Author. He was an American author of the 20th century. Born in a Russian-Jewish household, he was a pulp novelist, noir fiction writer, and Hollywood screenwriter. He published at least eighteen novels. Several of his books were adapted into movies, the most popular being the 1947 mystery thriller "Dark Passage" starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. His best-known works include "Down There" in 1956, aka "Shoot the Piano Player," "The Blonde on the Street Corner" and "Black Friday" both in 1954, "The Moon in the Gutter" and "The Burglar," both 1953, "Of Tender Sin" in 1952, and "Cassidy's Girl" in 1951. After graduating as valedictorian of his high school class, he followed in his father's footsteps, becoming a newspaperman. He graduated from Temple University in 1938 with a degree in journalism. He began writing for pulp magazines, often not using his own name but producing copious amounts of work. His first novel was "Retreat from Oblivion" was published in 1939. His death was from a stroke that was related to a beating he had days earlier. At the time of his death, he was involved in a lawsuit with United Artist Studio, claiming his story "Dark Passage, which was published in the "Saturday Evening Post," was the same storyline as the 1963 television series "The Fugitive." In 1970, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit reversed a lower court's decision in a landmark decision in intellectual property rights and copyright law and awarded his estate $12,000 as a "nuisance value."
Author. He was an American author of the 20th century. Born in a Russian-Jewish household, he was a pulp novelist, noir fiction writer, and Hollywood screenwriter. He published at least eighteen novels. Several of his books were adapted into movies, the most popular being the 1947 mystery thriller "Dark Passage" starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. His best-known works include "Down There" in 1956, aka "Shoot the Piano Player," "The Blonde on the Street Corner" and "Black Friday" both in 1954, "The Moon in the Gutter" and "The Burglar," both 1953, "Of Tender Sin" in 1952, and "Cassidy's Girl" in 1951. After graduating as valedictorian of his high school class, he followed in his father's footsteps, becoming a newspaperman. He graduated from Temple University in 1938 with a degree in journalism. He began writing for pulp magazines, often not using his own name but producing copious amounts of work. His first novel was "Retreat from Oblivion" was published in 1939. His death was from a stroke that was related to a beating he had days earlier. At the time of his death, he was involved in a lawsuit with United Artist Studio, claiming his story "Dark Passage, which was published in the "Saturday Evening Post," was the same storyline as the 1963 television series "The Fugitive." In 1970, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit reversed a lower court's decision in a landmark decision in intellectual property rights and copyright law and awarded his estate $12,000 as a "nuisance value."
Bio by: Gerry M
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