On January 3rd 1888 O H Mavor, known as James Bridie, the physician and prolific playwright, was born.
Born in Glasgow,Osborne Henry Mavor, He took his pen-name from his paternal grandfather’s first name and his grandmother’s maiden name, Mavor studied medicine at the University and graduated in 1913. He threw himself into the social life of Gilmorehill, notably as a contributor to Glasgow University Magazine and as a member of the University Union. Mavor was the man who started the “Daft Friday” event at the university which is still a traditional part of the University Union and features a night of entertainment from performers, some of whom went on to make their name in the entertainment industry, like Billy Connolly and Gerry Rafferty, who, as The Humblebums appeared in 1968.
Bridie served in the First World War in the Royal Army Medical Corps and his later career included spells as a general practitioner, a consulting physician at the Victoria Infirmary and Professor of Medicine at the Anderson College of Medicine, before his increasing success as a dramatist led to his embracing that career full-time.. He was one of the leading British playwrights of his generation, the founder of the Citizens’ Theatre, Glasgow, in 1943, and the first chairman of the Scottish Committee of the Council for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts established in 1942, (subsequently the Scottish Committee of the Arts Council of Great Britain). He was instrumental in the establishment of the College of Dramatic Art in 1950, now part of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow.
Mavor wrote over 40 plays in his lifetime. His first play, ‘The Sunlight Sonata’, presented by the Scottish National Players, directed by Tyrone Guthrie in 1928, followed by The Switchback, and What It Is To Be Young . The Anatomist, produced in 1930, and based on the lives of nineteenth century vivisectionist Dr Robert Knox, and the murderers Burke and Hare, was his first major success. The Anatomist was made into a Movie twice, first by Hammer in 1956 and then a TV Movie in 1980 with Patrick Stewart in the role of Knox.
This success continued throughout the 1930s and 40s with, amongst others, Jonah and the Whale, Mary Read’with Flora Robson and Robert Donat,Susannah and the Elders, The King of Nowhere with Laurence Olivier, Mr Bolfry’ with Alastair Sim again, and many others.
In 1939 he was awarded an honorary LL.D from Glasgow University, and received his CBE in 1946.
James Bridie died in Edinburgh in 1951 of a stroke and is buried in Glasgow Western Necropolis.
In 1955 Glasgow University Union purchased a bronze head of Mavor/Bridie by Benno Schotz. The Bridie Dinner, introduced that year, became a feature of Daft Friday at the Union. His Grandaughter is the Scottish actress and model Freya Mavor.
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