The John Clifford Mortimer papers contain the literary manuscripts (holographs, revised typescripts, and revised typescripts with holograph additions) of his novels, stage and radio plays, scripts for television and screen, short stories, autobiographies, anthologies, articles, reviews, lectures and other writings. Please see the container list in the finding aid for a complete listing of manuscripts in collection. The collection contains only a small amount of correspondence, usually from Sir John Mortimer's commission agent, with the piece commissioned.

John Clifford Mortimer was born on April 21, 1923 in London, England, the only child of Clifford and Kathleen May (Smith) Mortimer. He attended Brasenose College, Oxford from 1940 to 1942, earning a BA in 1947. During World War II, Mortimer served as a script writer and assistant director for the Crown Film Units. The son of a barrister, Mortimer was called to the bar in London in 1948, coinciding with the publication of his first novel, Charade.

Number of containers: 46 boxes

Linear feet: 18.4

Copyright has not been assigned to The Bancroft Library. All requests for permission to publish or reproduce must be submitted in writing to the Head of Public Services, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-6000. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Bancroft Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.

Collection open for research.