Michael Bond
Michael Bond (1926–2017) was a British writer who created the children’s character Paddington BearPaddington BearPaddington Bear is a bear character created by British author Michael Bond who first appeared in A Bear Called Paddington in 1958 and grew into a franchise of books, an animated series, three films and a stage musical; since 2016 most brand rights other than publishing have belonged to StudioCanal.Open the full entry and also wrote the Olga da Polga series and the Monsieur Pamplemousse detective novels; he had worked as a BBCBBCThe BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) is the United Kingdom’s public broadcaster. Its predecessor was the British Broadcasting Company, formed in 1922, and since 1927 it has been established under a Royal Charter. It provides television, radio, and online services in the UK, is funded mainly by the television licence fee, and broadcasts worldwide in multiple languages through BBC World Service.Open the full entry television cameraman.
Contents15 sections
Key facts
January 13, 1926Born in Newbury
Michael Bond was born in Newbury, Berkshire, England, on January 13, 1926.[1]
1920s–1930sGrowing Up in Reading
He grew up in Reading, where he became interested in the old locomotives of the Great Western Railway.[2]
He recalled that his mother brought home an armful of mystery books from the library every Friday and encouraged him to read.[3]
1943–1947The BBC and Wartime Service
He recalled joining the BBC at 17, working on low-power transmitters.[4]
He joined the Royal Air Force in 1943 but was discharged for chronic air sickness, then served in the Army from 1944 to 1947; his first story was published in 1945, while he was in the Army.[5]
1947–1966BBC Television Cameraman
After the war he returned to the BBC, working in a foreign broadcasts unit, then moved into television as a camera operator and became a senior cameraman, working through the move from Alexandra Palace to Television Centre.[4]
1956–1958Paddington Is Born
On Christmas Eve 1956 he bought a stuffed bear in a London shop as a gift for his wife and named it after the nearby railway station; William Collins published A Bear Called Paddington in 1958.[6]
He said he began one morning with a blank sheet of paper in his typewriter and wrote the first book very quickly, a chapter a day for eight days.[3]
1966–1967Becomes a Full-Time Writer
He worked for the BBC until 1966; by 1967 Paddington’s popularity enabled him to leave the BBC and write full time.[5]
Since 1971Olga da Polga and Monsieur Pamplemousse
His Olga da Polga series was published from 1971 to 2002, and he also wrote Monsieur Pamplemousse detective novels.[5]
He said he modelled Monsieur Pamplemousse on the French film star Raimu.[3]
June 1997Appointed OBE
June 2015Appointed CBE
The 2015 Queen’s Birthday Honours made him a CBE.[9]
November 16, 2015Oral History Interview
On November 16, 2015, the British Entertainment History Project recorded oral history video interview no. 680 with him at his home, conducted by Martin Spence.[4]
2016Sale of the Paddington Brand
When StudioCanal acquired Paddington and Company, Karen Jankel was its owner; Bond kept the publishing rights to the Paddington books and was to work closely with StudioCanal on them.[10]
June 2017Death
Bond died in June 2017, aged 91.[11]
January 10, 2018A Train Is Named
To mark 60 years of Paddington Bear, his daughter Karen Jankel unveiled the names of Great Western Railway Intercity Express train 800010, “Michael Bond / Paddington Bear,” on January 10, 2018.[2]
Related Organizations, Websites, and Public Accounts
Paddington Bear: Official website: https://www.paddington.com/ (opens in a new window)[1]
Sources
- Welcome to the Paddington Bear website (opens in a new window)
- Our named Intercity Express Trains | Great Western Railway (opens in a new window)
- Michael Bond (opens in a new window)
- Interview with Michael Bond | British Entertainment History Project (opens in a new window)
- Michael Bond Papers (opens in a new window)
- Beloved Multi-Generational Character Celebrates 60 Years With First-Ever American Exhibition (opens in a new window)
- Supplement to the London Gazette, 14th June 1997 (opens in a new window)
- The London Gazette, Supplement 54794, Page 9 (opens in a new window)
- The Queen’s Birthday Honours 2015 (opens in a new window)
- Studiocanal Acquires Paddington Bear Brand, Plans Third Paddington Movie (opens in a new window)
- Kate Garraway discovers she is related to Paddington Bear's creator Michael Bond (opens in a new window)