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Post by allthingshorror on Jul 9, 2008 12:16:36 GMT
Recieved a letter today from John - here's an excerpt:
In the meantime, I am sorting out through all sorts of material which needs filing or considering for your attention. It has occured to me that I could save a lot of time if I send you a copy of the list I made of my various publications, somehow squeezing in a couple of more recent titles. I wonder if I can ever summon up the energy to produce a similar list of my short stories?
List doesn't contain reprints under other publishing houses or from other countries - would take forever!
FICTION AS J F BURKE
Swift Summer - pub by Werner Laurie 1949
Another Chorus - pub by Werner Laurie 1949
These Haunted Streets - pub by Werner Laurie 1950
The Outward Walls - pub by Werner Laurie 1951
Chastity House - pub by Werner Laurie 1952
The Poison Cupboard - pub by Secker and Warburg 1956
EARLY SCIENCE FICTION AS JONATHAN BURKE
The Dark Gateway - pub by Panther 1953
Twilight of Reason - pub by Panther 1954
The Echoing Worlds - pub by Panther 1954
Hotel Cosmos - pub by Panther 1954
Deep Freeze - pub by Panther 1955
Revolt of the Humans - pub by Panther 1955
Pattern of Shadows - pub by Museum Press 1955
Alien Landscapes - pub by Museum Press 1955
Pursuit Through Time - pub by Ward Lock 1956
Pursuit Through Time - pub by Digit Books (Undated)
Exodus from Elysium (orig. Alien Landscapes)- pub by Horwitz 1965
THRILLER FICTION AS JONATHAN BURKE
Corpse to Copenhagen -pub Sexton Blake Library 1957
Echo of Barbara -pub by John Long 1959
Fear By Instalments - pub by John Long 1960
Teach Yourself Treachery - pub by John Long 1960
Deadly Downbeat - pub by John Long 1962
The Twisted Tongues - pub by John Long 1964
Only the Ruthless Can Play - pub by John Long 1965
The Weekend Girls - pub by John Long 1966
Gossip to the Grave - pub by John Long 1967
Someone Lying, Someone Dying - pub by John Long 1968
Rob the Lady - pub by John Long 1969
Four Stars for Danger- pub by John Long 1970
FICTION AS JOHN BURKE
The Suburbs of Pleasure - pub by Secker and Walburg 1967
Expo 80- pub by Cassell 1972
The Crew- pub by Futura 1974
The Devil's Footsteps-pub by Weidenfeld and Nicholson 1976
The Black Charade- pub byWeidenfeld and Nicholson 1977
Ladygrove- pub by Weidenfeld and Nicholson 1978
Bareback - pub by Robert Hale 1998
Death by Marzipan - pub by Robert Hale 1999
Stalking Widow - pub by Robert Hale 2000
The Second Strain - pub by Robert Hale 2002
We've Been Waiting For You - pub by Ash Tree Press 2000
Wrong Turnings- pub by Robert Hale 2004
Hang Time-pub by Robert Hale 2007
The Merciless Dead - pub by Robert Hale Nov '08 (!)
FICTION AS OWEN BURKE
The Figurehead - pub by Collins 1979
FICTION AS SARA MORRIS
A Widow for the Winter - pub by Arthur Baker 1961
FICTION AS HARRIET ESMOND IN COLLABORATION WITH JEAN BURKE
Darsham's Folly - pub by Collins 1974
The Eye Stones - pub by Collins 1975
The Florian Signet - pub by Collins 1977
FICTION (WESTERN) AS RUSS AMES
Gentle City - pub by Panther Books 1955
FICTION AS JONATHAN GEORGE
The Kill Dog - pub by Macmillan 1970
Dead Letters - pub by Macmillan 1972
FICTION AS ROGER ROUGIERE
Gardens of Desire - pub by Nexus 1992
PSUEDO-AUTOGRAPHY AND NON FICTION AS JOANNA JONES
Nurse is a Neighbour - pub by Michael Joseph 1958
Nurse on the District - pub by Michael Joseph 1959
The Artless Flat-Hunter - pub by Pelham 1963
The Artless Commuter - pub by Pelham 1965
NON FICTION AS JOHN BURKE
The Happy Invaders (J.F Burke) pub by Robert Hale 1956
Suffolk - pub by Batsford 1971
England in Colour - pub by Batsford 1972
Sussex - pub by Batsford 1974
Illustrated History of England - pub by BCA/Collins 1974
English Villages - pub by Batsford 1975
South East England - pub by Faber 1975
Suffolk in Photographs - pub by Batsford 1976
Czechoslovakia - pub by Batsford 1976
Beautiful Britian - pub by Batsford 1976
Historic Britain - pub by Batsford 1977
Life in the Roman Villa in Britain - pub by Batsford 1978
Life in the Castle in Medieval England - pub by Batsford 1978
Look Back On England - pub by Orbis 1980
The English Inn - pub by Batsford 1981
Roman England - pub by Weidenfeld/BCA/ETB 1983
Musical Landscapes - pub by Webb and Bower 1983
History of Southwold Golf Club - pub by Southwold Golf Club 1984
Around the M25 - pub by Robert Hale 1986
Illustrated Dictionary of Music - pub by Sphere 1988
Companion Guide to East Anglia - pub by Collins 1988
A Traveller's History to Scotland - pub by John Murray 1990
FILM AND TV NOVELISATIONS AS JOHN BURKE
The Entertainer - pub by Four Square 1960
Look Back in Anger - pub by Four Square 1960
Flame in the Streets - pub by Four Square 1961
The Lion of Sparta - pub by Pan Books 1961
The Angry Silence - pub by Hodder 1961
The Boys - pub by Pan Books 1962
Guilty Party - pub by Elek 1963
The Man Who Finally Died - pub by Pan Books 1963
The World Ten Times Over - pub by Pan Books 1963
A Hard Day's Night - pub by Pan Books 1964
The System - pub by Pan Books 1964
Dr Terror's House of Horror - pub by Pan Books 1965
That Magnificent Air Race - pub by Pocket Books 1965
The Hammer Horror Omnibus - pub by Pan Books 1966
The Power Game - pub by Pan Books 1966
The Trap - pub by Pan Books 1966
The Second Hammer Horror Film Omnibus - pub Pan Books 1967
Privilege - pub by Pan Books 1967
Till Death Do Us Part - pub by Pan Books 1967
Smashing Time - pub by Pan Books 1968
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - pub by Pan Books 1968
The Bliss of Mrs Blossom - pub by Pan Books 1968
Moon Zero 2 - pub by Pan Books 1969
All the Right Noises - pub by Hodder 1970
Strange Report - pub by Hodder 1970
Dad's Army - pub by Hodder 1971
Luke's Kingdom - pub by Fontana 1975
Prince Regent - pub by Fontana 1977
The 4th Floor - pub by Thames Methuen 1986
King and Castle - pub by Thames Methuen 1986
The Bill - pub by Thames Methuen 1985
The Bill 2 - pub by Thames Mandarin 1987
The Bill 3 - pub by Thames Mandarin 1989
The Bill 4 - pub by Thames Mandarin 1990
The Bill 5 - pub by Thames Mandarin 1991
The Bill 6 - pub by Thames Mandarin 1992
The Bill 1,2,3 - pub by Thames Mandarin 1992
London's Burning - pub by Simon and Schuster 1992
London's Burning (Blue Watch Blues) pub by Simon and Schuster 1995
London's Burning (Flashpoint) pub by Simon and Schuster 1995
AUDIO TAPES
Band of Gold - Ring of Lines - pub by Hodder 1996
Band of Gold - Chain of Power - pub by Hodder 1996
AS MARTIN SANDS
The Jokers - pub by Pan Books 1967
Maroc 7 - pub by Pan Books 1967
The Best House in London - pub by Mayflower - 1969
AS ROBERT MIALL
UFO - pub by Pan Books 1970
UFO2 - pub by Pan Books 1971
Jason King - pub by Pan Books 1972
Kill Jason King! - pub by Pan Books 1972
The Protectors - pub by Pan Books 1973
The Adventurer - pub by Pan Books 1973
GHOSTWRITTEN BOOKS
The Barlows of Beddington by Warren Chetham Strode. Published by Robert Hale 1956
Operation Poland by Harry Hougton published by Hart-Davis 1972
Return to Auschwitz by Kitty Hart published by Sidgwick and Jackson 1981
The Fluffy Lions by Jean Waring published by Museum Press 1955
TRANSLATIONS
From French, as J F Burke
The West Face (by Guido Magnone) pub by Museum Press 1955
The Trembling Tower (by Claude Yelnick) pub by Museum Press 1956
From Danish as J F Burke
The Spark and the Flame (by Flemmin Muus) pub by Museum Press 1956
Moon of Beauty (by J Andersen Rosendal) pub by Museum Press 1957
The Happy Lagoons (by J Andersen Rosendal) pub by Jarrolds 1961
EDITOR AS JOHN BURKE
Tales of Unease - pub by Pan Books 1966 (also London Television Series - JB as story editor)
More Tales of Unease - pub by Pan Books 1969
New Tales of Unease - pub by Pan Books 1976
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Post by pulphack on Jul 9, 2008 14:24:52 GMT
great to see the man is alive and well and still working! a brilliant list, and from the man himself!
interesting that The Weekend Girls was h/b as Jonathan Burke, as the p/b i had (Pan) had John Burke on it - which was why i picked it up. presumably they did this as he was always on the shelves for them as John? what amazed me was how many of these i'd read over the years, sometimes forgetting it was a JB (i read a LOT of tie-ins at one-point). Privilege is worth seeking out, as it's ten times better than the very messy film.
and blow me, like most jobbing writers of his age, he did a Blake title! i have this - just dug it out after reading the post - but never connected John and Jonathan Burke. it's my 'next-to-read' now, and i shall report back when it's read!
sterling work, mr ath - this is why the Vault is priceless.
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Post by allthingshorror on Jul 9, 2008 14:43:27 GMT
Glad to have helped pulphack.  Now I have so many books to try and get and read before I talk to him in January. Right - a lot of books to get - going to put down the ones I get as I get them.... Hammer Horror Volumes 1 and 2 The Boys (kindly donated) Tales of Unease More Tales of Unease Pursuit Through Time (as Jonathan Burke) The Figurehead (as Owen Burke) The Trap The Man Who Finally Died Moon Two Zero Gentle City (as Russ Ames) Note - this is the only book he wrote under that name - but there have been other books by this person. Was a stock name that everyone used.Echo of Barbara (as Jonathan Burke) The Weekend Girls Dr Terrors House of Horrors Fear by Instalments (as Jonathan Burke) Luke's Kingdom Maroc 7 (as Robert Miall) The 4th Floor Exodus from Elysium (as Jonathan Burke) The Protectors (as Robert Miall) Privilege King and Castle The Jokers (as Martin Sands) UFO (as Robert Miall) That Magnificent Air Race The Bill 3 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Till Death Us Do Part The Bliss of Mrs Blossom Flame in the Streets The Power Game The Entertainer The World Ten Times Over Private Potter The Devils Footsteps The Black Charade Ladygrove New Tales of Unease We've Been Waiting For You A Hard Days Night Alien Landscapes (as Jonathan Burke) Gardens of Desire (as Roger Rougiere) |
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Post by dem bones on Jul 10, 2008 11:25:20 GMT
Great stuff, Johnny! I've never seen a copy but I'm sure he was credited with authorship of another film novelisation, The Smashing Bird I Used To Know (Pan, 1969) starring Patrick Mower, Dennis Waterman, Madeline Hinde & Co. You might like to jog his memory on that one? And did I just imagine him doing tie ins for Angels and Eastenders? It seems such a terrible thing to accuse him of ....
Oh yeah: For top diseased 'sixties horror flick The Sorcerers. That one's credited as "from an idea by John Burke" - did it come from one of his short stories or did he just rattle off a quick plot outline to Reeves & Baker and let them run with it?
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Post by allthingshorror on Aug 8, 2008 8:14:03 GMT
John was admitted to hospital recently and had to have a very serious operation. He's recovering, but the seriousness of the op means that there is a long road to recovery for him.
I've sent him all of our thoughts and well wishes.
cheers
Johnny
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Post by dem bones on Aug 8, 2008 9:03:49 GMT
I've sent him all of our thoughts and well wishes. Thank you for that, Johnny. Mr. Burke's writing has given so many of us so much pleasure over the years it seems only right that he should be made aware of how much he's appreciated. Please continue to send him our fondest wishes for a full recovery. |
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Post by allthingshorror on Aug 18, 2008 11:13:05 GMT
Just recieved a letter from John thanking me for all the emails I've been sending him to read via his wife Jean as he's still in hospital, talking about being a great fan of Sansom (top man!) and wondering about what copy of Exodus from Elysium I have. For those with a burning desire to know, it's the Australian edition with the f**k**g spot on short short story The Entity Strikes Twice.
He's still getting pumped full of drugs left right and centre and is still in a lot of pain, but he's John Burke - the strongest octegenarian I know.
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Post by Jaqhama on Sept 13, 2008 15:40:48 GMT
Read a few of John's books myself.
Tell him; even a bloke in Sydney wishes him a fast recovery.
By damn, I'm well impressed with the number of books he's written.
I don't think any of the authors today can match the amount of writing/books the blokes knocked out in the 50's 60's and 70's.
Cheers: Jaq.
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Post by allthingshorror on Oct 4, 2008 20:56:19 GMT
Dem - been looking through my letters with John and he's actually mentionedThe Sorcerers. Must have slipped the radar first time round. Here's what he has to say about it.
Mike Reeves' cult film The Sorcerers gives me credit as 'From and idea by Jonathan Burke', which was a bit of a cheat - I put the whole idea to him and WROTE the screenplay, but well into production Boris Karloff wanted to soften the ending, so Mike rewrote a couple of scenes while assuring me that I would still get the main credit. The film business was fun, but full of tricksters!
Incidently, the film is on Monday morning at 1:30am. Never seen it before so really looking forward to it! And cheers Dr Terror for the heads up on that!
Also hopefully (fingers crossed) will be taking a journey up to Scotland to pay him a visit next week (if I can find a cheap overnight bus...) so I'll be sure to ask him some more about it!
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Post by Johnlprobert on Oct 4, 2008 22:08:03 GMT
The Sorcerors is an excellent film, and it's central concept hasn't dated one bit. In fact this is one of the few BritHorror pictures I think could be remade today and be even better. You must catch it Johnny, and ifmyou get the chance tell Mr Burke I think the script is cracking!
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Post by David A. Riley on Oct 5, 2008 7:29:55 GMT
"The Sorcerors is an excellent film, and it's central concept hasn't dated one bit."
I agree with you one hundred percent, John. It's one of the few horror films I can watch again and again with undiminished enjoyment, despite some dodgy acting and special effects that weren't all that special. Not that this film relies on these at all. It's got an absolutely amazing storyline that should rank amongst the classics.
I agree, too, that this is one of the exceptions where a remake would be welcomed and would have a chance of excelling the original, though with fingers well and truly crossed as usual and providing no one plays around too much with the central plot.
Filmmakers are strange creatures, aren't they? They don't appear to have any scruples at all in stealing someone else's thunder. I remember the SF writer Bob Shaw telling a group of us at a Preston SF meeting some of his experiences with Stanley Kubrick, after which nothing should astonish me. Still, it must have been galling for John Burke to see his status diminished from scriptwriter to someone who merely provided the idea.
I remember watching John Burke some years ago on Mastermind on TV, on which he did very well.
David
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Post by Craig Herbertson on Oct 5, 2008 8:50:54 GMT
Its a feature of showbiz, journalism, radio - competitive markets based mainly on visible prestige and a hungry monster ready to suck up any stray ideas. I had a friend who was halfway through a well researched detective story on a very original theme. Mentioned how he was getting on to a journalist friend, showed him his notes. Six months later his 'friend' had the book published.
The incidents are numerous.
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Post by dem bones on Oct 5, 2008 9:07:02 GMT
Thanks for clearing that up, John(s). I suspected that if ever there had been a source novel or short story one of us would have turned up a copy by now. I reckon you'll love the film, a true Brit horror classic, and for once a very jaded view of Swinging London just as Mod is about to give way to Love, Peace and Flower Power. Maybe some kinda attempted *review* to follow tomorrow, but watch for mad prof. Boris Karloff's groovy attempt to approximate the BBC workshop in the comfort of his dreary flat!
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Post by noose on Sept 23, 2010 17:18:38 GMT
 The great man himself, Mr John Burke! Had an amazing day with him and his wife Jean, their hospitality was second to none, and after swearing off drink after Fcon, John gently persuaded me to imbibe a whisky or two with him. Have discovered that Tales of Unease was translated into Swedish, UFO 1 and 2 translated into Japanese, Dr terrors House of Horrors was turned into a stunning German edition - seen to be believed, and if there was any doubt that John only contributed the idea - he showed me his SORCERERS box file, that included original synopsis, three versions of the script (provisionally called TERROR FOR KICKS), contracts and letters saying that Boris was unhappy with the ending could he change it, and John saying no, he was too busy - and not for all the tea in china. John has been beset by mobility problems as of the past two years, but his mind is as sharp as a tack, and the stories he regaled me with working in the film industry and for Clarence, Bertie et al, will stay with me for many years to come. I told him about the Vault, and he says it sounds lovely, but he couldn't possible visit as he still has too many horror stories to write! (as we speak a horror novel is at quite a big name publisher, and it's going to be MASSIVE if it's picked up) Jx |
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Post by David A. Riley on Sept 23, 2010 19:22:35 GMT
I remember reading somewhere that John Burke not only provided the story idea (as credited in the film) but the script as well. Pity he wasn't given the full dredit he was due, but I believe film makers are like that, even the best of them!
Glad he stuck to his guns over that ending. To me it was just perfect. In fact, one of the things I most admire about that movie is that it has one of the most perfect horror film plots. I never get bored rewatching it (which I do perhaps even more frequently than Night of the Demon)
Lovely picture, by the way.
David
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