Fry, Christopher (1907-2005), was an English playwright. Fry wrote primarily in verse, trying to re-create the beauty and eloquence of Elizabethan drama. Fry achieved his greatest popularity during the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. However, his attempt to revive drama in verse never became a trend.
Fry’s most popular plays were the witty verse comedies The Lady’s Not for Burning (1948), his best-known play; A Phoenix Too Frequent (1946); and Venus Observed (1950). He also made adaptations of modern French plays. The Lark (1955), based on a drama by Jean Anouilh, deals with the life of Joan of Arc. Tiger at the Gates (1955), adapted from a drama by Jean Giraudoux, is an antiwar play set during the Trojan War. Fry wrote religious dramas such as The Boy with a Cart (1938) and The Firstborn (1948). He also wrote screenplays for films, including Ben-Hur (1959) and The Bible (1966). Fry was born on Dec. 18, 1907, in Bristol. His real name was Christopher Harris. He died on June 30, 2005.
