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Copyrighted material – 978–0–230–27845–5 © William Baker 2013 All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, Saffron House, 6–10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. The author has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. First published 2013 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN Palgrave Macmillan in the UK is an imprint of Macmillan Publishers Limited, registered in England, company number 785998, of Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS. Palgrave Macmillan in the US is a division of St Martin’s Press LLC, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010. Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies and has companies and representatives throughout the world. Palgrave® and Macmillan® are registered trademarks in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and other countries. ISBN 978–0–230–27845–5 This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully managed and sustained forest sources. Logging, pulping and manufacturing processes are expected to conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress. Typeset by MPS Limited, Chennai, India. Copyrighted material – 978–0–230–27845–5 Contents General Editor’s Preface vi Introduction and Acknowledgements viii List of Abbreviations xiv Chronology 1 Who’s Who 306 Principal Sources Consulted 325 Index of Works by Harold Pinter 327 Index of People 335 Index of Places 362 v Copyrighted material – 978–0–230–27845–5 Chronology 1926 June 9 (Wed) Wedding of Hyman ( Jack) Pinter (HJP) and Frances, née Moskowitz (FP). Both sides of the family were Ashkenazi Jews: HJP’s father, Nathan, born in Russia/Poland in 1870, in order to escape the pogroms fled to England with his wife and children in 1900. FP’s father, Harry, came to London in 1900 from Odessa with his Polish-born wife. 1930 October 10 (Fri) Harold Pinter (HP) born at Tudor House, Newington Green, London, the only child of HJP and FP. His parents lived at 8 Ashtead Road, Springhill, Hackney and then moved to 19 Thistlewaite Road. 1936 HP goes to elementary school near Clapton Pond near Thistlewaite Road. October 4 (Sun) Planned march by Mosley and his Black Shirts into the heart of the Jewish area of East London stopped by massive counter- demonstration. 1939 September–October Following the outbreak of war, HP with 24 other boys evacuated to a castle, Caerhays, near Mevagissey in Cornwall, owned by Major and Mrs Williams. 1 Copyrighted material – 978–0–230–27845–5 2 A Harold Pinter Chronology 1940 Late in the year, HP returns to Hackney, London and to his parents’ home: experiences first-hand the Blitz. 1941 Evacuated with mother to Reading, lodges with a factory worker’s family. HP read every night by candlelight. Supports Reading football club and takes School Matriculation Exams, which he apparently failed. Father challenges result and discovers HP just passed. 1942 September Enters Hackney Downs Grammar School where forms lifelong rela tionships, including Henry Woolf (HW) and Michael (Mick) Goldstein (MG), whom he meets at Hackney Boys’ Club, and at school meets nemesis Ron Percival. 1943 Brief evacuation to Yorkshire: the source for lifelong support of Yorkshire Cricket Club. October 9 (Sat) HP’s Bar Mitzvah at Lea Bridge Synagogue. In spite of German bomb- ing of London, with the cash from his Bar Mitzvah presents HP travels from Hackney to the Charing Cross Road and purchases a copy of James Joyce’s Ulysses. Begins to use a ‘fountain of life’, the Hackney Public Library. Parents give HP a Collected Shakespeare. 1944–48 Attends Hackney Downs Grammar School. Plays football and cricket and goes in for sprinting and debating. Encouraged and inspired by the English teacher Joseph Brearley ( JB). In 1946–48, has essays, poems and debating speeches printed in issues of the Hackney Downs School Magazine (BR: C1–2, E1–6). In 1947–48, performs lead roles in Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet. 1944 Falls in love with 14-year-old girl, a neighbour. The unhappy relationship lasted for a year. Evacuated with schoolmaster to rural Norfolk and is the Copyrighted material – 978–0–230–27845–5 1945, 1946, 1947 3 source ‘for the image of A Slight Ache [SA] ... when I started to write the play in 1959’. HP ‘recalled the image of ... a garden and lots of flowers ... the like of which I’d never seen before. There wasn’t a match seller’ (Billington: 8). 1945 May 8 (Tue) VE Day (Victory-in-Europe Day). June 18 (Mon) Demobilization begins in the UK. July 26 (Thur) Clement Attlee elected as Labour Prime Minister. 1946 Autumn HP comes third in 220 yards for under 16s at school. Hackney Downs School Magazine publishes HP’s essay on ‘James Joyce’, 160: 32–3 (BR: E1). 1947 March 26–28 (Wed–Fri) Plays the role of Macbeth in his JB’s school produc- tion. Malcolm played by Barry Supple (subsequently academic), Ronald Percival plays Lady Macbeth. Spring Speaks in school Literary and Debating Society opposing the motion ‘That a United States of Europe would be the only means of preventing war’. School magazine publishes HP’s poem ‘Dawn’ (BR: C1). Summer Speaks in Literary and Debating Society supporting the motion ‘That war is inevitable’. Hackney Downs School Magazine publishes his poem ‘O Beloved Maiden’ 14 (BR: C2). School magazine reviews Macbeth with photograph on the front cover. Autumn HP appointed Prefect in Hammond House. Passes London General School Examination: speaks to Literary and Debating Society on the subject of ‘Realism and post-realism in the French cinema’. HP’s focus Marcel Carné’s Copyrighted material – 978–0–230–27845–5 4 A Harold Pinter Chronology Les Enfants du Paradis. School magazine publishes his essay on ‘Blood Sports’ (BR: E5). 1948 April 7–10 (Wed–Sat) HP plays Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, directed by JB, with Betty Lemon as Juliet. Spring Speaks in Literary and Debating Society supporting the motion that ‘In view of its progress in the last decade, the Film is more promising in its future as an art form than the Theatre’. Summer HP awarded school cricket and football colours. Romeo and Juliet reviewed in school magazine with photograph. HP mentioned in school magazine ‘Cricket Notes’ and, as school vice-captain, equals school record in 100 yards and sets up new school record in 220 yards: runs for school in 100 yards. October Responds to National Service call-up by registering as a conscientious objector. 1949 Attends (erratically) the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) for two terms then drops out. Arrested twice, for refusing military service, tried and fined. Lives at home until 1951, reading, writing, seeking work. Writes the short story ‘Kullus’ (BR: W1) and other short stories, some poetry. October 18 (Tue) Writes to Henry Miller, who replies (HPA). 1950 August Poems ‘New Year in the Midlands’ and ‘Chandeliers and Shadows’ (Poetry London, 5: 19: 8–10; BR: C3). September 19 (Tue) Focus on Football Pools, BBC Light Programme, live broadcast. Copyrighted material – 978–0–230–27845–5 1951, 1952 5 October 10 (Tue) HP’s 20th birthday. 31 (Tue) Focus on Libraries, BBC Light Programme, live broadcast. November ‘New Year in the Midlands’ (corrected version), ‘Rural Idyll’ and ‘Euro pean Revels’ (Poetry London, 5: 20: 8–9; BR: C4) under the name ‘Harold Pinta’. From late 1950, has occasional work as a radio actor. 1951 Radio performances on BBC’s Focus on Football Pools and Focus on Libraries; and the role of Narrator in BBC’s Mr. Punch Passes Out. Writing The Queen of all the Fairies (HPA). January–July At the Central School of Speech and Drama. Meets amongst others Barry Foster, a fellow student, who remains a lifelong friend. Very much influ- enced by Cicely Berry (brilliant voice coach) and Stephen Joseph (director). January 14 (Sun) Plays Abergavenny in R.D. Smith’s BBC Third Programme (3P) production of Shakespeare’s Henry VIII. Spring ‘So, This Morning of Marvels’ (Poetry Quarterly, 13: 1: 7; BR: C5), under the name ‘Harold Pinta’. April ‘The Second Visit’ (The Window, 2: 13; BR: C6), as ‘Harold Pinta’. Summer ‘One a Story, Two a Death’ (Poetry London, 6: 22: 22–3) and ‘I Shall Tear off my Terrible Cap’ (Poetry London, 13: 2: 59; BR: C7, 8), as ‘Harold Pinta’. September 1951–Autumn 1952 Tours Ireland with Anew McMaster’s repertory company. Begins writing The Dwarfs (D) as a novel (completed 1956; published 1990; BR: W2). Begins a relationship with a member of the touring company, Pauline Flanagan, who plays Portia to HP’s Bassanio, Mrs Erlynne to his Lord Windermere, Gwendolen to his Jack Worthing. They fall in love and HP takes her to London to meet his parents and close friends. Copyrighted material – 978–0–230–27845–5 6 A Harold Pinter Chronology 1953 January ‘You in the Night’ (The Glass, 1: 27; BR: C9), as ‘Harold Pinta’. 1953–54 With Donald Wolfit’s company, King’s Theatre, Hammersmith: adopts the stage name ‘David Baron’ (after September 1960 uses his own name).