Pierre Boulle

PIERRE BOULLE d1994. French novelist best known for two works ; The Bridge over the River Kwai (1952) and Planet of the Apes (1963) that were both made into award-winning films. He was an engineer serving as a secret agent with the Free French in Singapore, when he was captured and subjected to two years' forced labour. He used these experiences in The Bridge over the River Kwai (about the notorious Death Railway) which became an international bestseller. The film "The Bridge on the River Kwai" by David Lean won seven Oscars and he was credited with writing the screenplay. He died in Paris aged 81 on January 30th 1994