About Betty Mabel Lilian Williams
Lived 1919 – 1974 (aged 55). Betty Mabel Lilian Williams was a British screenwriter and journalist.
Betty Mabel Lilian Uelmen (née Williams; 11 January 1919 – 6 September 1974) was a British journalist, screenwriter, and pulp fiction writer who used the pen names Dail Ambler and Danny Spade. She was also known professionally as both Betty Williams and Betty Uelmen.
Life She was born in Aldershot in Hampshire and worked as a Fleet Street journalist and correspondent before settling on a career in fiction writing. By 1950, she was publishing at least one novel a month under the Danny Spade name for pulp paperback publisher Scion Ltd; she later wrote for Milestone Publications. Her writing style and content were somewhat influenced by Mickey Spillane. After the boom in pulp fiction in the United Kingdom ended in the mid-1950s, she turned to screenwriting under the Dail Ambler name. She later lapsed into semi-retirement in Surrey, where she died at the age of 55.
She is buried under the name Dail Ambler in North Watford Cemetery in Watford, Hertfordshire.
Selected work Books The Dame Plays Rough (1950) by Danny Spade Waterfront Rat (1951) by Danny Spade Calling Mr. Spade (1952) by Danny Spade The Lady Says When (1952) by Dail Ambler Honey, You Slay Me (1953) by Danny Spade White Curves and Black Coffee (1953) by Danny Spade The Virgin Collector (1971) by Dail Ambler Three Men for the Job (1975) by Dail Ambler (posthumous)
The Pillars of Midnight (1958) Murder in Slow Motion (1958) one episode for Harpers West One (1961)
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Betty Mabel Lilian Williams's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Betty Mabel Lilian Williams's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Betty Mabel Lilian Williams?
British screenwriter (1919-1974)
When was Betty Mabel Lilian Williams born?
Betty Mabel Lilian Williams was born on 11 January 1919 in Aldershot.
When did Betty Mabel Lilian Williams die?
Betty Mabel Lilian Williams died on 6 September 1974 in Watford.
What was Betty Mabel Lilian Williams's occupation?
Betty Mabel Lilian Williams was a screenwriter and journalist.
What nationality was Betty Mabel Lilian Williams?
Betty Mabel Lilian Williams was British.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Betty Mabel Lilian Williams
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Betty Mabel Lilian Williams. https://biography.guide/betty-mabel-lilian-williams/
MLA: "Betty Mabel Lilian Williams." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/betty-mabel-lilian-williams/.
Chicago: "Betty Mabel Lilian Williams." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/betty-mabel-lilian-williams/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:02 UTC