Scottish novelist,an accomplished storyteller,who practised as a doctor over a decade before devoting himself entirely to writing. Cronin gained his fame initially with Hatter's Castle （1931），the story of the megalomanic James Brodie,a Scottish hatmaker and his foolish dreams of social acceptance. Cronin produced several bestsellers drawing from his experiences as a doctor - his most famous character was Dr Finlay Hyslop. Some of his works had religious themes,like The Keys of the Kingdom （1942），which was also made into a film,starring Gregory Peck. Cronin continued to write until he was in his eightieth year.

Archibald Joseph Cronin was born in Cardross,Strathclyde,the only child of Jessie (Montgomerie) Cronin and Patrick Cronin. His childhood was shadowed by the death of his father and poverty; his mother tried to struggle forward alone. After two years she returned to her parents' home. Cronin was sent to Dumbarton Academy at his uncle's expense. In 1914 he entered the Glasgow University Medical School,graduating in 1919. During World War I Cronin served as a surgeon in the Royal Navy.

After the war he worked as a ship's surgeon on a liner bound for India,and then served in various hospitals. After marrying his early love,Agnes Mary Gibson,whom he had met at Glasgow University,Cronin left Scotland. He moved with his wife,who was also a doctor,to Tregenny,a small mining town in South Wales,and then to Tredegar,where they spent three years,and where their first child was born. After being appointed Medical Inspector of Mines in 1924,he started to investigate occupational diseases in the coal industry. These experiences formed the basis of the novels The Stars Look Down （1935） and The Citadel （1937），which made Cronin famous in the United States,and inspired the director King Vidor's film version of the book. Robert Donat was nominated for an Oscar for his performance in the film.

In 1925 Cronin was awarded his M.D. by the University of Glasgow and subsequently he started to practise in Wales and in London. Cronin's heath broke down in 1930 and he sold his practice. Whilst convalescing in the West Highlands of Scotland,he started to write his first novel,Hatter's Castle. He once threw the manuscript away,believing it would not be good. After being encouraged by a local farmer,digging a ditch which his father had dug without finishing the work,Cronin completed his own effort.

In 1939 Cronin moved to the United States with his family. He wrote The Keys of the Kingdom,a story of a Roman Catholic priest,Father Francis Chisholm,who spends years as a missionary in China. Father Chisholm becomes familiar with the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius,adopts a simple way of life,and advocates ecumenical cooperation between all Christians. His tolerance is viewed with suspicion within the institutional Church by his superiors. David O. Selznick had bought the screen rights to the novel in 1941 for $100,000,but he did not want to do the film with Gregory Peck. However,Darryl F. Zanuck,production chief at 20th Century-Fox,was convinced that Peck was right for the Father Chisholm role. Nunnally Johnson had written earlier the screenplay and it was revised by Joseph L. Mankiewicz. The film was shot entirely on the Fox studio lot,but with its $3 million budget it was one of the most expensive pictures of the year.

Although English books were forbidden in Germany during World War Ⅱ，Cronin's works dealing with mining communities were in 1943 on display in Dresden's bookstores for propaganda reasons. After the war Cronin travelled with his family in Europe. In the autobiographical book ADVENTURES IN TWO WORLD （1952） Cronin returned to his experiences as a doctor in Scotland and South Wales,and examined his religious beliefs in the last chapters. Cronin tells how he rediscovered his Catholic background in the 1930s. His father had been Catholic and his mother was from a strongly Protestant family. At school Cronin grew away from religion - he had been teased because of his Catholic faith,and he started to feel disgust for bigotry. Cronin's own dream was brotherhood between people and ecumenical understanding between different churches,not tearing rivalry. This spirit of conciliation marked all his books dealing with questions of faith.

By 1958 the sales of Cronin's novels amounted to seven million in the United States. Cronin's humanism and social realism also made him popular in the Soviet Union. Many of Cronin's books were adapted for films or television programs. The television series Dr Finlay's Casebook （1959-66,new adaptation 1993） was based on his stories. In the 1960s it was one of the most popular series on British television. For the last 35 years of his life Cronin lived in Switzerland. He died on January 9,1981,in Montreux,Switzerland.

For further reading: World Authors 1900-1950,ed. by Martin Seymour-Smith and Andrew C. Kimmens （1996）； A.J. Cronin by D. Salwalk （1985）； A.J. Cronin: A Reference Guide by D. Salwalk （1984）； Adventures in Two Worlds by A.J. Cronin （1952）； Catholic Authors,ed. by M. Hoehn （1947） - Other medical doctors as writers: Anton Chekhov,Frank G. Slaughter,Lloyd C. Douglas,Richard Gordon,Michael Crichton,James Herriot (veterinarian) - Other films based on Cronin's stories (not listed below): Once to Every Woman （1934），dir. by Lambert Hillyer,starring Walter Connolly,Ralph Bellamy,Fay Wray - See also: A.J. Cronin

Selected works:

HATTER'S CASTLE,1931 - Hattukauppias ja hänen linnansa - film 1941,dir. by Lance Comfort,starring Deborah Kerr and James Mason

THREE LOVES,1932 - Kolme rakkautta

GRAND CANARY,1933 - Joutsenten talo - film 1934,dir. by Irving Cummings,starring Warner Baxter,H.B. Warner,Madge Evans

THE CITADEL,1937 - Sisärengas - film 1938. dir. by King Vidor,starring Robert Donat,Rosalind Russell,Ralph Richardson. - Remade in Britain as a TV miniseries.

LADY WITH CARNATIONS,1939 - Neilikkanainen

JUPITER LAUGHS,1940 (play) - film Shining Victory （1941），dir. by Irving Rapper,starring James Stephenson,Geraldine Fitzgerald,Donald Crisp

THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM,1942 - Taivasten valtakunnan avaimet - film 1944,dir. by John M. Stahl,written Joseph L. Mankiewicz and Nunnally Johnson,starring Gregory Peck,Thomas Mitchell,Vincent Price,Rose Stradner

THE GREEN YEARS,1944 - Vihreät vuodet - film 1946,dir. by Victor Saville,starring Charles Coburn,Dean Stockwell,Tom Drake

THE ADVENTURES OF A BLACK BAG,1946 - Lääkärinlaukku

SHANNON'S WAY,1948 - Lääkärin tie

THE SPANISH GARDENER,1950 - Espanjalainen puutarhuri - film 1956,dir. by Philip Leacock,starring Dirk Bogarde,Sir Michael Hordern,Jon Whiteley,Cyril Cusack

ADVENTURES IN TWO WORLD,1952 - Kahdessa maailmassa

BEYOND THIS PLACE,1953 - Sokea jumalatar - film 1959 (also known as Web of Evidence),dir. by Jack Cardiff,starring Van Johnson,Vera Miles,Barnard Lee

CRUSADER'S TOMB,1956 - Ristiretkeläisen hauta

A THING OF BEAUTY,1956

THE NORTHERN LIGHT,1958 - Päätoimittaja

THE NATⅣE DOCTOR / AN APPLE IN EDEN,1959 - Tohtori Murrayn tehtävä

THE JUDAS TREE,1961 - Juudaan puu

THE INNKEEPER'S WIFE,1962

A SONG OF SⅨPENCE,1964 - Viiden pennin balladi

A QUESTION OF MODERNITY,1966

A POCKETFUL OF RYE,1969 - Kierto päättyy,tohtori Carroll

ENCHANTED SNOW,1971 - Lumitarina

THE MINSTREL BOY,1975 - Laulajapapin tie

DESMONDE,1975

GRACIE LINDSAY,1978

SHORT STORIES FROM DR FINLAY'S CASEBOOK,1979

DOCTOR FINLAY OF TANNOCHBRAE,1985