy tale, "The Bad Barons of Crashbania" (in Number Nine Joy Street, anth 1931, ed Michael Lynn), and began his classic Children's SF series about the slightly screwloose Professor Branestawm and his sometimes unworkable Inventions as an early 1930s BBC Radio series; this early material also inspired a Thames Television series, The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawm (1969). The book sequence began with The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawm (coll 1933), which was illustrated by W Heath Robinson, whose cartoons of screwloose but logical inventions (and inventors) had been appearing for at least two decades; the series continued with Professor Branestawm's Treasure Hunt (coll 1937), the last full instalment being Professor Branestawm's Perilous Pudding (coll 1979). The Best of Branestawm (coll 1980) followed, plus a late series of booklets beginning with Professor Branestawm and the Wild Letters (1981 chap). Hunter also wrote a number of tales for younger children, many of them revolving around the King and Queen of Incrediblania. [JC]
Norman George Lorimer Hunter
born London: 23 November 1899
died Staines, Surrey: 23 February 1995
works
series
Professor Branestawm
- The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawm (London: The Bodley Head, 1933) [coll: Professor Branestawm: hb/W Heath Robinson]
- Professor Branestawm's Treasure Hunt (London: The Bodley Head, 1937) [coll: Professor Branestawm: hb/]
- Stories of Professor Branestawm (London: The Bodley Head, 1939) [coll: Professor Branestawm: hb/]
- The Peculiar Triumph of Professor Branestawm (London: The Bodley Head, 1970) [coll: Professor Branestawm: hb/]
- Professor Branestawm up the Pole (London: The Bodley Head, 1972) [coll: Professor Branestawm: hb/]
- Professor Branestawm's Great Revolution (London: The Bodley Head, 1974) [coll: Professor Branestawm: hb/]
- Professor Branestawm 'round the Bend (London: The Bodley Head, 1977) [coll: Professor Branestawm: hb/]
- Professor Branestawm's Perilous Pudding (London: The Bodley Head, 1979) [coll: Professor Branestawm: hb/]
- The Best of Branestawm (London: The Bodley Head, 1980) [coll: Professor Branestawm: hb/]
- Professor Branestawm and the Wild Letters (London: The Bodley Head, 1981) [chap: Professor Branestawm: hb/]
- Professor Branestawm's Pocket Motor Car (London: The Bodley Head, 1982) [chap: Professor Branestawm: hb/]
- Professor Branestawm's Mouse War (London: The Bodley Head, 1982) [chap: Professor Branestawm: hb/]
- Professor Branestawm's Building Bust-Up (London: The Bodley Head, 1982) [chap: Professor Branestawm: hb/]
- Professor Branestawm's Crunchy Crockery (London: The Bodley Head, 1983) [chap: Professor Branestawm: hb/]
- Professor Branestawm's Hair-Raising Idea (London: The Bodley Head, 1983) [chap: Professor Branestawm: hb/]
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