Leslie  Chateris - Writer

Leslie Charles Bowyer-Yin was born in Singapore on May 12 1907. His father was Chinese and his mother English. Chateris’ early life in Singapore and exposure to a mix of cultures and languages would later inform his writing. He moved to the UK to study King's College Cambridge though ended up leaving to pursue a writing career.

The character ‘Simon Templar’ who was also known as ‘The Saint’ was Chateris’ most popular character.

Simon Templar first appeared in Chateris’ 1928 novel Meet the Tiger. ‘The Saint’ was the main character, he was a sophisticated figure - a symbol of justice, though took liberties and operated outside the law. The character was so popular that the franchise expanded to a series of novels, over 100 radio dramas, comics and television adaptations. The actor Roger Moore’s portrayal of Simon Templar in the 1960s TV series elevated the character bringing it to a global audience. Chateris didn’t write all of The Saint episodes, there were a number of writers who wrote for the franchise.

Chateris holding a copy of his book

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