Clair Blank's Inspiration for Beverly Gray

Unfortunately, no one can ask Clair Blank what her inspiration for the Beverly Gray series was. Clair Blank died in 1965 at the age of 50, long before series collector groups existed and long before much research into series books had been done. Clair Blank wrote the first four Beverly Gray books while she was still in high school and was a published author in 1933 at the age of 18. Clair must have been influenced by series books and surely had read some of the popular series books of the time.

I have some vague idea of reading an article or a message post in the past in which someone speculated about what inspired Clair Blank. I cannot remember exactly what I read or where it was, and I wish I could. The two issues of Yellowback Library which discuss Clair Blank and the Beverly Gray series, issues #55 and #66, are the main sources of information about Clair Blank. These articles do not mention what inspired Clair Blank to write the series.

As to which series influenced Clair Blank, we cannot consider Nancy Drew or Judy Bolton to be likely candidates since these series were just getting started at the time that Clair Blank was in high school and writing the breeder set Beverly Gray books. Additionally, the Dana Girls series did not begin until 1934, the same year that the Beverly Gray series began its run.

Clair Blank's influences had to have been pre-1930s series books, most likely books put out by the Stratemeyer Syndicate. When I first read the Beverly Gray series, I had not read any of the important pre-1930s Stratemeyer Syndicate series. Now that I have read some of those books, I can see how some of them might have inspired Clair Blank. The Outdoor Girls and the Ruth Fielding series are the most likely ones that could have influenced Clair Blank. Of the two, Ruth Fielding is the more likely one.

In the first Beverly Gray book, Beverly decides to become a writer. From page 147:

"I know it isn't all primroses. As far as that goes, what branch of work today is easy? Every day competition becomes keener."

"What are you going to write?" Anne wanted to know. "Novels?"

"Eventually perhaps I will," Beverly said, her eyes dreamy as she stared out the window. "But now I'm interested in being a newspaper correspondent. I'd like to cover foreign stories. Stories from—Shanghai, Cathay, London, Switzerland—"

Beverly reflects about her future on page 197:

Her story lay in her room, neatly typewritten and ready to submit to the judges tomorrow. If her story won even the faintest recognition from the judges, she would be satisfied. Then she would go on writing—writing until she became famous. In her youth and with her idealistic nature she little realized that fame alone could be empty and meaningless without love and friends to share it. The crown of fame for her own achievements presented alluring possibilities.

She was Helen Chadwick's daughter. Why shouldn't she make good?

Ruth Fielding also wants to make good, and Ruth's desire to make good is the common thread that runs through all of the Ruth Fielding books. Ruth becomes a scenario writer, and Beverly Gray becomes a reporter and author. Ruth Fielding is fiercely independent, and Beverly Gray has that same independence. Ruth Fielding's career comes before everything else, and she puts off marriage to Tom Cameron for a long time, although she does eventually marry him. Beverly Gray becomes engaged fairly early in the series, and Beverly also puts off marriage since her career comes first. Beverly is still unmarried at the end of the series.

Although Ruth Fielding has a few close friends, she often is by herself, working towards her own goals. Beverly Gray has many friends, far more than Ruth Fielding, but she often shuns them and works independently. Beverly is sometimes misunderstood by her friends because of her independence. In one book, an imposter takes Beverly Gray's place and shuts herself in Beverly's cabin on The Susabella. Beverly's friends just think she is acting weird, and they don't even notice that Beverly is no longer around. This is a prime example of how independent Beverly Gray is—so much so that she can disappear without anyone noticing.

When I read the 29th Ruth Fielding book, Ruth Fielding and Her Greatest Triumph, I was astounded at how similar it is to the Beverly Gray books in which Beverly and her friends are in an exotic location. Ruth must deal with superstitious natives on a tropical island. The natives cause Ruth endless problems and sabotage her film. Beverly Gray finds herself at the mercy of superstitious natives in several instances. It is very likely that Clair Blank did read that Ruth Fielding book and worked some of the ideas into her books.

I may re-read many of the Beverly Gray books in order to gain a further perspective. Just from what I can remember, it is apparent that strong similarities exist between Ruth Fielding and Beverly Gray.