Daphne Du Maurier

Personal

Passions

Vocation

Notable

Family

British writer and noted family, the second of three daughters of the famous actor-manager Gerald duMaurier. One of the century's most popular writers, she was first published at 21 with articles and short stories and a first novel in 1931. Her books include "Jamaica Inn," 1936, "Frenchman's Creek," 1941, "My Cousin Rachel," 1951 and "The Scapegoat," 1957, all made into movies. Her most famous work was "Rebecca," published in 1938, which had 39 reprints and was made into a film. She married Tommy Browning, a hero of WW II; three kids, two girls and a boy. She lived in Cornwall with her family all of her life, seldom going out in public and writing always. While married, she had an affair with Gertrude Lawrence, though her bisexuality was never revealed during her lifetime. Widowed in 1965, she continued to live a secluded life on the wild Cornish coast, friendly with her neighbors but shunning publicity. She remarked, "Can't say I really like people." DuMaurier died in her sleep 4/19/1989 at her home. Link to Wikipedia biography