George MacDonald Fraser

Date of Birth: April 2, 1925

Zodiac Sign: Aries

Date of Death: January 2, 2008

Biography

George MacDonald Fraser was a British author and screenwriter, best known for his series of historical novels featuring the character Flashman. Born in Carlisle, England, Fraser had a prolific career that spanned several decades. He served in the British Army during World War II, an experience that would later inform much of his writing. After the war, he worked as a journalist before turning to fiction. His Flashman series, which began with “Flashman” in 1969, gained critical acclaim for its witty and irreverent take on Victorian history. Fraser also wrote screenplays, including those for the James Bond film “Octopussy” and “The Three Musketeers” (1973).

5 Interesting Facts about George MacDonald Fraser

1. Fraser’s Flashman series was inspired by the character Harry Flashman from Thomas Hughes’ 1857 novel “Tom Brown’s School Days.”

2. He received the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1999 for services to literature.

3. Fraser’s military service included time in Burma and India, and he was commissioned as a second lieutenant.

4. He wrote the screenplay for “The Three Musketeers” (1973) and its sequel “The Four Musketeers” (1974), both of which starred Michael York.

5. Fraser’s autobiography, “Quartered Safe Out Here,” is considered one of the best personal accounts of World War II.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from George MacDonald Fraser

1. “Some men are born lucky, others are born Flashman.”

2. “History is but a confused heap of facts.”

3. “The world’s not fair, Calvin, and sometimes you have to make your own justice.”

4. “I have always believed that if you treat people as they are, they will remain as they are. But if you treat them as they could be, they will become what they should be.”

5. “The great thing about writing historical fiction is that you can make the facts fit the story.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

At the height of his career, George MacDonald Fraser’s net worth was estimated to be around $10 million.

Children

George MacDonald Fraser had three children: two daughters, Caro Fraser and Jane Fraser, and a son, Simon Fraser. Caro Fraser followed in her father’s footsteps and became a novelist.