author
Reginald Berkeley
1890–1935
A decorated First World War officer who moved from British politics into the theater, radio, and eventually Hollywood screenwriting, he built a career across several worlds in a remarkably short life. His work helped shape early radio drama while also reaching West End and film audiences.
1 Audiobook
Unparliamentary papers and other diversions
by Reginald Berkeley
About the author
Born in London in 1890, Reginald Cheyne Berkeley was educated partly in New Zealand, trained in law, and served in the First World War, where he was awarded the Military Cross. After the war he entered public life and served as a Liberal Member of Parliament before turning increasingly toward writing.
Berkeley became known for stage plays and was also an important early writer for radio drama. He worked across several forms, including novels, plays, and screenplays, and later moved into film work in Hollywood. That range gives his career an unusual energy: he was not only a man of letters, but also someone who moved easily between politics, broadcasting, and popular entertainment.
He died in Los Angeles in 1935, only 44 years old. Even so, his career left a distinct mark on British stage and radio writing, and on the early exchange between British theater and American film.