So, make yourself comfortable, we start our journey into the past.
Philip Chambers, mysterious person, who, according to rumors, went to the USA and died there. Is it so?
Rumors about Philip in USA began with the following commentary:
http://pulpetti.blogspot.com/2014/05/ph ... blake.html
Unknown wrote:
I knew Philip Chambers during the time I worked at Fleetway as SBL editor Howard Baker's assistant. My understanding was that he came from northern England and was able with help from a well-placed family to live with his young wife in a service flat in upmarket St John's Wood.
Philip's main ambition appeared to be writing for TV and urging others to do the same! I still have carbon copies of some of the scripts he wrote (e.g. for The Avengers) plus other material produced by and for organizations like the Screen Writers' Guild.
Unfortunately, I believe Philip Chambers had something of a drug habit, using the then popular "purple hearts" (barbiturates). In 2004, Steve Holland told me: "What became of Philip Chambers? Dick Sharples (the TV writer) used to know him and told me that Chambers sold some scripts via his Sharples-Kelsey agency in the late-1950s (Interpol Calling). He then went on to Blake and after Blake finished did a couple of Avengers script (1963-64) as you mention.
"As well as his drug habits, he was also diabetic and occasionally schizophrenic and turned into something of a manic depressive. He was using lots of tranquilisers to combat his depression. He separated from his wife and went to the USA in the late 1980s where he committed suicide around 1987 via an overdose of insulin.
"Sharples also says that any claims that he was trained for Military Intelligence and engaged in official security work (something he told Bill Lofts) have to be taken with a pinch of salt."
Phil had spent some time in Cyprus (his National Service perhaps), and his first book, Bullets to Baghdad, was considered his best.
Well, there is a lot of truth here and let's go over biographical information.
Birthname: John Philip Chambers.
Born: 12 September 1936 in England, UK (most likely in Halifax, Yorkshire).
Philip educated at Stonyhurst College and trained at the School of Military Intelligence. Engaged on official Security work for a time. From the side of television scripts, he wrote film scripts. He was one of the writers who revised stories for the Richard Williams pen-name.
Died on 13 March 1987 in England, UK.
Cause of death? Oh:
Philip who killed himself by an insulin overdose on Friday March 13, 1987, left a suicide note: “Dear Coroner I am going to kill myself. Your verdict should be suicide I hope this will save everyone’s time. Kindest regards Philip Chambers”
(Philip addressed the Westminster coroner Dr Paul Knapman)
Alas, the story ends on this sad note.
But I wish not to hang your nose, since the current times present us with so much negativity around the situation in the world.
Christmas is coming!!!
