James Clavell, born Charles Edmund Dumaresq Clavell, was an Australian-born, British-raised and educated, naturalized-American writer, screenwriter, director, and World War II veteran and prisoner of war. Clavell is best known for his Asian Saga novels, several of which have been adapted for television.

Clavell also wrote screenplays including those for The Fly (1958), based on the short story by George Langelaan, and The Great Escape (1963), based on Paul Brickhill's personal account. Furthermore, he directed the popular 1967 film To Sir, with Love, for which he also wrote the script.