The prolific English author who captured Hollywood before creating a legendary mouse duo
In short: Before she became famous for the heroic mice of The Rescuers, Margery Sharp was a powerhouse of mid-century literature. From the pages of Punch to the bright lights of Broadway and Hollywood, her sharp wit and storytelling prowess defined a career spanning dozens of novels, plays, and short stories.
Born in 1905 in Salisbury, Clara Margery Melita Sharp led a life as varied as her bibliography. Her early years included a childhood in Malta, which later informed her writing, and a formative education at Bedford College, University of London. Her intellectual vigor was evident early on; she was part of the first British University Women's Debating Team to compete in the United States. By age 21, she was already a published contributor to Punch magazine, launching a career that would see her work featured in major publications like Harper's Bazaar and Ladies' Home Journal.
Sharp's literary output was staggering, encompassing 25 novels for adults, 14 children's books, four plays, and two mysteries. Her first novel, Rhododendron Pie, arrived in 1930 after just a month of writing. Her work frequently caught the attention of major studios; her 1935 novel The Nutmeg Tree became a Broadway play and later the film Julia Misbehaves, while her 1944 novel Cluny Brown was adapted by Ernst Lubitsch in 1946. During World War II, she balanced her writing with service as an Army Education Lecturer, documenting the realities of the London Blitz in her work.
Though she was a successful adult novelist, her most enduring legacy remains The Rescuers series, which began in 1959. Featuring the heroic mouse Miss Bianca and her partner Bernard, the series was illustrated by Garth Williams, known for his work on Charlotte's Web. While intended for adults, the books found a massive audience among children. Walt Disney Productions eventually adapted the series into the 1977 film The Rescuers, which achieved significant critical and financial success. Despite her immense popularity during her lifetime, much of her adult fiction fell out of print by 2008, though digital reissues in 2016 have helped preserve her extensive literary footprint.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Margery Sharp
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