Laurie York Erskine

Renfrew of the Mounted Laurie York Erskine

Little did Laurie York Erskine know back in 1921, when he created Renfrew of the Mounted, a dramatic series depicting a fictional Canadian Mountie, that the franchise would inspire imitation. The cry known as the Renfrew call - which children all over America imitated heard daily on the long-running radio program - echoed through city streets and alleys. The creation of Laurie York Erskine was first published in short story form in 1921, followed by the first of ten novels in 1922, making a transition to radio in 1936, followed by a series of motion-pictures one year later. By 1938, numerous motion-picture producers disregarded their present-day cowboy westerns to try their hand at producing Canadian Mountie adventures. Few are aware that the Renfrew novels were written and published partly out of necessity; Erskine donated the profits from his handiwork to the funding of a private boys' school. The school needed what money Erskine could raise so he doubled both as a teacher by day and author by night. Yet, the popularity of Canadian Mountie motion-pictures and radio programs waned by the time America entered the war. Erskine, a veteran of World War I, departed for Hawaii to aid the war cause and educate new flyers in the skill of aerial combat. Upon his return he discovered that the radio networks had little interest in reviving the Canadian Mountie program. Erskine would spend his remaining years teaching at Solebury School and trying to make ends meet. This book documents the entire history of Renfrew of the Mounted, including the short stories, novels, eight motion-pictures, 1950s television pilot, and an episode guide from the long running radio program. Also included are never-before-published photographs and reprints of the unpublished Renfrew of the Mounted newspaper strip.