Frederic Stewart Isham (March 29, 1865 – September 6, 1922) was an American novelist and playwright who wrote mainly historical romances and adventure novels.

Life

Isham was born in

Detroit, Michigan Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

, the son of Charles Storrs Isham and Lucy B. (Mott) Isham. He studied at the

Royal Academy of Music The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London, England, is one of the oldest music schools in the UK, founded in 1822 by John Fane and Nicolas-Charles Bochsa. It received its royal charter in 1830 from King George IV with the support of the firs ...

in London for two years. In 1895 he married Helen Margaret Frue. He died in New York.

Career

Isham began as a playwright and later turned to novels, writing mainly historical romances and adventure novels set in various periods. ''Black Friday'', for example, centers on the American financial crisis of 1869, while ''Under the Rose'' is set in 16th century Europe. His experiences in theater informed his first novel, ''The Strollers''. Published by

Bobbs-Merrill Company The Bobbs-Merrill Company was an American book publisher active from 1850 until 1985, and located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Company history The Bobbs-Merrill Company began in 1850 October 3 when Samuel Merrill bought an Indianapolis bookstore ...

and its predecessor Bowen-Merrill Company, Isham's novels were illustrated by such artists as

Harrison Fisher Harrison Fisher (July 27, 1875 or 1877 – January 19, 1934) was an American illustrator. Career Fisher was born in Brooklyn, New York City and began to draw at an early age. Both his father and his grandfather were artists.Harrison & Carrin ...

, William Thacher Van Dresser, Max J. Spero, and W. B. King. The critic

H. L. Mencken Henry Louis Mencken (September 12, 1880 – January 29, 1956) was an American journalist, essayist, satirist, cultural critic, and scholar of American English. He commented widely on the social scene, literature, music, prominent politicians, ...

wrote of his novel ''Half a Chance'' that it was "a brisk and entertaining story, with not too much reality in it," which well summarizes the general tenor of Isham's work. Several of his novels have been turned into movies. With

Max Marcin Max Marcin (5 May 1879 – 30 March 1948) was a Polish-born American playwright, novelist, screenwriter, and film director. He wrote for 47 films between 1916 and 1949. He also directed six films between 1931 and 1936. His stage work inclu ...

he turned his 1918 novel '' Three Live Ghosts'' into a 1920 comic play, and it was later made into a movie three times: a 1922 British comedy directed by

George Fitzmaurice George Fitzmaurice (13 February 1885 – 13 June 1940) was a French-born film director and Film producer, producer. Career Fitzmaurice's career first started as a set designer on stage. Beginning in 1914, and continuing until his death in 1940 ...

, a 1929 American comedy directed by

Thornton Freeland Thornton Freeland (February 10, 1898 – May 22, 1987) was an American film director who directed 26 British and American films in a career that lasted from 1924 to 1949. Early success He was born in Hope, North Dakota in 1898 and originally ...

, and a 1936 American film directed by H. Bruce Humberstone. Isham co-wrote the screenplay for the last of the three movies, which are about a trio of World War I soldiers who return home after the war only to discover that they are thought to be dead. His 1914 novel '' Nothing But the Truth'' was made into a movie twice: as a loose adaptation in 1929 directed by

Victor Schertzinger Victor L. Schertzinger (April 8, 1888 – October 26, 1941) was an American composer, film director, film producer, and screenwriter. His films include ''Paramount on Parade'' (co-director, 1930 in film, 1930), ''Something to Sing About (1937 fi ...

and more faithfully as a 1941 film directed by

Elliott Nugent Elliott Nugent (September 20, 1896 – August 9, 1980) was an American actor, playwright, writer, and film director. Life and career Nugent was born in Dover, Ohio, the son of actor J.C. Nugent. He attended Ohio State University. He successf ...

. The novel was also the basis for the 1926 musical ''

Yes, Yes, Yvette ''Yes, Yes, Yvette'' is a musical in three acts with lyrics by Irving Caesar and music by Philip Charig and Ben Jerome. James Montgomery and William Cary Duncan co-authored the musical's book which was based on Montgomery's 1916 play ''Nothing ...

''. '' The Social Buccaneer'' was a ten-episode 1923 American film serial based on Isham's novel and directed by Robert F. Hill. It is now thought to be a

lost film A lost film is a feature film, feature or short film in which the original negative or copies are not known to exist in any studio archive, private collection, or public archive. Films can be wholly or partially lost for a number of reasons. ...

Books

;Novels * ''Aladdin from Broadway'' (1913) * ''Black Friday'' (1904) * ''Half a Chance'' (1909) * ''The Lady of the Mount'' (1908) * ''A Man and His Money'' (1912) * '' Nothing But the Truth'' (1914) * '' The Nut Cracker'' (1920) * ''The Social Buccaneer'' (1910) * ''The Strollers'' (1902) * ''This Way Out'' (1917) * ''The Thousand and Second Night: A Romantic Comedy'' (1911) * '' Three Live Ghosts'' (1918) * ''Under the Rose'' (1903) ;Plays * ''The Toy Shop: A Drama for Children'' (1891) * ''Three Live Ghosts'' (1920, with Max Marcin)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Isham, Frederic S. 1865 births 1922 deaths 20th-century American novelists Writers from Detroit American male novelists Novelists from Michigan 20th-century American male writers