Douglas William Jerrold

Mrs. Caudle's Curtain Lectures (Dodo Press) Douglas William Jerrold

A title written by Douglas William Jerrold, who was an English dramatist and writer. In 1821 a comedy that he had written at the age of fourteen was brought out at Sadler's Wells theatre under the title More Frightened than Hurt. Other plays followed, and in 1825 he was employed for a few pounds weekly to produce dramas and farces to order for Davidge of the Coburg theatre. He continued to write sparkling comedies till 1854. Meanwhile he was writing for numerous periodicals, and gradually became a contributor to the Monthly Magazine, Blackwood's, the New Monthly, and the Athenaeum. Douglas Jerrold is now perhaps better known from his reputation as a brilliant wit in conversation than from his writings. As a dramatist he was very popular, though his plays have not seen the stage.