Gordon Thomas | |
|---|---|
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| Born | (1933-02-21)21 February 1933 Wales, United Kingdom |
| Died | 3 March 2017(2017-03-03) (aged 84) Bath, Somerset, England, UK |
| Education | Bedford Modern School |
| Occupation(s) | Investigative journalist, author |
| Known for | Topics related to theCIA |
| Spouse | Annie Nightingale (divorced) |
| Children | 5 |
| Relatives | Dylan Thomas (cousin) |
Gordon Thomas (21 February 1933 – 3 March 2017) was a British investigative journalist and author, notably on topics ofsecret intelligence.[1][2] Thomas was the author of 53 books published worldwide[3] includingThe Pope's Jews,[4]Secret Wars,[5] andGideon's Spies,[6] with sales exceeding 45 million copies. Thomas got thescoop on thenationalisation of theSuez Canal for theDaily Express in 1956.[7] He was a cousin of the poetDylan Thomas.[7]
Thomas was born in Wales, in a cemetery keeper's cottage where his grandmother lived.[7] He had his first story published at nine years old in aBoy's Own Paper competition.[7] With his father in theRAF, he travelled widely and was educated at theCairo High School, the Marist Brothers (inPort Elizabeth, South Africa) and, lastly, atBedford Modern School.[7] His first book, completed at the age of seventeen, is the story of a British spy in Russia during theSecond World War, titledDescent Into Danger.[7] He refused the offer of a job at a university in order to accompany a travelling fair for a year: he used those experiences for his novel,Bed of Nails.[7] Since then his books have been published worldwide.[8] He has been aforeign correspondent beginning with theSuez Crisis and ending with the firstGulf War. He was a BBC writer/producer for three flagshipBBC programmes:Man Alive,Tomorrow's World andHorizon.[7]
He was a regular contributor to the Japanese news magazineFacta and he lectured widely on the secret world of intelligence. He also provided expert analysis on intelligence for US and European television and radio programmes.[9]
In 1998 he wrote and narrated a major documentary forChannel 4:The Spy Machine. It followed three years of research during which he was given access toMossad's main personnel. The documentary was co-produced byOpen Media and Israfilm.[10] Two years later Thomas wroteGideon's Spies: Mossad's Secret Warriors. As Thomas's "Notes on Sources" afterword toGideon's Spies makes clear, the research for the film provided him with some, but not all, of the sources and material he used when writing his later book independently of Channel 4 and the film-makers.[11]Gideon's Spies has so far been published in 16 languages. Sources for the book includedAri Ben-Menashe, a former Israeli intelligence agent, and Israeli spyRafi Eitan. According toCharles Foster inContemporary Review: "Writers who know their place are few and far between: fortunately Mr Thomas is one of them. By keeping to his place as a tremendous storyteller without a preacher's pretensions, he has put his book amongst the important chronicles of thestate of Israel."[12]
His 1974 bookVoyage of the Damned[13] was adapted for the 1976 film starringFaye Dunaway which won fiveAcademy Award nominations. In 2020, playwrightTom Stoppard adapted forBBC Radio 4Daniel Kehlmann's play based on the same book.[14]
His last book wasShadow Warriors: Daring Missions of World War II by Women of the OSS and SOE (written with Greg Lewis]).
He died on 3 March 2017 at the age of 84 at theRoyal United Hospital, Bath, Somerset, England.[15]
Thomas was a cousin of the poetDylan Thomas who helped him publish his first book.[7] He was once married to broadcasterAnnie Nightingale. He divided his time between his homes in Ireland and England, with his wife, aninterior designer.[7] His five children work in various parts of the entertainment industry.[7][16]
Thomas's works have appeared in:
