Elinor Glyn Papers

Collection

Identifier: MSS 0154

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection includes an undated letter noting "I have been in such an extreme fuss with moving & my new house not being ready...", a one page signed manuscript titled Advice to Young Authors, and a typed list entitled Eleanor Glyn's List of the World's 20 Greatest Women.

Dates

undated

Creator

Glyn, Elinor (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright is retained by the creators of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information. Please see our Sensitive Materials Statement.

Biographical or Historical Information

Elinor Glyn was born October 17, 1864 in Jersey, Channel Islands, the daughter of Douglas and Elinor Saunders Sutherland. She was raised by her mother after her father died of typhoid fever when Glyn was only a few months old, received only the minimal education available in local schools, and in 1892 married Clayton Glyn, a wealthy entrepreneur. Glyn was a prolific novelist who wrote more than twenty books, several of which were made into silent films starring such performers as Gloria Swanson, Clara Bow, John Gilbert and Rudolph Valentino. Her first book, The Visits of Elizabeth, was published anonymously in 1899 and serialized in The World; it was quite successful. According to her biographer and grandson Anthony Glyn, Glyn derived great pleasure from listening to her friends trying to guess the name of the author. With her earnings, she traveled to Italy, France and Egypt.

Glyn's most popular book nearly ended her writing career. Three Weeks was called too "sensational" and was viciously attacked by nearly every London critic. The love scenes, tame by modern standards, were too explicit for what was still a Victorian press. By 1916 over two million copies of Three Weeks had been sold, and the book had been translated into virtually every European language. The financial success of Three Weeks was fortunate for Glyn because her husband had lost all his money by 1908, making her the sole support of her family. After Glyn's husband died in 1915, she increased the volume of her work and in 1917 signed a lucrative contract with William Randolph Hearst for the American rights to her novels. Her career as a film writer began in 1920, when Glyn was asked to write the screenplay for The Great Moment, starring Gloria Swanson. During the 1930s, Glyn lost most of her money in a failed attempt to start her own film production company. Both of the movies she produced and financed, Knowing Men and The Price of Things, were financial disasters. She returned to writing full-time and continued publishing novels until her death in 1943.

Extent

0.01 Linear Feet (1 folder)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Elinor Glyn (1864-1943) was a prolific novelist who wrote more than twenty books, several of which were made into silent films starring such performers as Gloria Swanson, Clara Bow, John Gilbert and Rudolph Valentino. This collection includes an undated letter, a one page signed manuscript titled Advice to Young Authors, and a typed list entitled Eleanor Glyn's List of the World's 20 Greatest Women.

Method of Acquisition

Purchased in June 1999.

Offensive Language Statement

The UNC Greensboro University Libraries collects, preserves, and makes accessible unique and historical materials for learning and research. The nature of historical materials is such that some material may represent positions, norms, and values that are offensive and objectionable. These materials represent the opinions and actions of their creators. By providing access to these records in our reading room and through our digital collections, we recognize that archives and rare books can play a vital role in holding those creators accountable and in helping us learn from the past.

Our finding aids and other collection descriptions may occasionally re-use language provided by creators or former holders of the materials, but we strive to place outdated or offensive terminology in context. That said, we recognize that we may not always make the right decision and welcome feedback from all sources so we can learn and adjust our practices. Please contact us at scua@uncg.edu if you encounter problematic language in our finding aids or other collection description. We will review the language and, as appropriate, update it in a way that balances preservation of the original context with our ongoing commitment to describing materials with respectful and inclusive language.