Gene Rodelvic

**Eugene Stanislaw Rodelvic** (more commonly known as **Gene Rodelvic**) is a writer of Engines of Eight.

## Details

Name: Eugene Stanislaw Rodelvic

* Born: July 21, 1918
* Birthplace: Lviv, Ukraine (formerly part of Poland)
* Nationality: Ukrainian/Polish
* Occupation: Episode Writer
* Years in the Job: 20 years
* Parents: Ivan and Katarzyna Rodelvic
	+ Siblings: One younger sister, Anya Rodelvic
* Marriage/Children: Married to Elzbieta Rodelvic, no children
* Death*:* Passed away on February 5, 1998, peacefully in his sleep.

## Biography

Eugene Stanislaw Rodelvic was born on July 21, 1918, in what would soon become Lviv, Ukraine, to Ivan Rodelvic and Katarzyna Rodelvic. He had only one younger sister, Anya Rodelvic, who was born on December 4, 1920. Growing up, Gene had a very pitiful childhood, as he was born during the tumultuous time of World War I and grew up almost in constant poverty and instability. Despite the hardships, Gene found solace in his love for literature and storytelling. He would often escape into the world of books, imagining himself as the hero of his own adventures. This passion for storytelling would later shape his career as a renowned author.

Over the course of the 1920s, Gene began studying literature, and by the 1930s, he'd built up a stable foundation of knowledge in the subject. He really wanted to publish his first ever novel during a time when the Great Depression was still taking its toll; however, he ended up taking back those words as over in Germany, the rise of the Nazi regime began to cast a dark shadow over the world. Gene saw the Nazis as corrupt and ungodly people and feared that his home country would fall under their influence. He told his family in August 1938 that he would be moving to the UK for safer grounds. His family insisted that everything would be okay, but Gene was adamant about his decision. He left Ukraine around late 1938–early 1939, while the world was on the brink of another devastating war. Gene arrived in the UK on August 4, 1939, and remained steadfast in his new home from then on.

When World War II began and air raids became routine, Gene managed to keep himself safe inside his house's basement. This basement would serve as his sanctuary throughout the war, providing him with a sense of security amidst the chaos outside. He would constantly come up with ideas for stories and novels, finding solace in his imagination. One of his stories was simply known as "Watching the Trains, Over the Hill," a story about a young child watching trains go over the hill from his bedroom window. He always managed to find peace and comfort in the simplicity of this story, as it reminded him of the innocence and beauty that existed beyond the war-torn world.

When the war ended, Gene worked mostly part-time at various literature institutes and continued to write in his spare time. On September 4, 1963, Gene was hired at Dockyard Films to write stories for their various IPs. It was on that day that his journey officially began into the world of film and storytelling. Excited and filled with a renewed sense of purpose, Gene immersed himself in the creative process, collaborating with talented individuals who shared his passion for bringing stories to life on the big screen.

When he wrote stories for Engines of Eight, he predominantly based his stories (such as Eddie Helps Gregory) on the well-renowned The Railway Series; however, he did change up the stories enough to the point where the Dockyard Films could classify them as their work. After he wrote many stories for Series 1 and 2, he began writing stories for Series 3, where he took inspiration from a variety of sources, including classic literature and real-life events. However, due to the Crownmire takeover, he became appalled due to the more than crappy stories they presented, and after his shifts, he often felt disheartened and completely enraged, and thus, he quit from Dockyard Films on the same day that Series 3 began filming and production, September 12, 1983.

In his personal life, while still in Ukraine, Gene didn't make many friends, as he didn't think they would appreciate him at all. However, this changed during his later primary education years as he became friends with Elzbieta Olsen, and they remained close throughout their later education years. Eventually, in late 1935, Gene proposed to Elzbieta Olsen, and she happily accepted. The two married on May 4, 1936, and despite their happy marriage, the family had no children. According to Gene, he thought "having children would be challenging considering the time we had been married and our busy schedules with work and other commitments." Once he and Elzbieta moved to the UK, the two had successful careers after World War II ended, with Elzbieta becoming a renowned artist and Gene becoming a writer. However, they never regretted their decision and found fulfillment in their respective fields.

Both Gene and Elzbieta lived a very content life following Gene's retirement from Dockyard Films. The two remained together for many years, and sometimes even their siblings visited them. Gene passed away on February 5, 1998, peacefully in his sleep, with his wife following him shortly after in her sleep on February 10, 1998. The two had their bodies taken back to Ukraine to be buried in their hometown of Lviv.