Background
James Curtis was born Geoffrey Basil Maiden, in Sturry, Kent on 4 July 1907.
James Curtis was born Geoffrey Basil Maiden, in Sturry, Kent on 4 July 1907.
He was privately educated in Kent and after leaving school he moved to London. In 1934, Curtis appeared in two films, Manhattan Melodrama and Fugitive Lady, in uncredited roles. He later adopted the pseudonym of James Curtis and began a career as an author
In total he wrote 6 novels as well as, at least, one work of political observations.
Curtis was forced to stop writing when World World War II broke out. He would go on to tour France and Burma and rose to the rank of Major.
In 1938, They Drive By Night was released as a feature film with the screenplay provided by Curtis himself. lieutenant was directed by Arthur Woods and starred Emlyn Williams and Ernest Thesiger.
The following year his second novel was made into a film of the same name, There Ain"t Number Justice (1939).
The author again provided the screenplay with Pen Tennyson acting as director In 1977, James Curtis died in Camden, North London after suffering a heart attack in a chemist shop. He is buried in Street Pancras cemetery.