Eleanor Mercein Kelly
Eleanor Mercein Kelly | |
|---|---|
| Born | Eleanor Royce Mercein 30 August 1880 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA |
| Died | 11 October 1968 (aged 88) Louisville, Kentucky, USA |
| Occupation | Novelist, short story writer |
| Genre | Romantic fiction, Biography, Travel |
| Notable works | Kildares of Storm, Basquerie |
| Spouse | Robert M. Kelly, Jr. (m. 1901) |
Eleanor Mercein Kelly (August 30, 1880 - October 11, 1968) was an American writer of fiction and nonfiction. She wrote one biographical study, The Chronicle of a Happy Woman: Emily A. Davison (1928), but is best known for her romantic fiction, most of which was set in exotic locales. She was widely traveled, and used her travels as inspiration for her novels. [1]
Life and career
Early years
Kelly was born into a prominent and wealthy Milwaukee family. Her parents were Thomas Royce Mercein and Lucy Schley Mercein.[1] Prior to high school, Kelly attended the Seventh Ward school in Milwaukee, where she won first place in sight reading and had the highest general average in the school.[2]
Georgetown Visitation Convent (High School Years)
For her high school years, Kelly's parents made the decision to send her to the Georgetown Visitation Convent, a Catholic boarding school in Washington D.C. She later showed her approval of this decision, and spoke of her parent's wisdom in sending her to a school which was "steeped in tradition and leisurely atmosphere, where predilection for writing...could have full play for expansion." She later reminisced, "I used to spend long days under a rose bower writing. Often they brought my lunch out to me." In 1898, Kelly graduated from the school with honors, having achieved the rank of valedictorian.[2]
Move to Louisville
After her marriage to Robert M. Kelly in 1901, Kelly settled down in Louisville, Kentucky. She later explained, "I dearly love Milwaukee, but I simply cannot write here." The Kentucky environment inspired her, and she furiously began to write. The result was three novels featuring Kentuckian characters and setting, titled Kildares of Storm (1916), Why Joan? (1918), and The Mansion House (1923).[2] She had written one novel previously, Toya the Unlike (1913), but it was not well received by critics.[1] Later, Kentucky's novelty wore off, and she turned to more exotic locales for inspiration and setting.
Writings
Eleanor Mercein Kelly wrote a total of fifteen books, including fourteen novels and one biographical study, in addition to numerous short stories published in magazines such as the Ladies Home Journal, Collier's, The Century Magazine, Munsey's Magazine, the Harper's Monthly, and the Saturday Evening Post.
List of known works
Fiction
- Toya the Unlike (1913)
- Kildares of Storm (1916)
- Why Joan? (1918)
- The Mansion House (1923)
- Basquerie (1927)
- The Book of Bette (1929)
- Arabesque (1930)
- Spanish Holiday (1930)
- Nacio, His Affairs (1931)
- Sea Change (1931)
- Sounding Harbors (1935)
- Mixed Company (1936)
- Richard Walden's Wife (1950)
- Proud Castle (1951)
Nonfiction
- The Chronicle of a Happy Woman: Emily A. Davison (1928)
Short stories
- (This is an incomplete list.)
- "The Head of the Family" (1915) (Munsey's Magazine)
- "Hunger" (1915) (The Century Magazine)
- "Atmosphere" (1916) (Munsey's Magazine)
- "La Bella Gina" (1926) (The Harper's Monthly)
- "Michaelmas Moon" (1934) (Saturday Evening Post)
- "Polonaise" (1935) (Saturday Evening Post)
Adaptations of works
Film
| Year | Titel | Story based on | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1918 | Kildare of Storm | Kildares of Storm | Silent film produced by Metro Pictures; lost film |
| 1931 | Their Mad Moment | Basquerie | Film produced by Fox Film Corporation |
| 1931 | Mi último amor | Basquerie | Film produced by Fox Film Corporation; Spanish language version of Their Mad Moment |
| 1941 | The Perfect Snob | Basquerie | Film produced by Fox Film Corporation; remake of Their Mad Moment |
Broadway
| Year | Titel | Story based on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1929 | Unknown | Basquerie [3] |
References
- ^ a b c Mainiero, Lina. "Eleanor Mercein Kelly." American Women Writers: A Critical Reference Guide from Colonial times to the Present. Vol. 2. New York: Ungar, 1979. 441-42. Print.
- ^ a b c "Mrs. Kelly Talks About Life, Books." The Milwaukee Sentinel 28 Feb. 1932, Society sec.: 1+. Print.
- ^ "Society Women in Literature." The Milwaukee Journal 1 Nov. 1931, Society sec.: 2. Print.