Agatha Christie
Page 51
Bachmann, Larry, 331, 334, 336
Baghdad, 169–71, 267, 273, 275, 283–4, 296
Baillieu, Clive, 106, 115, 119
Baillieu, Ruby, 119
Baird, N.H.J., 10–11
Balikh Valley (Syria), 215, 223
‘Ballad of the Fleet, The’ (poem), 60
Barnard, Robert: A Talent to Deceive, 260
Barnett, Richard, 209
Barttelot, Sir Walter and Lady, 44
Barzun, Jacques, 265
Bates, Francis W., 88, 90–3, 97, 99, 101–3
Battle, Superintendent (character), 118, 211
Bayreuth Festival, 327, 331, 362
Beckett, Samuel, 327
Behind the Screen (BBC serial), 195–6, 259
‘Being So Very Wilful’ (lost story), 52
Belcher, Major E.A.: on Empire Tour, 86–103
temper, 86, 90–2, 97, 102
career, 86–7
AC’s relations with, 105
as ‘Sir Eustace Pedler’, 109
and Nancy Neele, 133
portrayed by AC, 335
Bell family (Australia), 97–9, 213
Bell, Gertrude, 172, 180
Bell, Guilford, 213–4, 219
Belson, Mrs (housekeeper), 330, 368
Benenden School, 165, 205, 216, 309
Bentley, E.C., 195, 200, 261
Beresford, Tommy and Tuppence (characters), 83, 109, 167, 227, 371
Berkeley, Anthony, 195, 259, 261
Berry, Major, 197
Big Four, The, 163, 234
Bingo (dog), 365, 376
Bird, Walter, 359
Black Coffee (play), 177, 193, 197, 239
Bles, Geoffrey (publisher), 117
‘Bloodstained Pavement, The’, 316
Blue Book Magazine, 112
‘Blue Geranium, The’ (short story), 342
Bodley Head, The (publishers), 79, 81–2, 105, 108–12, 117, 217
Body in the Library, The, 159, 234, 323
Boehmer, Ernest (AC’s uncle), 16
Boehmer, Captain Frederick, 2–3
Boehmer, Frederick (AC’s uncle), 16
Boehmer, Gerald (AC’s cousin), 26
Boehmer, Harry (AC’s uncle), 16
Boehmer, Mary Ann (née West AC’s grandmother, ‘Grannie B.’), 1–3, 14–17, 27, 69
Boodles (London club), 330
Booker McConnell (company), 355–6
Bookers Books, 355–6
Boston, Amyas, 70
Boué, Monsieur (singing teacher), 47
Boyd, Constance, 26
Brabourne, John Ulick Knatchbull, 7th Baron, 374–5
Bracken, Brendan, Viscount, 236
Brand, Christianna, 314
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), 195–8, 262, 264, 293, 304
British Empire Exhibition Mission (1922), 87–103
British School of Archaeology, Baghdad, 275, 295
Brooke-Popham, Major Robert (Henry), 61
Brown, Ralph, 139–41
Browne, Annie see Watts, Annie
Brown’s Hotel, London, 338
Buchan, John, 265
Bundle (character), 166
Burden, The (‘Mary Westmacott’), 304–5
Burn, Colonel A.H., 213
Burnett, Sybil, Lady, 316
Burrows, Father Eric Norman Bromley, SJ, 210
Butter in a Lordly Dish (radio play), 304, 367
By the Pricking of My Thumbs, 230, 345–6
Cabernet, Mlle, 23, 27
Cairo, 40–1, 50–1, 235–6
Calder, Ritchie (later Lord Ritchie-Calder), 140, 159–60, 314
Caledonia (Bexhill preparatory school), 165, 216, 309
‘Call of Wings, The’ (story), 49, 199
Canada, 101–2
Canary Islands, 164
Cards on the Table, 211
Caribbean Mystery, A, 335, 366
Carr, John Dickson, 259, 261
Carter, Howard, 41
‘Case of the Rich Woman, The’ (short story), 207
Cassie, Aunt (AC’s American relation), 103
Cat Among the Pigeons, 14, 166, 309
Cauterets (France), 24, 118
Chabrol, Claude, 235
Chaflin, H.B. (New York firm), 3, 34, 62
Chagar Bazar (Syria), 209–11, 213, 215
Chamberlain, Neville, 223
Charles, Moie, 269, 298
Cheadle Hall (near Manchester), 36
Chesterton, G.K., 167, 221
Cheyney, Peter, 354
Chicago Tribune, 205
‘Choice, The’ (short story), 50
Christie Copyrights Trust, 353, 356
Christie Settlement Trust, 353
Christie, Dame Agatha (née Miller): spelling, 5, 20
born, 8
names and pseudonyms, 10, 48, 50–1, 163, 207, 250
portraits, 10, 347, 348, 359
childhood and home life, 10–14, 29–32, 38–9
food and cooking, 11–12, 174, 243–4, 278, 287, 301, 315, 338, 360–1
early reading, 18–21, 76–7
education, 20–3
music and singing, 23, 46–8, 72
pets, 23
imaginary friends and inventions, 23, 25–6
childhood friendships, 24, 26–7
in France, 24
as French speaker, 25
shyness and reticence, 27, 42, 233, 250–1, 311, 357–9
nightmare, 30, 159
and father’s death, 33–5
income from trust, 34
dress and appearance, 38–9, 40–1, 99, 227, 275
accompanies mother to Egypt, 40–2
social life and meetings with men, 42–4
theatre-going, 44–5
and amateur theatricals, 45
early writing and poetry, 45–6, 75, 117
stories, 48–50, 52
first novels, 51–2
romantic friendships, 54–7, 60
courtship by Archie, 57–63, 67–8
as VAD in World War I, 66
marriage to Archie, 68, 70–1, 74
works as dispenser in World War 1, 69–73
first detective story (The Mysterious Affair at Styles), 75–9
birth of daughter, 79
London homes, 81, 174, 192, 209, 256, 266, 309
Empire Tour, 85, 86–103
neuritis in arm, 101, 102
professionalism as writer, 104–5, 108–9
on motherhood and Rosalind, 107–8
relations with Bodley Head, 108–13, 217
literary earnings, 112, 128, 167, 175, 187, 197, 222, 246, 253, 260–1, 295, 351
and Madge’s play, 113–5
moves to Scotswood, 115, 123–4
motor cars and driving, 116–7, 296–7, 368
trip to Pyrenees, 118
married life, 119–20, 127
disappearance, 123, 135–47, 314, 358
account of, 148–62
golf, 124
mother’s death, 126–7
financial situation, 128, 223, 228–9, 231–5, 246, 253, 267–8, 351–6
estrangement from Archie, 129–34, 205
dogs, 131, 142, 164, 192–3, 223, 236, 365
private and public personality, 162–3
psychological treatment, 163, 169
divorce, 163–5, 207, 218
working methods, 166, 282–3, 317–8, 322–4
writes ‘straight’ novel, 167–8
first trip to Baghdad, 169–74
weight and shape, 174, 244, 278
literary output, 175
meets Max, 179–81, 184–5
religious feelings, 183
marriage and honeymoon with Max, 185–90
returns alone to London, 191
drawing, 193
scientific speculations and ideas, 194, 212–3, 249, 363
contributes to BBC serials, 195–7
interest in occult and mysterious, 199, 212, 230, 249
>
miscarriage, 205
at Arpachiyah, 206
Winterbrook House, 209
at Chagar Bazar, 209–10
as model for Ariadne Oliver, 211
at Tell Brak, 213
writes on archaeology, 216
photography, 217–8, 274
relations with Rosalind, 217–8
buys Greenway House, 219–20
use of ‘stock’ characters, 221–2
US taxes, 223, 228–9, 231–2, 234–5, 253, 267–8, 351–4
homes in World War II, 226, 231, 236, 242
proof-reading and alterations, 227
works as dispenser in World War II, 233
wartime correspondence with Max, 237, 238–50
views on Shakespeare, 238
and alcohol, 244, 271
wartime illness, 245
and grandson (Mathew), 243, 245–6
literary sales, 252–3, 260–1, 292, 295, 326, 338, 350, 377
British taxes, 253, 267–8, 272, 351–7
writes for Ministry of Information, 253–4, 261
as crime-writer, 257–60
accused of anti-Semitism, 264–5
insularity, 265–6
post-war visits to Baghdad, 267, 273, 296
wins US publisher’s award, 268
reprints and adaptations, 269
at Nimrud, 269, 272, 273–81, 292, 299, 308, 311
and Rosalind’s remarriage, 271–2
and archaeological method, 233–4
literary style, 282–3, 321–2
temperament, 283, 357
60th birthday, 287
uses dictating machine, 295, 322
party at Savoy, 298–9
and BBC, 304
silver wedding, 304
C.B.E., 305
visits USA, 306–7, 343–4, 346
eastern tour, 312
70th birthday, 314–5
ideas, sources and inspirations, 316–7, 322, 363–4
plots and characters, 317–21, 324, 327, 342, 346, 362–4, 370
reading, 322, 360, 372
on own work, 323–4
readers’ correspondence, 326
1961 visit to Iran, 327
film rights and adaptations, 327–8, 331, 335–7
generosity, 330
at Bayreuth Festival, 331
makes speech, 332
memoirs, 338–40
proposed biographies of, 339
collected edition of works, 341
and Max’s knighthood, 344–5
Yugoslav holiday, 345
deafness, 345
80th birthday, 347, 364–5
dislike of television, 347
dislike of photographs, 347, 359
Kokoschka paints, 347–8
popularity and status, 349–50
sets up Company and Trusts, 353, 355–7
estate and duties, 354
detachment, 357
D.B.E. 365
and idea of retribution, 366–7
breaks hip, 368
heart attack and fragility in old age, 372–5
political conservatism, 372
death, 375–6
see also individual works under titles
Christie, Archibald (Archie AC’s first husband): meets and courts AC, 57–63, 67–8
flying, 58–9, 61–2
appearance, 59
service in World War I, 64–6, 69, 71, 73
marriage, 68, 70–1, 74
D.S.O., 73
at Air Ministry, 79–80
work in City, 80
London home, 81
on Empire Tour, 86–103
bronchitis in Canada, 102
employment and career, 105–6, 115
and AC’s motoring, 116–7
visits Cauterets, 118
married life, 119–20, 127
at Scotswood, 123–5
income, 124
and Clara’s death, 126–7
Italian holiday, 128–9
in love with Nancy Neele, 129–32, 161
and AC’s disappearance, 136–7, 139, 141–4, 146–7, 152–3, 156–7, 162
marriage to Nancy Neele, 162
divorce from AC, 163–5, 205
relations with Rosalind, 205, 218
in Unfinished Portrait, 207
AC writes to, on Nancy’s death, 313
death, 313
Christie, Archie (‘Beau’ Archibald and Nancy’s son), 313
Christie, Campbell (Archie’s brother), 141–2, 155–6, 163, 298
Christie, Dorothy (Campbell’s wife), 298
Christie, Nancy (née Neele Archie’s second wife), 129, 132–4, 161, 313
Christie, Rosalind see Hicks, Rosalind
Churston parish church, 313
Clair, René, 234, 253
Clifford of Chudleigh, Lord and Lady, 58
Clocks, The, 334, 341
Close-Up (BBC programme), 304
Cochran, Sir Charles B., and Evelyn, Lady, 44, 239
Codd, Harry, 150–1
Coke, Roger, 168–9
Cole, G.D.H. and Margaret, 224
Collier’s (magazine), 222, 228, 236, 254, 266, 352, 356
Collins (publishers): relations with AC, 111, 224, 226, 234, 241, 249, 252–4, 261, 263, 284, 290, 295, 297, 299, 306, 308, 322–3, 327, 337, 341, 345, 362, 364, 371–3
contracts with AC, 175, 207, 222, 233, 253, 295, 351
bombed in war, 246
celebration parties for AC, 287, 365
and films, 336
publish collected edition of AC, 341
Collins, Sir Godfrey, 117, 226
Collins, Pierre, 309
Collins, Sir William (Billy): supplies tickets to AC, 224, 261, 297, 351
and Rosalind’s marriage, 225
AC’s affection for, 226
soothes AC, 233
sends gifts to AC, 241, 272, 299, 338, 368
and The Rose and the Yew Tree, 263
and AC’s book jackets, 267, 373
and AC’s car, 296
and AC’s delay in writing, 297
visits Greenway, 304
and AC’s plays, 309
and AC’s accuracy, 322
and AC’s films, 336
and collected works of AC, 341
and Fontana Modern Masters, 363
and AC’s health, 371
at AC’s memorial service, 376
Come, Tell Me How You Live, 213, 252, 261, 339, 375, 378
‘Coming of Mr Quin, The’ (short story), 177
‘Confessions’ (family record), 3–4, 8, 10, 15, 31, 313, 332
Core, Dr Donald, 148
Cork, Edmund: becomes AC’s literary agent, 112–3
and AC’s books, 117, 224, 232, 250, 262–3, 269, 283–4, 287, 290, 295, 303, 305, 308, 329, 338
and AC’s plots, 167
negotiates Collins’ contracts, 175, 233, 254
and AC’s archaeological book, 216
and Poirot, 222, 230
and AC’s dog, 223
and AC’s book jackets, 224, 226–7
and Ober, 228, 232, 234, 253–4, 312–3
and US contracts, 229
and AC’s finances and tax difficulties, 230–1, 235, 254, 267–8, 272, 353–7
and Greenway, 231–2
and film rights and adaptations, 234, 253, 327–8, 331, 336–7
and AC’s war work, 235–6
and AC’s theatrical works, 239, 251, 271, 285–6, 288, 291, 294, 297–8, 307, 309–10, 327, 333, 368
on post-war fatigue, 254, 255
and radio productions, 260–1
and ‘Mary Westmacott’, 263
and AC’s reticence, 264, 300, 358
and AC’s ‘anti-Semitism’, 265
and AC’s absences abroad, 266, 270, 279–80, 292
supplies AC while on dig, 274–5
and Max’s Nimrud book, 278
given power of attorney for AC, 279
and Gre
enway garden crisis, 293
and AC’s new car, 296
acquires Coronation tickets, 297
at AC’s Savoy party, 299
and AC’s US visit, 306–7
and AC’s creations, 320–1
aids AC, 326–7, 351
and AC’s autobiography, 338–40
and proposed studies of AC, 340
and AC’s 80th birthday, 347–8, 365
and destruction of AC manuscripts, 349
and photographs of AC, 359
dismay at Passenger to Frankfurt, 364
and AC’s old age, 369–72
and AC’s death, 376
Corsica, 125
Cosmopolitan (magazine), 262
Cotes, Peter, 294
‘Cover Her Face’ see Sleeping Murder Crake, Captain, 42
Crime Club editions, 211–2
Crime Club News, 224, 323
Crofts, Freeman Wills, 167, 195–6, 200, 259
Crooked House, 267, 270–1, 346
Cross, Ernest, 138
Crow, Dr (singing teacher), 27
Crowther, Captain, 94
‘Cuckoo’ (Rosalind’s nurse), 107–8
Curtain, 229–30, 375
Daily Express, 253, 285, 295
Daily Mail, 136–8, 141–7, 151–3, 365
Daily Sketch, 140, 153
Daly, Elizabeth, 259
Dane Calthorp, the Reverend Caleb (character), 327
Dane Calthorp, Mrs Maud (character), 327
Dane, Clemence, 195
Daniels, Mr (witness at time of disappearance), 142
Dankworth, John, 332
Dannay, Frederick, 260
Daughter’s a Daughter, A (play ‘Mary Westmacott’), 108, 286–7, 292
Davis, Allan, 369
Dead Man’s Folly, 302, 304, 346
Dean, Basil, 113–4, 286
‘Death Beat’ (proposed musical), 332
Death Comes as the End, 243, 245, 258, 320
Death in the Air, 326
Death in the Clouds, 191, 208
‘Death on the Nile’ (short story), 212
Death on the Nile (book), 212–3, 226, 241
dramatisation, 321
de Casalis, Jeanne, 288
de Silvo, Mrs (neighbour), 138–9
Destination Unknown, 299
Detection Club, 121, 259, 330, 345, 369
Devon, 221
Dickens, Charles: Bleak House, 331
Dickson (accountant), 268
Dietrich, Marlene, 306
Dobson, Mrs (née Kenward), 156
Dodd, Frank, 229, 292
Dodd, Mead (US publishers), 121, 175, 229, 265–6, 284, 286–7, 295, 306, 351–2
Donoghue, J.O., 7
Dore, Frederick, 139
Double Sin (short stories), 308, 327
‘Down in the Wood’ (poem), 75
Dramatists’ Guild (USA), 298
Draper, Ruth, 201, 316
‘Dressmaker’s Doll, The’ (short story), 308, 327, 333
Dryden, Miss (Paris finishing school), 23, 40, 69
Dumb Witness, 211