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Jeffrey Archer is an English author and former politician, known for his best-selling works including “Kane and Abel” series, “Clifton Chronicles” and other novels like “Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less.” Here are 45 facts about the author:
- His first book “Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less” was published in 1976. He wrote it to escape from bankruptcy.
- Born as Jeffrey Howard Archer on 15 April 1940 in London. He was born to William Archer and Lola Archer. The family moved to Somerset when he was just 2 weeks old.
- His father was 64 years old when he was born. There is no proof to his father’s supposed military career.
- His job profile includes a short stint with Metropolitan Police Service and Physical Education Teacher at Vicar Hill in Hampshire and in Dover College in Kent before diving into politics.
- He was promoted to the Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party in 1985 by Margaret Thatcher. Many of the prominent members of the party were against it.
- He became the president of Oxford University Athletic Club during his time at Oxford. He was very successful at Sprinting and Hurdling and even represented England in those events.
- “Kane and Able”, his second book became his bestselling novel in 1979. It reached at number one on the best sellers list by The New York Times.
- He established his own fundraising and public relations company in 1969 named “Arrow Enterprises.”
- He has spoken many a times in the past about his scholarship to Wellington College in Berkshire, when in fact he got the scholarship to Wellington School in Somerset.
- His indulgence in politics began in 1967 when he joined as Conservative Councilor and served four years at the Greater London Council.
- He wrote his first stage play in 1987 titled “Beyond Reasonable Doubt” which was well received by the audience. It ran at Queen’s Theatre at London’s West End for more than a year.
- It is alleged that he provided false academic qualifications to become a member of Brasenose College. The American Institution that he referred in his qualification was actually a bodybuilding club.
- “Only Time Will Tell” was published in 2011 that follows the life of Harry Clifton from his birth in 1920 to 1940. This is the first among the seven books from the series The Clifton Chronicles.
- The chairman of the UNA (United Nations Association) Humphry Berkeley, found many discrepancies in the expense claims by Archer, who was the chief fundraiser at that time.
- His bestselling novel “Kane and Able” was made into a television miniseries in 1985 with Peter Strauss and Sam Neill in the lead.
- He was elected as a Member of Parliament at the age of 29 for Licolnshire constituency of Louth. However the national party had concerns over his selection due to the UNA financial expense allegation over him.
- He ran successfully for Great Britain with a time of 9.6 seconds in the 100 yard dash. He also received Blue in athletic, an award given at Oxford for participation at higher level.
- Archer himself has stated that he goes abroad to write the first draft of his book. He spends considerable time writing and re-writing the drafts which mounts up to seventeen drafts in the end.
- He has a luxury villa in Majorca, a group of island which is part of Spain. Since 2010 he has written the first draft of each of his new book from that villa title “Writer’s Block”.
- He filed a defamation suit against Berkeley which was later settled outside court with Archer paying the legal costs of $30,000.
- After the failure of his second stage play “Exclusive”, his third and the final play “Accused”, opened at Theatre Royal on 26 September 2000, which also garnered appreciation similar to his first play.
- In 1974 he found himself in a Pound 500,000 debt due to his involvement in a fraudulent investment scheme by a Canadian company “Aquablast.”
- “First Among Equals” written in 1984 had a different story line in US and UK. In the UK edition the story revolves around 4 British politicians who strive to become the Prime Minister. In the US version the character Andrew Fraser was eliminated.
- He stated a charity named “Simple Truth” to raise funds for Kurdish uprising that Saddam Hussein was trying to suppress in 1991.
- As a fundraiser for Oxfam he came under severe criticism for financial wrongdoing. He owned personalized houses and cars with personal name plates while working as a part timer for Oxfam.
- The drummer of “The Beatles” Ringo Starr, during his visit to Brasenose College, commented about Archer to Sheridon Morley, “He strikes me as a nice enough fella, but he’s the kind of bloke who would bottle your piss and sell it.”
- Critics have always been harsh towards his novels, inspite off his books being successful commercially. It is known that all his books undergo extensive editing before publication.
- He was sent to 4 years in prison for perjury and preventing the course of trial in the 1987 libel case. It all started when allegations by Ted Francis, his former friend was published in News of the World on 21 November 1999.
- The Archer Gallery which he opened in 1969 lost money and had to be sold two years later. The gallery had modern art sculptures in display including Leon Underwood’s works.
- His short story collection “Cat O’ Nine Tales” contains 12 short stories among which 9 of them are inspired by his time in the prison.
- “First Among Equals” was also made into a 10 part television series by Granada TV in the year 1986. David Robb, Jeremy Child, Tom Wilkinson and James Faulkner played the main 4 protagonist.
- On 20 January 1994, on Question Time he expressed that the age of consent of homosexuality should be changed from 21 to 18. He was also against the consent age limit of 16 for gay men.
- During a live Radio interview he made a statement that many young unemployed British people were unwilling to find work. He later apologized for his comment. At that time unemployment was at a record 3.4 million.
- He was alleged to be involved in an insider trading when he bought 50,000 shares in Anglia Television owned by his wife Mary Archer, on behalf of his friend Broosk Saib. When it was announced publicly that Anglia Television would be taken over by Meridian Broadcasting, he sold his shares for a profit of Pound 77,219.
- He was accused by another author Kathleen Burnett in 1988, of copying one of her story and publishing it in his story collection titled “A Twist in the Tale.”
- He met his wife Mary Archer during his time at Oxford University. She was studying chemistry and later specialized in solar power. They got married in July 1966.
- During a fundraiser drive for Oxfam he invited “The Beatles” to Brasenose College and took some photos with them. However the band did not perform at the college.
- He has two sons: William Archer and James Archer. William is a theatre producer and James is a financial advisor and businessman.
- He found himself in midst of a scandal in 1986 when an article in “The News of the World” stated that he paid Pound 2000 to a prostitute Monica Coghlan to go abroad. He resigned as deputy chairman of the party.
- The couple bought Old Vicarage, Grantchester in 1979, a house associated with poet Rupert Brooke. Every summer they celebrate their wedding anniversary by hosting a lavish party on the grounds of the house.
- He underwent a surgery to remove prostate cancer in December 2013 at the Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. His wife was also diagnosed with bladder cancer from which she has recovered fully.
- Due to the famous Aquablast affair he had to sell his luxurious 5 bedroom house in The Boltons and had to settle for a modest accommodation.
- The “Daily Star” openly stated that Archer had sex with prostitute Coghlan, resulting in a case won by him and was paid Pound 500,000 in damages.
- “Jeffrey Archer: The Truth” is a BBC drama in 2002 that maps the life of Archer’s rise and fall. The character is played by Damian Lewis.
- Scotland Yard began investigating in July 2001, into the disappearance of funds from Kurdish charity shortly after he was jailed. In 1992 the Kurdish groups claimed to have received a little more than Pound 250,000 when Archer had claimed to have raised Pound 57,042,000 in 1991.
