Playwright, novelist and short story writer. Born of British parents in Paris. A recent biographer, Selina Hastings, writes that Maugham 'liked sex and he liked a lot of it.' 'Few good-looking young men who crossed his path were left unpropositioned.' Maugham's wife (yes, really) was Syrie, daughter of Dr Barnardo and former wife of Sir Henry Wellcome. Maugham died in Nice, France.