Dame Iris Murdoch (July 15, 1919 – February 8, 1999), the prolific Irish-English novelist, philosopher, and playwright was a master of blending psychological depth and dark humor into her fiction and nonfiction works. 

Born Jean Iris Murdoch in Dublin, Ireland, her father was a World War I veteran and civil servant. Her mother was a former singer. When Murdoch was a newborn, her family moved to London so her father could take a British government position. She remained an only child. 

The 2001 Academy Award and BAFTA Award-winning film Iris is based on her life and marriage to John Bayley, a writer and English professor, and her struggles with dementia.

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