BULLDOG DRUMMOND

Bulldog Drummond is an insurance investigator.

Initially created in 1920 by Herman Cyril McNeile using the pseudonym of "Sapper", Drummond was a well-to-do former officer in the British army who, after WWI, decided to occupy his time as a private investigator. The character quickly caught on as being a man of action that women also enjoyed. Though hardly considered good looking, he was confident and relaxed enough to make him attractive to the opposite sex but quick to action and ready to fight when called upon.

The first four books about Drummond had him going against the highly skilled and gifted evil genius, Carl Peterson. At the end of the fourth, Peterson is killed. Starting with the next book, his primary adversary was the beautiful Irma who was Peterson's lover and who now is determined to get revenge. A total of ten books were written by McNeile.

When Mr. McNeile died in 1937, the series was continued by Gerard Fairlie who was not only a friend to McNeile but was said by many to be the prototype for Drummond in the first place. Fairlie continued the series with seven more books stretching from 1938 to 1954, skipping the war years completely.

A total of 23 movies about Drummond were made, starting with an eponymously titled film in 1932 and going until a remake, also entitled Bulldog Drummond in 1952.

The list of books about Drummond from this period are:

Bulldog Drummond, 1920, McNeile

The Black Gang, 1922, McNeile

The Third Round, 1924, McNeile

The Final Count, 1926, McNeile

The Female Of The Species, 1928, McNeile

Temple Tower, 1929, McNeile

The Return Of Bulldog Drummond, 1932, McNeile

Knock-Out, 1933, McNeile

Bulldog Drummond At Bay, 1935, McNeile

The Challenge, 1937, McNeile

Bulldog Drummond on Dartmoor, 1938, Fairlie

Bulldog Drummond Attacks, 1939, Fairlie

Captain Bulldog Drummond, 1945, Fairlie

Bulldog Drummond Stands Fast, 1947, Fairlie

Hands Off Bulldog Drummond, 1949, Fairlie

Calling Bulldog Drummond, 1951, Fairlie

The Return of the Black Gang, 1954, Fairlie

Bulldog Drummond is in the collection because of two books written more than a decade after Fairlie wrote the last. In 1966, with the tremendous popularity of spy movies thanks to James Bond, the character was resurrected, revised considerably, and presented with every bit of flair that Bond had. Drummond wasn't the only character from the series brought back - his nemesis Carl Peterson is alive and well and joined by luscious women to aid his plans for untold riches.

The new Drummond is considerably better looking and able to attract the eyes of most women. He is suave, smooth, dashing, and deadly, combinations vital to hold his own against the femme fatales his adversary throws against him.

Of interesting note is that the first movie's screenplay, taken from a concept story by the same author, was written by Jimmy Sangster, creator of two spy series of his own.

I was too young to go see the first of the two movies from which these books came when it was released. I was in the military and paying more attention to girls than movies with the second came out. It would be many years later before I saw them and by then I had also, through the magic of late-night television, seen several of the far older movies. And, truthfully, when I did see Deadlier Than The Male in the late 70's, I paid far more attention to Elke Sommer and Sylva Koscina than I ever did the star of the show.

But for light-hearted, visually beautiful adventures, these two are well worth the time. But see the movies first before reading the books as it makes the characters far more "stimulating".