Knight: Yorkshireman, Storyteller, Spy

The epic tale of a major inter-war novelist whose work was lauded by the literary establishment of the 1930s - but overshadowed by his biggest hit. As a 10-year-old working in a Leeds knacker's yard, Eric Knight had a dream. Emigrating to the USA, he reinvented himself as artist, newspaper reporter, film critic and best-selling novelist. His books were praised by Ernest Hemingway and H L Mencken, and turned into Hollywood movies.

An infantryman in the First World War, he served again in the Second - in espionage, propaganda and intelligence. Amond his confidants were O.S.S chief 'Wild Bill' Donovan, UK ambassador Lord Halifax and President Roosevelt. In 1943, on a secret mission to meet Churchill and FDR in North Africa, his plane was blown up, killing all on board. And what is this extraordinary man remembered for? A little pot-boiler he sold for $10,000: 'Lassie, Come-Home.'