Gerald Westerby
The Honourable Clive Gerald Westerby,[1][2] or Jerry Westerby, is a fictional character created by spy novelist John le Carré. He first appeared in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1974), and is the titular figure in The Honourable Schoolboy (1977).
Son of ennobled newspaper magnate Samuel ("Sambo") Westerby, who died leaving little wealth,[3][4] Westerby, a former cricketer and international sports journalist, is an "occasional" asset of British intelligence ("the Circus"). He was initially recruited by George Smiley, for whom he holds great respect. In Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, he is approached by Smiley regarding information concerning the betrayal of Jim Prideaux on an assignment in Czechoslovakia. In The Honourable Schoolboy, Westerby is recalled from his semi-retirement in Italy and despatched to Hong Kong, in an effort to flush out a deep-cover Soviet spy in China.
Portrayals
[edit]Westerby was played by Joss Ackland in the 1979 television adaptation of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.[5] Played by Stephen Graham in the 2011 film adaptation, his role in the plot was amalgamated with that of Sam Collins from the novel.[6]
Hugh Bonneville played the role of Westerby in the BBC Radio 4 dramatisation of the John le Carré novel The Honourable Schoolboy, first broadcast in January 2010.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ John Le Carre and the Cold War, Toby Manning, Bloomsbury, 2018, p. 141
- ^ Corridors of Deceit: The World of John le Carré, Peter Wolfe, Bowling Green State University Popular Press, 1987, p. 225
- ^ Understanding John Le Carré, John L. Cobbs, p. 130
- ^ “No-Men in this No-Man’s Land”: British State, Nation and Political Enemy in John le Carre’s 1960s and 1970s Cold-War Novels, Toby Manning, 2015, p. 185
- ^ https://www.imdb.com/character/ch0113470/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t18 Archived 2016-10-08 at the Wayback Machine [user-generated source]
- ^ https://www.imdb.com/character/ch0113470/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t14 Archived 2016-10-08 at the Wayback Machine [user-generated source]
- ^ "The Complete Smiley - The Karla Trilogy, Book 2: The Honourable Schoolboy". BBC. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
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