Graduate novelist faces eviction

Novelist Charles Webb, 66, and his partner have only days to pay two months' overdue rent, totalling nearly £1,600, on their flat in Hove.

Mr Webb wrote the book on which the 1967 movie starring Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft was based.

The Californian author accepted a one-off payment of £14,000 for the novel, while the film made £60m.

Mr Webb, who based The Graduate on his relationship with his partner Fred, has spent five years caring for her after she suffered a nervous breakdown.

He is still writing but has not had anything published for some time.

"When I had a book published, she did the illustrations and I did the writing," he said.

"We always worked together and I had just assumed we would continue like that but then she had this breakdown and it threw everything into a cocked hat."

The theatrical adaptation of the classic movie took another £10m in its recent West End stage run.

But Mr Webb, who has lived in the UK for years, said he is not motivated by money.

"Millions and millions were made from The Graduate and here I am searching around for a couple of quid to buy my sandwich - people love that," he said.

"Money comes and goes.

"When you need it you do what you have to do to get it and when you have a lot you spend it and then you don't have it."

In the long term he hopes to turn around his fortunes by writing a book about coping with Fred's illness.

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