The Prince and Betty
 First edition (US) | |
| Author | P. G. Wodehouse |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Comic novel |
| Publisher | Watt (US) Mills & Boon (UK) |
Publication date | 14 February 1912 (US) 1 May 1912 (UK) |
| Publication place | United Kingdom |
| Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) |
The Prince and Betty is a novel by P. G. Wodehouse. It was originally published in Ainslee's Magazine in the United States in January 1912, and, in a slightly different form, as a serial in Strand Magazine in the United Kingdom between February and April 1912. It was published in book form, in the United Kingdom by Mills & Boon on 1 May 1912.[1] A substantially different version,[citation needed] which incorporated the plot of Psmith, Journalist, was published in the US by W.J. Watt & Company, New York on 14 February 1912.
Plot introduction
The story tells of how unscrupulous millionaire Benjamin Scobell decides to build a casino on the small Mediterranean island of Mervo, dragging in the unwitting heir to the throne to help. Little does he know that his stepdaughter Betty has history with the young man John Maude, and his schemes lead to a rift between the newly reunited pair.
Characters
- Benjamin Scobell, a wealthy and unscrupulous financier
- Betty Silver, Scobell's attractive stepdaughter
- John Maude, unwitting heir to a princedom, long admired by Betty
US novel version
The US novel version of The Prince and Betty combines the original story, transferred to a New York setting, with the plot of Psmith, Journalist, substantially rewritten to merge in the romance of John Maude (who becomes an American in this version) and Betty.
A silent, black-and-white film version was made in 1919; it featured Boris Karloff in what is described by the IMDB as an "undetermined role".
References
- ^ McIlvaine, E., Sherby, L.S. and Heineman, J.H. (1990) P.G. Wodehouse: A comprehensive bibliography and checklist. New York: James H. Heineman, p. 24. ISBN 087008125X
External links
- The Russian Wodehouse Society's page, with photos of book covers and a list of characters
- The Prince and Betty (1919) at IMDb
- The Prince and Betty (1919) at the AFI silent movie catalog
- American edition at Project Gutenberg
The Prince and Betty public domain audiobook at LibriVox
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