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{{Short description|English writer}}
{{For|the American author aka Boston T. Party|Kenneth W. Royce}}
{{For|the American author a.k.a. Boston T. Party|Kenneth W. Royce}}
{{unref|date=March 2016}}
{{More citations|date=February 2024}}
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Kroyce.jpg|180px|thumb|Kenneth Royce, 1984]] -->
{{Infobox person
'''Kenneth Royce Gandley''' (1920–1997) was an English thriller writer who also wrote under name '''Ken Royce''', and the [[pseudonym]] '''Oliver Jacks'''.
| name = Kenneth Royce
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Kenneth Royce Gandley
| birth_date = 11 December 1920
| birth_place = [[Croydon]], [[UK]]
| death_date = 15 August 1997
| death_place =
| nationality = English
| occupation = Writer}}


'''Kenneth Royce Gandley''' (1920–1997) was an English [[author]]. Gandley also wrote under name '''Ken Royce''', and the [[pseudonym]] '''Oliver Jacks'''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/throwback-thursday-fall-out-1989-by-kenneth-royce/|title=THROWBACK THURSDAY: FALL-OUT (1989) By Kenneth Royce|date=June 28, 2022}}</ref>
⚫
==Early Life==

⚫
Royce was born in Croydon, UK in 1920 and began writing at school. He would buy cheap exercise books and sell them fully illustrated for twice the price.
⚫
==Early life==
During World War II he served with "various regiments" and reached the rank of Captain. He ran his own travel business and made full use of it to gather background for his books.
⚫
Royce was born in Croydon, UK in 1920, and began writing at school. He would buy cheap exercise books and sell them fully illustrated for twice the price. During the [[Second World War]] he served with "various regiments" and reached the rank of captain. He ran his own travel business, and made full use of it to gather background for his books.


==Career==
==Career==
Royce wrote 36 thriller novels between 1959 and 1997 under his own name (including ''The Third Arm'', ''The Stalin Account'', ''Fall-Out'', ''10,000 Days'' and ''Channel Assault''), and three as Jacks. His best known works were his novels featuring semi-reformed cat burglar William 'Spider' Scott, an [[The XYY Man|XYY Man]], whose extra 'Y' chromosome (in the erroneous-but-conventional wisdom of the time) gave him a pre-disposition towards criminality. After attempting to 'go straight', he finds his talents are in demand not only from the criminal underworld, but also the secret service, and he is co-opted into dangerous undercover work (usually through blackmail, the temptations of money, or through his interest being piqued).
Royce wrote 36 thriller novels between 1959 and 1997 under his own name (including ''The Third Arm'', ''The Stalin Account'', ''Fall-Out'', ''10,000 Days'' and ''Channel Assault''), and three as Jacks. His best-known works were his novels featuring semi-reformed cat burglar William 'Spider' Scott, an [[XYY syndrome|XYY man]], whose extra 'Y' chromosome (in the erroneous-but-conventional wisdom of the time) gave him a pre-disposition towards criminality. After attempting to 'go straight', he finds his talents are in demand not only from the criminal underworld, but also the secret service, and he is co-opted into dangerous undercover work (usually through blackmail, the temptations of money, or through his interest being piqued).


A television series of ''[[The XYY Man]]'' in 1976-7 (adapting the early books) created a popular appetite for the character, and also that of his nemesis, Detective Sergeant [[George Bulman (fictional character)|George Bulman]], a relatively minor character in the original books, but brought to life on the screen by the memorable performance of [[Don Henderson]]. After the run of Spider Scott programmes ended, Bulman had many television adventures not based on Royce's work (the series ''[[Strangers (TV series)|Strangers]]'', 1978-82, and ''[[Bulman]]'', 1985-7). The popularity of these probably contributed to Royce choosing to make Scott and Bulman unlikely allies and joint leads from ''The Crypto Man'' through ''No Way Back'', while he wrote more Bulman novels towards the end of his life, including ''The Judas Trail'' (1996) and ''Shadows'' (1996).
A television series of ''[[The XYY Man]]'' in 1976-7 (adapting the early books) created a popular appetite for the character, and also that of his nemesis, Detective Sergeant [[George Bulman (fictional character)|George Bulman]], a relatively minor character in the original books, but brought to life on the screen by the memorable performance of [[Don Henderson]]. After the run of Spider Scott programmes ended, the character of Bulman had many television adventures not based on Royce's work (the series ''[[Strangers (1978 TV series)|Strangers]]'', 1978–82, and ''[[Bulman]]'', 1985-7). The popularity of these probably contributed to Royce choosing to make Scott and Bulman unlikely allies and joint leads from ''The Crypto Man'' through ''No Way Back'', while he wrote more Bulman novels towards the end of his life, including ''The Judas Trail'' (1996) and ''Shadows'' (1996).


Royce was married and lived in Buckinghamshire, UK. He died in 1997.
Royce was married and lived in Buckinghamshire, UK. He died in 1997.


==Bibliography==
==Bibliography==
<Ref>https://www.addall.com/books-in-order/kenneth-royce/</ref>
===[[The XYY Man|William "Spider" Scott]]/[[George Bulman (fictional character)|George Bulman]] novels===
===William "Spider" Scott/George Bulman novels===
*The XYY Man (1970)
*''[[The XYY Man]]'' (1970)
*Concrete Boot (1971)
*''Concrete Boot'' (1971)
*The Miniatures Frame (1972)
*''The Miniatures Frame'' (1972)
*Spider Underground (The Masterpiece Affair) (1973)
*''Spider Underground'' (''The Masterpiece Affair'') (1973)
*Trap Spider (1974)
*''Trap Spider'' (1974)
⚫
*The Crypto Man (1984)
*The Mosley Receipt (1985).
*''The Satan Touch'' (1980)
⚫
*''The Crypto Man'' (1984)
⚫
*No Way Back, aka Hashimi's Revenge (1986 - a direct sequel to The Mosley Receipt).
*The Judas Trail (1996)
*''The Mosley Receipt'' (1985).
⚫
*''No Way Back'', a.k.a. ''Hashimi's Revenge'' (1986 - a direct sequel to ''The Mosley Receipt'').
⚫
*Shadows (1996).
*''The Judas Trail'' (1996)
⚫
*''Shadows'' (1996)


==TV Adaptations==
==TV adaptations==
*''[[The XYY Man]]'' (1976-1977)
*''[[The XYY Man]]'' (1976-1977)
*''[[Strangers (TV series)|Strangers]]'' (1978-1982)
*''[[Strangers (1978 TV series)|Strangers]]'' (1978-1982)
*''[[Bulman]]'' (1985-1987)
*''[[Bulman]]'' (1985-1987)

==References==
{{Reflist}}


{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Royce, Kenneth}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Royce, Kenneth}}
[[Category:1920 births]]
[[Category:1920 births]]

Latest revision as of 17:19, 4 March 2024

For the American author a.k.a. Boston T. Party, see Kenneth W. Royce.
Kenneth Royce
Born
Kenneth Royce Gandley

11 December 1920
Croydon, UK
Died15 August 1997
NationalityEnglish
OccupationWriter

Kenneth Royce Gandley (1920–1997) was an English author. Gandley also wrote under name Ken Royce, and the pseudonym Oliver Jacks.[1]

Early life

[edit]

Royce was born in Croydon, UK in 1920, and began writing at school. He would buy cheap exercise books and sell them fully illustrated for twice the price. During the Second World War he served with "various regiments" and reached the rank of captain. He ran his own travel business, and made full use of it to gather background for his books.

Career

[edit]

Royce wrote 36 thriller novels between 1959 and 1997 under his own name (including The Third Arm, The Stalin Account, Fall-Out, 10,000 Days and Channel Assault), and three as Jacks. His best-known works were his novels featuring semi-reformed cat burglar William 'Spider' Scott, an XYY man, whose extra 'Y' chromosome (in the erroneous-but-conventional wisdom of the time) gave him a pre-disposition towards criminality. After attempting to 'go straight', he finds his talents are in demand not only from the criminal underworld, but also the secret service, and he is co-opted into dangerous undercover work (usually through blackmail, the temptations of money, or through his interest being piqued).

A television series of The XYY Man in 1976-7 (adapting the early books) created a popular appetite for the character, and also that of his nemesis, Detective Sergeant George Bulman, a relatively minor character in the original books, but brought to life on the screen by the memorable performance of Don Henderson. After the run of Spider Scott programmes ended, the character of Bulman had many television adventures not based on Royce's work (the series Strangers, 1978–82, and Bulman, 1985-7). The popularity of these probably contributed to Royce choosing to make Scott and Bulman unlikely allies and joint leads from The Crypto Man through No Way Back, while he wrote more Bulman novels towards the end of his life, including The Judas Trail (1996) and Shadows (1996).

Royce was married and lived in Buckinghamshire, UK. He died in 1997.

Bibliography

[edit]

[2]

William "Spider" Scott/George Bulman novels

[edit]
  • The XYY Man (1970)
  • Concrete Boot (1971)
  • The Miniatures Frame (1972)
  • Spider Underground (The Masterpiece Affair) (1973)
  • Trap Spider (1974)
  • The Satan Touch (1980)
  • The Crypto Man (1984)
  • The Mosley Receipt (1985).
  • No Way Back, a.k.a. Hashimi's Revenge (1986 - a direct sequel to The Mosley Receipt).
  • The Judas Trail (1996)
  • Shadows (1996)

TV adaptations

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "THROWBACK THURSDAY: FALL-OUT (1989) By Kenneth Royce". June 28, 2022.
  2. ^ https://www.addall.com/books-in-order/kenneth-royce/
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