Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, September 8, 1994 TAG: 9409080097
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C2 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: LONDON LENGTH: Short
Clavell, 69, died Tuesday, said his publisher, Eric Major, who works for Hodder and Stoughton in London.
The Australian-born Clavell, who lived in Switzerland, was a screenwriter of popular movies, such as the first version of ``The Fly,'' ``The Great Escape'' and ``To Sir With Love.''
His novels about the Far East include ``King Rat'' and ``Tai-Pan.'' ``Shogun'' and ``Noble House'' were made into television miniseries.
Clavell's latest novel, ``Gai-Jin,'' was published last year and also was a best seller.
``He was one of the great epic storytellers of our age - a man who was deeply imbued in tradition, and also enormous fun to work with,'' Major said.
Explaining the popularity of ``Shogun,'' Major said, ``It took the Western mind into a completely different world. It was the first time that one began to understand the Japanese. This came from the period when he was incarcerated as a POW at Chang Yi prison in Singapore.''
Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.