J. B. Priestley

John Boynton Priestley (1894-1984) was an English novelist, playwright, and broadcaster whose breakthrough novel The Good Companions (1929) brought him international fame, followed by acclaimed works like Angel Pavement (1930) and the iconic play An Inspector Calls (1945). His innovative "time plays" such as Dangerous Corner (1932) and wartime Postscripts broadcasts boosted British morale during World War II, while his left-wing views influenced the welfare state; he received the Order of Merit in 1977 among other honors.