{{Short description|Scottish author and scriptwriter}} '''John Keir Cross''' (19 August 1914 – 22 January 1967) was a Scottish author and scriptwriter who did most of his work for BBC radio and television. He also wrote science fiction and fantasy novels.
In early life, he was an insurance clerk who took to the road as a ventriloquist and busker. He published an autobiography when he was 22.
==Early life== thumb|The old Perth Academy Born at Carluke in Scotland in 1914,<ref name=SF>[https://sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/cross_john_keir "Cross, John Keir"], ''Science Fiction Encyclopedia'', accessed 23 September 2025</ref> and brought up in Perth<ref>"The Fair County of Perth", ''Perthshire Advertiser'', Wednesday 13 June 1945, p. 6</ref> by his parents, Mr and Mrs Hugh A. Cross of 22 Muirton Bank, Perth,<ref name=Leaving>"Perth Author is Leaving the B.B.C.", ''Perthshire Advertiser'', Saturday 25 May 1946, pp. 6–7</ref> Cross was the son of a dentist, the grandson of a schoolmaster also called John Keir Cross, and a descendant of Henry Bell, an engineer.<ref>John Keir Cross, ''Aspect of Life: An Autobiography of Youth'' (London: Selwyn & Blount, 1937), pp. 14, 15</ref> His grandfather, headmaster of the Coltness Iron Works School and also a composer, had died in 1900.<ref>"SCHOOLMASTER AND Sona Composer", ''Edinburgh Evening News'', Monday 19 March 1900, p. 6</ref>
Cross was educated at Perth Academy, which he left in the summer of 1931, aged sixteen.<ref>J. K. Cross, ''An Aspect of Life'' (1937), pp. 25, 46</ref> In his last school term, he won a Perth schools musical prize for "Pianoforte (Preparatory Division)".<ref>"Musical", ''Perthshire Advertiser'', Saturday 27 June 1931, p. 12</ref> After leaving the academy, where he edited a magazine, Cross's ambition was to be an actor, but he lacked training, for which he had no money, and he also found no openings. He took a job as a clerk at the Head Office in Perth of the General Accident Fire and Life Assurance Corporation.<ref>"Perth Native’s Play", ''Perthshire Advertiser'', Saturday 30 November 1940, p. 11</ref> Wearying of this, he took to the road on a bicycle as a travelling ventriloquist, with a puppet called Joey.<ref>Cross (1937), pp. 52–53, 136–137</ref> In May 1933, when he was still eighteen, the ''Perthshire Advertiser'' noted that the young Cross was "well-known in the county as a very clever ventriloquist."<ref>"Lyric Society Novelty", ''Perthshire Advertiser'', Wednesday 31 May 1933, p. 11</ref> Cross also appeared in amateur theatre and in December 1933 was in a Perth Lyric Society play about Prince Charlie and Flora MacDonald, playing the part of the prince's friend Captain O'Neal.<ref>"Perth Lyric Society", ''Perthshire Advertiser'', Wednesday 13 December 1933, p. 9</ref> thumb|The General Accident building, Perth
==Career== Having lived for a time as a tramp and busker, Cross began his writing career in Scottish journalism. He came to the attention of the BBC, and his first work to be broadcast was a musical play, for which Cross wrote both the words and the music.<ref name=DW>John Keir Cross, ''The White Magic'' (London: Westhouse, 1947), biography on dust jacket</ref> In August 1936, Scottish newspapers noted the forthcoming production of the work, "Penny Coloured", and that the writer was "formerly well known in amateur theatricals in Perth".<ref>"PERTH MAN'S COMEDY TO BE BROADCAST", ''Dundee Courier'', Tuesday 11 August 1936, p. 5</ref> The ''Perthshire Advertiser'' noted that Cross had left Perth for London about a year before that.<ref>"Perth Man's Play To Be Broadcast: MR J. K. CROSS'S PENNY COLOURED", ''Perthshire Advertiser'', Wednesday 12 August 1936, pp. 8–9</ref>
Cross's book ''Aspect of Life'', about his life on the road, appeared in print in February 1937 and got enthusiastic reviews, with the ''Daily Mirror'' saying "Ventriloquial Tramp John Keir Cross has certainly had a more original and adventurous life than most young men who write their autobiographies at the age of twenty-two."<ref>"TO-DAY'S NEW BOOK", ''Daily Mirror'', Monday 8 February 1937, p. 11</ref> The ''Birmingham Weekly Mercury'' began with "Mr Cross is a very entertaining young man, superlatively erudite within the limitations of his age."<ref>"ASPECT OF LIFE John Keir Cross (Selwyn and Blount, 8s 6d)", ''Birmingham Weekly Mercury'', Sunday 7 February 1937, p. 14</ref>
After the success of his first book, in 1937 Cross was taken onto the entertainment staff of the BBC.<ref>"Perth Man's Part In B.B.C. Show", Perthshire Advertiser, Wednesday 30 March 1938, pp. 9–10: "John Keir Cross, a Perth young man who received an appointment with the British Broadcasting Corporation last year...</ref> He was the producer of ''Children's Hour'' from 1941 to at least 1944.<ref>"Perth Author", ''Perthshire Advertiser'', Wednesday 1 March 1944, p. 6</ref> In May 1946 he was reported to be leaving his job at the BBC.<ref name=Leaving/>
Apart from his work as a BBC scriptwriter and producer, Cross wrote science fiction and fantasy novels for young readers, using his own name and also the nom-de-plume of Stephen MacFarlane, and a small number of novels for adults.<ref name=SF/> Some of his work is still in print, and his publisher says that his best known work is ''Other Passenger'' (1944), a collection of short stories for adults.<ref name=VB/> In the field of horror fiction, Cross edited anthologies of other writers' work, such as ''Best Horror Stories'' (1956), ''Best Black Magic Stories'' (1960).<ref name=VB>[https://www.valancourtbooks.com/john-keir-cross.html "John Keir Cross"], Valancourt Books, undated, accessed 23 September 2025</ref>
In 1962, Cross was reported to be joining ''The Archers'', a long-running radio drama series about country life, as a scriptwriter. He commented that Ambridge was very much like his own village in South Devon and Brookfield was just like his own farm.<ref>"S. Devon man writing 'The Archers' scripts", ''Torbay Express and South Devon Echo'', Thursday 11 October 1962, p. 9</ref>
==Personal life== Cross married Audrey Blair, one of the daughters of Ethelbert William Blair, and was noted in 1951 to be "living in London with his wife and family".<ref>"Historical Novel GLORY", ''Perthshire Advertiser'', Saturday 5 May 1951, p. 10</ref> A son, Julian Blair Keir Cross, was born in October 1951 in Wood Green, Middlesex.<ref>[https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=AEtIiO2l5JZGNG%2BQr%2BoF4Q&scan=1 "CROSS Julian B. K. / BLAIR / Wood Green 5f 507"], FreeBMD, accessed 5 October 2025</ref><ref name=FBMD/>
Cross died in January 1967, at home, Brushford, Diptford, Devon,<ref name=Tesde/> and his funeral was at the Torquay Crematorium. The newspapers reported that he was one of the scriptwriters for ''The Archers'' and that members of the cast were at the funeral, but did not give a cause of death. <ref>"Script writer of The Archers dies", ''Birmingham Daily Post'', Tuesday 24 January 1967, p. 45</ref><ref name=Tesde>"Mr. John Keir Cross, who died at his home, Brushford, Diptford, aged 52", ''Torbay Express and South Devon Echo'', Friday 27 January 1967, p. 7</ref>
The house at Brushford had a third of a mile of one bank of the River Avon, including the fishing rights, and a water-meadow.<ref>"Brushford at Diptford near Totnes", ''Torbay Express and South Devon Echo'', Friday 11 February 1994, p. 25</ref> It was near the Gara Bridge railway station, which closed in 1963. Cross left a will and an estate valued at £294 ({{Inflation|UK|294|1967|fmt=eq|cursign=£}}). Probate was granted to his widow, Audrey Emily Keir Cross.<ref>"CROSS John Keir" in ''Wills and Administrations (England and Wales) 1967'' (London: High Court of Justice, 1968), p. 611</ref>
Cross's son Julian Keir-Cross died in 1974, aged 22.<ref name=FBMD>[https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=rNegyMFv9MwL%2BYSL3D1p5g&scan=1 "Keir-Cross Julian Blair"], Deaths April 1974, Sheffield, FreeBMD, accessed 26 September 2025</ref> In 1970, his widow had married secondly Major Peter Duguid Heath Stock MC.<ref>[https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=ho2qffVy47kyBBFUcnzMrQ&scan=1 "CROSS Audrey E. K."], Marriages 1970, Newton Abbott, FreeBMD, accessed 26 September 2025</ref> She was widowed a second time in 1999,<ref>"Peter Duguid H Stock, Birth 8 June 1912, Death Feb. 1999, Teignbridge, Devon, England" in ''England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007''</ref> and died as Audrey Emily Stock in 2013.<ref>''The London Gazette'', 19 December 2014, [https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/2250954 Notice ID 2250954]</ref>
==As John Keir Cross== *''Aspect of Life: An Autobiography of Youth'' (London: Selwyn & Blount, 1937) *''The Angry Planet'' (London: Peter Lunn, 1945, illustrated by Robin Jacques) *''Jack Robinson'' (1945, illustrated by John Parson) *''The Other Passenger: 18 Strange Stories'' (London: John Westhouse, 1946, illustrated by Bruce Angrave) *''The Owl and the Pussycat: a strange story for children'' (London: Peter Lunn, 1946, illustrated by Robin Jacques) *''The Other Side of Green Hills'' (New York: Coward McCann, 1947) *''The White Magic'' (London: John Westhouse, 1947) *''The Man in Moonlight: the Tale of a Twice Lost Cause'' (London: John Westhouse, 1947, illustrated by Robin Jacques) * "The Drawings of Robin Jacques", in ''Alphabet and Image'' 7, May 1948, pp. 33-45 *''The Children's Omnibus, compiled by John Keir Cross'', ed. (London: Peter Lunn, 1948, an anthology, illustrated by H. M. Brock) *"Three Ghosts", in ''Collins for Boys and Girls'', 13 January 1949 *''Blackadder: A Tale of the Days of Nelson'' (London: Collins, 1950) *''Glory'' (London: Werner Laurie, 1951; new paperback edition as ''Mistress Glory'' by Corgi, 1960) *''The Flying Fortunes in an Encounter with Rubberface!'' (London: Frederick Muller, 1952) *''Juniper Green: the loves of a tempestuous raven-haired temptress'' (London: 1952; new paperback edition by Panther, 1962) *''SOS from Mars'' (London: Hutchinson, 1954) *''The Red Journey Back'' (1954) *''The Dancing Tree'' (London: Hutchinson, 1955) *''Best Horror Stories'', ed. (London: Faber and Faber, 1956) *''Best Black Magic Stories'', ed. (London: Faber and Faber, 1960) *''Stories from The Other Passenger'' (1961) *''Best Horror Stories 2'', ed. (London: Faber and Faber, 1965)
==As Stephen MacFarlane== *''Studio 'J' Investigates: a spy story for children'' (London: Peter Lunn, 1944) *''Lucy Maroon, the Car that Loved a Policeman'' (London: John Westhouse, 1944) *''Mr Bosanko and Other Stories'' (London: Peter Lunn, 1944) *''Detectives in Greasepaint'' (London: Peter Lunn, 1946) *''The Stolen Sphere: An Adventure and a Mystery'' (1953)
==Radio scripts== *''The Wind in the Willows'', a play based on the book by Kenneth Graham (BBC Home Service, October 1944)<ref>"Radio Play starred programme of the week in the B.B.C. Home Service", ''Perthshire Advertiser'', Wednesday 4 October 1944, p. 6</ref> *"The Big Family", a radio impression of the city of Perth.<ref>"The Big Family", ''Perthshire Advertiser'', Wednesday 22 May 1946, p. 5</ref> *"Four Years: Experiences of a prisoner of war of the Japanese" (Scottish Home Service, Friday 28 March 1947, from autobiographical material supplied by James J. Ferguson, a Scottish schoolmaster<ref>John Highet, ''Scotland on the Air: Aspects of Scottish Broadcasting, Issues 3 & 4'' (McNaughtan and Gowanlock, 1949), p. 16</ref> *''The Archers'' (BBC Light Programme, 1950s) *''An Army with Banners'', radio play (February 1968), produced after his death<ref>"John Keir Cross’s last radio play, An Army with Banners", ''The Scotsman'', Monday 5 February 1968 , p. 4</ref>
==Selected radio adaptations== *''The Box of Delights'' for ''Children's Hour'' (1943) *'Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad' for BBC radio, 1949 *''The Man in Black'', in eight episodes, BBC Radio, 1949 *"The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle" for BBC radio, 1954 *''The African Queen'', radio play from the novel by C. S. Forester (November 1956) * ''A Tale of Two Cities'', BBC television series adapted from Dickens in seven episodes (4 August to 15 September 1957) *''The Midnight Folk'' adapted from John Masefield's book in five parts for ''Children's Hour'' (1958)<ref>[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbchomeservice/basic/1958-12-19 "Schedule - 19 December 1958"], BBC Programme Index, accessed 30 September 2025</ref> *''Fire, Burn!'', from John Dickson Carr's thriller (July 1958) *''The Kraken Wakes'' for BBC Home Service
==For television== *''The Mystery of Edwin Drood'', an eight-part serial based on Dickens’s unfinished novel (STV, from 28 September 1960)<ref>"The Mystery of Edwin Drood", ''The Scotsman'', Wednesday 28 September 1960, p. 14</ref> *''Sir Francis Drake'' for television, 1961
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{FadedPage|id=Cross, John Keir|name=John Keir Cross|author=yes}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Cross, John Keir}} Category:1914 births Category:1967 deaths Category:20th-century Scottish male writers Category:20th-century Scottish screenwriters Category:BBC people Category:People educated at Perth Academy Category:People from Carluke Category:People from Perth, Scotland Category:Ventriloquists