Frank Doel - Later Life

Later Life

By the late 1960s Frank was running the business virtually single handed, Marks having died and Cohen too elderly to oversee day-to-day operations.

He died from peritonitis on 22 December 1968 and his funeral was attended by almost the whole of London antiquarian book trade on New Year's Day 1969.

" It is with deep sorrow and regret we have to announce the death on the 22nd of December of MR. FRANK DOEL, who has been with us for over forty years. He will be greatly missed by us all and his many friends throughout the country. - Messrs. MARKS & CO., 84, Charing Cross Road, London, W.C.2.".

When Hanff belatedly heard of his death she wrote a short autobiographical book which became the cult classic 84, Charing Cross Road. The book was subsequently turned into a play and a film starring Anthony Hopkins and Anne Bancroft.