George Orwell

Writer · Cast · Director

Born

June 25, 1903 · Motihari, Bengal Presidency, British India

Died

January 21, 1950

Birth name

Eric Arthur Blair

Born the son of an Opium Agent in Bengal, Eric Blair was educated in England (Eton 1921). He joined the British Imperial Police in Burma, serving until 1927. He then travelled around England and Europe, doing various odd jobs to support his writing. By 1935 he had adopted the pen name of 'George Orwell' and had written his first novels. He married in 1936, and in 1937 he and his wife fought against the Fascists in the Spanish Civil War. He produced some 3000 pages of essays and newspaper articles as well as several books and programs for the BBC.