John Breckenridge Ellis (1870–1956) was an American writer.

Biography

Ellis was born near

Hannibal, Missouri Hannibal is a city along the Mississippi River in Marion County, Missouri, Marion and Ralls County, Missouri, Ralls counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. According to the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. Census, the population was 17,108, ...

, on February 11, 1870, but spent most of his life in

Clinton County Clinton County may refer to: *Counties named for George Clinton, first and third Governor of New York, and later the fourth Vice President of the United States: **Clinton County, New York ** Clinton County, Ohio *Counties named for DeWitt Clinton, ...

. He was the son of John W. Ellis, PhD. and Sallie Breckenridge Ellis. In 1880, his father purchased Plattsburg College and the family moved to

Plattsburg, Missouri Plattsburg is a city in and the county seat of Clinton County, Missouri and is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area in the western part of the state, within the United States. It developed along the Little Platte River. As of the 2020 ce ...

where the

elementary school A primary school (in Ireland, India, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, South Africa, and Singapore), elementary school, or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ...

still bears his name. Ellis was a prolific writer, writing 26 works (primarily

historical romance Historical romance is a broad category of mass-market fiction focusing on romantic relationships in historical periods, which Lord Byron, Byron helped popularize in the early 19th century. The genre often takes the form of the novel. Varieties ...

s) which appeared in book form, besides numerous serials of book length which were published by national magazines. His novel, ''Fran'', was on the best seller list in America, and made into the 1919

film A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, since ...

The Love Hunger ''The Love Hunger'' is a 1919 American silent film, silent comedy film directed by William P.S. Earle and starring Lillian Walker, Lee Shumway and Herbert Prior.Goble p.145 Cast * Lillian Walker as Fran * Lee Shumway as Abbott Ashton * Herbert ...

''. Several of his works were made into films and

stage play A play is a form of drama that primarily consists of dialogue between characters and is intended for theatrical performance rather than mere reading. The creator of a play is known as a playwright. Plays are staged at various levels, ranging ...

s. He was president of the Missouri Writers' Guild. During the 1900s and 1910s, Ellis supplied numerous serials to the ''

Chicago Ledger The ''Chicago Ledger'' was a story paper published in Chicago, Illinois, from 1872 until 1924. Put out by the Ledger Company and edited by Samuel H. Williams, the ''Ledger'' was a boilerplate literary magazine. Such periodicals were printed us ...

''. Many featured the recurring character Detective "Keeneyes". Ellis' writing is of the Stanley Weyman school. His romances were pithy and understated, artfully avoiding the affectations and pretensions of many of his contemporaries. He died at his home in

New Cordell, Oklahoma New Cordell is a city in and the county seat of Washita County, Oklahoma, United States. It lies along U.S. Route 183. The population was 2,775 at the time of the 2020 Census. The community was previously established a few miles from the curr ...

, on April 2, 1956, and was buried at Greenlawn Cemetery in Plattsburg.

Novels

*''The Dread and Fear of Kings'' (1900) *''Garcilaso'' (1901) *''The Holland Wolves'' (1902) *''Stork's Nest'' (1905) *''Adnah: a tale of the time of Christ'' (1907) *''The Soul of a Serf : A Romance of Love and Valor among the Angles and Saxons'' (1910) *''Fran'' (1912) *''Lahoma'' (1913) *''Little Fiddler of the Ozarks'' (1913) *''The Picture on the Wall'' (1920)

Films based on his novels

*''

Emmy of Stork's Nest ''Emmy of Stork's Nest'' is a 1915 silent film directed by William Nigh and starring Mary Miles Minter. The film is based on the novel ''Stork's Nest'' by J. Breckenridge Ellis and was shot on location in the Pocono Mountains. Plot As describ ...

'' (based on ''Stork's Nest'') (1915) *''

'' (based on ''Fran'') (1919) *'' Lahoma'' (1920) *'' Cinderella of the Hills'' (based on ''Little Fiddler of the Ozarks'') (1921) *'' The Shadow on the Wall'' (based on ''The Picture on the Wall'') (1925)

References

External links

Photo of Ellis' house
at The Clinton County Historical Society * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ellis, J. Breckenridge 1870 births 1956 deaths People from Hannibal, Missouri People from Plattsburg, Missouri Novelists from Missouri 19th-century American novelists 20th-century American novelists American historical novelists American romantic fiction novelists American male novelists 19th-century American male writers 20th-century American male writers

Biography

Novels

Films based on his novels

See also

References

External links