Roald Dahl English writer of Norwegian origin, author of novels, fairy tales and short stories, poet and screenwriter. Date of Birth: 13.09.1916 Country: Great Britain

Biography of Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl was an English writer of Norwegian descent, known for his novels, fairy tales, and short stories. He was also a poet and screenwriter. Dahl served in the Royal Air Force as a reconnaissance pilot and flying ace during World War II, and he was promoted to the rank of Squadron Leader. He gained fame in the 1940s with his works for both adults and children, becoming a popular author worldwide. His stories are renowned for their unexpected endings, many of which are included in the anthology 'Tales of the Unexpected'. While his children's books are sentimental in nature, Dahl wrote numerous horror stories for adult readers. Some of his most famous works include 'James and the Giant Peach', 'Matilda', 'The Witches', 'Fantastic Mr Fox', 'The BFG', and 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'. The latter was adapted into two films, 'Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory' in 1971 and with its original title in 2005.

Roald Dahl was born on September 13, 1916, in Llandaff, Cardiff, Wales, to Norwegian parents, Harald Dahl and Sofie Magdalene Hesselberg. He was named after the polar explorer Roald Amundsen, who was a national hero of Norway at the time. When Dahl was three years old, his seven-year-old sister Astri died from appendicitis, followed by the death of his 57-year-old father a few weeks later. He initially attended The Cathedral School in Llandaff and later transferred to a boarding school in England. In 1929, he became a student at Repton School in Derbyshire but ultimately decided not to attend university.

Dahl stood at an extraordinary height of 1.98 meters. He captained the school football team and also played squash and fives. During his time at Repton, the chocolate company 'Cadbury' sent several boxes of new chocolates to the school for the students to try. It is believed that Dahl used his dream of impressing 'Cadbury' with an invention of a new type of chocolate as inspiration for his third children's book, 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory', published in 1963. However, 'chocolate motifs' can be found in his other children's books as well.

After graduating from school, Dahl spent three weeks on expeditions through Newfoundland. In November 1939, he joined the Royal Air Force as an aircraftman. After driving 970 kilometers from Dar-es-Salaam to Nairobi, Dahl and 16 other pilots gained access to flight training. Only three of those pilots, including Dahl, survived the war. After being assigned to the 80th Squadron of the Royal Air Force, Dahl flew an outdated biplane called the 'Gloster Gladiator'. He was surprised to find that he received no training for aerial combat. In 1940, Dahl was unable to locate the airfield 48 kilometers south of Mersa Matruh, and as fuel ran out and night approached, he was forced to attempt a landing in the desert. The undercarriage of the aircraft hit a boulder, causing the plane to crash and Dahl to break his nose, damage his skull, and temporarily lose his vision. While Dahl survived, he was declared disabled by the Royal Air Force in August 1946 and later wrote about his crash.

Dahl's first children's book, 'The Gremlins', published in 1943, portrayed mischievous creatures that pilots in the RAF blamed for any problems with their airplanes. This book was later adapted into a popular film in 1984 by Joe Dante. Dahl married American actress Patricia Neal on July 2, 1953. Their marriage lasted for 30 years and they had five children together: Olivia, Tessa, Theo, Ophelia, and Lucy.

When their four-month-old son Theo was struck by a New York taxi in December 1960, he developed hydrocephalus, leading Dahl to participate in the development of the WDT valve, a device that alleviates painful conditions. In November 1962, Olivia died from measles encephalitis, prompting Dahl to become an advocate for immunization. He dedicated his book 'The BFG' to his late daughter in 1982. In 1965, Patricia Neal suffered from a brain aneurysm during her pregnancy with their fifth child, Lucy. Dahl took control of his wife's rehabilitation and helped her regain the ability to walk and speak, reviving her acting career. However, Neal and Dahl eventually divorced, and in 1983, the writer married Felicity 'Liccy' Crosland.

Roald Dahl passed away from a hematological disorder (MDS) on November 23, 1990, at the age of 74. September 13 is celebrated as 'Roald Dahl Day' in Africa, the United Kingdom, and Latin America.