Edward F. Murphy

Edward Francis Murphy, SSJ (July 21, 1892 – August 2, 1967) was an American playwright, novelist, educator, and Catholic priest known for creating the "first Catholic best-seller", the novel The Scarlet Lily. He was also a close friend of Sinclair Lewis and introduced him to the Black community, inspiring his novel Kingsblood Royal. He was a member of the Josephites.

Biography Murphy was born July 2, 1892 in Salem, Massachusetts. His family was Irish Catholic, he grew up on Derby Street, and attended St Mary's parish and school. They would stage an adaptation starring Sinclair Lewis as a priest himself, who became a lifelong friend to Murphy (and received inroads from him to the Black community, inspiring his novel Kingsblood Royal). Selznick planned to have Ingrid Bergman star as the Magdalene, but the project eventually fell through.

Death Murphy died August 2, 1967.

Works

The Tenth Man (1937) The Scarlet Lily (1944) Mademoiselle Lavalliere (1948) Yankee Priest (1952)