COLIN DEXTER on Morse and other Things, by Nicholas Newman, www.oxfordprospect.co.uk http://oxfordprospect.wordpress.com/
THE many television series, based on Colin Dexter?s books have made both Oxford and his heroes, Inspector Morse and Lewis, household names throughout Europe. As you would expect from such a popular writer, he has been given many honours and awards including the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace for his services to literature.
I met Colin Dexter, now 77, one of Europe?s top crime writers, over brunch in the garden of his North Oxford family home. What impressed, as we sat in the warm sunlight, was how modest Colin was about his great literary achievements. I felt I was talking to a neighbour, not a giant of European crime fiction, who has turned Oxford into a European fictional murder capital. (Photo: Colin Dexter seated in his garden September 2007)
About the Inspector Morse and Lewis Television Series
Both the books and the television series are centred on two policemen who investigate crime both in the colleges of Oxford University and in the city itself. For the potential tourist, watching the series is often a good way to enjoy Oxford?s fine architecture, and listen to well chosen classical music. The storyline has a disdain for deductive reasoning as exemplified by Conan Doyle?s Sherlock Holmes stories, and tends to focus on the human condition, making one feel it is an attempt by a modern Jane Austin to write crime fiction.
For an Oxford insider, the overarching storyline of the series is the historic rivalry between Oxford?s old university and the city. The police in the stories are treated as unwelcome guests, who are barely tolerated by the fictional characters that represent the University of Oxford. Many locals find it strange that despite the episodes being set in the present day, no mention is ever made of Oxford?s other university, which is Oxford Brookes University.
As part of the deal that Colin Dexter struck with ITV, which produced the television episodes, on the advice of Macmillan his publisher, Colin did not sell his film rights, and as copyright holder, Dexter said, ?I have always retained final approval of all productions.? In recent years, Colin with the new Inspector Lewis productions, decided to change his role, and he now acts more as a story consultant than an author. In fact, as we talked, he got the latest script out to show me, and it was full of his comments and suggestions!
?One of my saddest times,? Colin remarked, was talking on the phone to John Thaw, who played Inspector Morse, just days before John died of cancer. Colin Dexter recalls John saying, ?I could never understand why I was such thought of as a good actor ? all I ever did was remember my lines.?
Writing Inspector Morse and Lewis:
Colin revealed, ?When I started writing the Inspector Morse stories, I did not think of Morse as a complete character; he evolved as I wrote, like me he is diabetic, an atheist, and a lover of music and art.? Unlike Superman characters, Colin has made Morse human, a bit selfish and a snob, though unlike Dexter. Though, he quite frequently falls in love with the ladies, more often than not the crook.. The new Lewis series, have done well, and Lewis has made the transition from Morse?s assistant to the leading character,
?Fans and aspiring writers ask me about my police research; in fact I learnt most of it from reading the works of my fellow crime writers, Though the local, Thames Valley Police, have been very helpful, when asked,? Colin notes.
Lost in Translations:
Colin?s books and television episodes have been translated into at least 22 languages. Though Colin has a working knowledge of French and German, because of his deafness, he finds it difficult to communicate in these languages.
ABOUT HIMSELF ? WRITING BOOKS
Like many a writer, Colin Dexter success with his first novels were not sufficiently rewarding financially to enable him to devote the rest of his life to writing, so he stayed in his full time job, as a Manager in University of Oxford?s Exams Department. What is most impressive is Colin?s ability to write a few pages in his spare time, unlike other writers, who need a special room, word targets and times in order to get just a few pages completed each day. Colin would write if he had time in the evening or on holiday, when he would lock himself in a room for a couple of hours and tell his wife Dorothy and two children not to disturb him. Now since his retirement in 1988, old habits still remain hard to break.
Unlike Conan Doyle, whose first novels were not a success, for Colin Dexter?s first novel, he laughs, ?The Gods smiled on me! I was lucky; I was in the right place in the right time?. After Colin had completed his first Morse novel in 1973, the script was submitted to two publishers. The first turned him down, but the second, Macmillan Publishing, agreed to publish the book, without any alterations!
?When I write, I like writing is a good old fashioned middle class crime mystery, I seek to entertain,? Colin observed. In fact Colin Dexter is not interested in the trend amongst many murder mystery writers like I.M. Banks who try to depress the reader with some sort of sociological commentary. Colin said, ?One of my favourite historical detective fiction writers is C.J.Sansom.?
Colin says ?I only ever review books that I like!? Unlike other critics, as Colin observed, ?the trouble sometimes is that they will reveal too much of the plot, so you can guess who?s done it without bothering to read the book.?
HIS OTHER LIFE
Colin is a Cambridge University classics graduate, born in 1930 in the English East Midlands. His father was a taxi driver and Colin studied Classics at Cambridge. In 1948; he was conscripted for National Service in the Royal Corps of Signals, and stationed near Hamburg, monitoring Russian Military Morse transmissions from inside Eastern Germany. After that, he taught classics (Latin and Greek) in schools in the English East Midlands for 12 years until he was forced into early retirement because of the onset of severe deafness. Colin said, ?I am sorry I had to retire from the classroom, I loved teaching!? After teaching Colin moved to Oxford in 1966, where he worked for Oxford University, until he retired in 1988.
European Matters
?I think we in Britain have a lot to learn from Europe, from everything to getting our public transport right to handling our litter problem.? Colin remarks. He reads much 19th century German literature; his favourite opera is Wagner?s Die Walkure.
Colin has read a wide variety of European crime fiction, not only English writers, but authors from Sweden, Germany and France. Currently he has been reading and reviewing the latest Hakan Nesser novel ?Borkmann’s Point? which features Chief Inspector Van Veeteren.
As for the big political topics that face Europe, the new European Treaty and Europe?s participation in Afghanistan. ?I support the Treaty, but we have made some dreadful mistakes in the war against terror,? Colin commented.
Future Works:
Expect to see the next new Inspector Lewis television series now in production on your screens early next spring, either in English or dubbed into your home language.
As for Colin, he still writes the occasional short story for magazines and does some reviewing. He is in popular demand by his fans at literary festivals, charitable occasions and public events. Colin Said laughingly, ?My wife tells me off for going out so much!?
OBE and Other Awards
Though he was awarded OBE in 2000 his favorite award is that of Freedom of the City Oxford.? He commented. ?It means, in theory, I have the freedom to herd and graze my sheep anywhere in Oxford, is if I had any!?
For Further information:
Inspector Morse Television series
http://www.itv.com/Drama/copsandcrime/morseweekend/default.html
Inspector Lewis Television series http://www.itv.com/Drama/copsandcrime/Lewis/default.html
Colin Dexter?s and Hakan Nesser Publisher – Macmillan http://www.panmacmillan.com/default.asp
Thames Valley Police http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/
Oxford University http://www.ox.ac.uk/
C.J.Sansom http://www.panmacmillan.com/authors%20illustrators/displayPage.asp?pageTitle=Other%20Titles&ContributorID=69873&ContributorName=C.%20J.%20Sansom
www.oxfordprospect.co.uk http://oxfordprospect.wordpress.com/