David Hugh Courtney Gurr is a Canadian writer and author of literary novels and political thrillers.
He was born William Le Breton Harvey Brisbane-Bedwell in 1936 in London, England but his name was changed by adoption in 1941.
He was educated at Sherborne Prep and University College in England before emigrating with his family to Canada.
Gurr served with the Royal Canadian Navy from 1954 to 1970 as an executive officer and computer systems analyst.
His first interest was in the theatre, and he received a scholarship to "tread the boards" at UBC in the summer of 1952.