Occupation novelist Role Novelist Nationality American Died November 13, 1957 | Ethnicity Dutch/English Spouse Albert Marshall Name Rosamond Marshall Movies Kitty | |
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Notable works Kitty (1943), The Bixby Girls (1957) Books Duchess Hotspur, The General's Wench, The Dollmaster Similar People Michael Anderson, Mitchell Leisen, Karl Tunberg, Hans Dreier | ||
Rosamond Marshall was a 20th-century American novelist. She wrote historical romances for adult and youth readers during the 1940s and 50's, and two of her novels, Kitty and The Bixby Girls, were made into motion pictures.
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Early life
Marshall was born Rosamond van der Zee on October 17, 1902 (or, possibly 1893), the daughter of Charles and Florence (née Tappan Botsford).
Career
Her first published novel in English, None But the Brave, A Story of Holland (1942), for young people, won the New York Herald Tribune Spring Book Award.citation required
The novel is set during the Netherlands' revolt against Spain in the 16th century. The story centers around a young girl, Nele van Doon, of Leyden, Holland, who falls in love with John of Texel, one of the leaders of the revolt against the Spanish rule of the Netherlands. She becomes one of a company of patriots known as the Beggars, and endures with her people during a siege of Leyden, when starvation and plague take their toll. Nele herself plays a part in the breaking of that siege when Prince William cannot come to the aid of the city, by skating many miles to reach the Zee-land Fleet, where John of Texel is in service, to bring help to Leyden. The Dutch are victorious in the battle that follows; the town holds a feast of triumph, and John of Texel, recalling the old prophecy: "When the North shall kiss the South, war will cease and the Seven be free," asks the hand of Nele in marriage. The book is illustrated with several pen and ink drawings by Gregor Duncan.
Rosamond Marshall's novels for young people were overshadowed by the success of her historical romances for adults. The first of these, Kitty, set the pattern for a continuing series of novels which had sales (in paper-back reprints) ranging from a million and a half to three million by 1942.citation required
Two of Rosamond's novels were made into motion pictures. The 1945 film Kitty was based on her novel by the same name. The 1960 movie All the Fine Young Cannibals was based on her book The Bixby Girls.
Personal life
While in Italy she met and married an Italian, and lived for a time in Rome. For several years she traveled Europe. After a divorce from her first husband, she married Albert Earl Marshall of New York City, USA.
Death
In later life Rosamond divided her time between Southern California and her Vancouver Island, Canada farm. She died November 13, 1957.