Dr. Madeleine Masson-Rayner (nee Levy, 1924/1925)
She was born in Johannesburg in 1912 and educated at St. Andrew’s School for Girls.She studied History and Philosophy at the Sorbonne in Paris. She has a Ph.D in Philosophy. Madeleine then studied Art and Humanities in Munich and currently lives in Bosham, West Sussex, United Kingdom.
She has published 37 books and numerous plays as well as two children’s books. The film, “ Servant of God” re titled“ Maddelena”- won Golden Laurel Award for best film of its year at the Edinburgh Festival in 1956.
A Montreal businessman and film producer approached Madeleine to buy the film rights of ‘Christine’, a book she wrote in 1975.The offer was accepted. ‘Christine’ is the story of Polish born Christine Granville, who worked as an Allied spy in Poland, Hungary and France during the Second War.She was known as ‘Churchill’s favourite spy’.Christine will be represented as a Virago Modern Classic.
Her work is so varied and encompasses many genres.It spans nearly seven decades of the twentieth century .She has produced:
- full-length plays
- meticulously researched historical and other novels
- fiction and fictionalised accounts of events
- autobiographies biographies of men and particularly women of renown
- numerous articles for papers and journals
- factual books
A selection of her published works include:
“The Life and Times of Lady Anne Barnard”
Published by Allen & Unwin, London.
“Scrapbook of the Cape”.
Published by Howard Timmins, South Africa and Allen & Unwin, London.
“The Slave Bell and Other Stories”.
Published by Unie- Volkspers BPK, Cape Town
“Birds of Passage- Distinguished visitors to the Cape from 1600 to 1900”
Published by Howard Timmins, South Africa.
“Edwina- a Biography of the Countess Mountbatten of Burma”
Published by Robert Hale, London and reprinted by White Lion Publishers, London, Autumn 1975.
“ I Never Kissed Paris Goodbye- Portrait Souvenir 1934- 1941.”
Published by Hamish Hamilton, 1978.
A selection of her plays include:
“Tropica”- produced by Leontine Sagan
“ Puppet’s Party”- starring Moira Lister
“Passport to Limbo”- produced by Leontine Sagan
“Servant of God”
“Home is the Hero”
“ The Bronte Saga”.
Madeleine passed away during the course of 2007. Our condolences to her family.
