Philip Marlowe () is a fictional character created by Raymond Chandler, who was characteristic of the

hardboiled Hardboiled (or hard-boiled) fiction is a literary genre that shares some of its characters and settings with crime fiction (especially detective fiction and noir fiction). The genre's typical protagonist is a detective who battles the violence o ...

crime fiction Crime fiction, detective story, murder mystery, mystery novel, and police novel are terms used to describe narratives that centre on criminal acts and especially on the investigation, either by an amateur or a professional detective, of a crime, ...

genre. The hardboiled crime fiction genre originated in the 1920s, notably in ''Black Mask'' magazine, in which

Dashiell Hammett Samuel Dashiell Hammett (; May 27, 1894 – January 10, 1961) was an American writer of hard-boiled detective novels and short stories. He was also a screenwriter and political activist. Among the enduring characters he created are Sam Spade ('' ...

The Continental Op The Continental Op is a fictional character created by Dashiell Hammett. He is a private investigator employed as an operative of the Continental Detective Agency's San Francisco office. The stories are all told in the first person and his name i ...

and Sam Spade first appeared. Marlowe first appeared under that name in ''

The Big Sleep ''The Big Sleep'' (1939) is a hardboiled crime novel by American-British writer Raymond Chandler, the first to feature the detective Philip Marlowe. It has been adapted for film twice, in 1946 and again in 1978. The story is set in Los Angel ...

'', published in 1939. Chandler's early

short stories A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest t ...

, published in pulp magazines such as '' Black Mask'' and ''Dime Detective'', featured similar characters with names like "Carmady" and "John Dalmas", starting in 1933. Some of those short stories were later combined and expanded into novels featuring Marlowe, a process Chandler called " cannibalizing", which is more commonly known in publishing as a

fix-up A fix-up (or fixup) is a novel created from several short fiction stories that may or may not have been initially related or previously published. The stories may be edited for consistency, and sometimes new connecting material, such as a frame s ...

. When the original stories were republished years later in the short-story collection '' The Simple Art of Murder'', Chandler did not change the names of the protagonists to Philip Marlowe. His first two stories, "Blackmailers Don't Shoot" and "Smart-Aleck Kill" (with a detective named Mallory), were never altered in print but did join the others as Marlowe cases for the television series ''

Philip Marlowe, Private Eye ''Philip Marlowe, Private Eye'' is an American mystery series that aired on HBO in the United States from April 16, 1983 through June 3, 1986, and on ITV in the United Kingdom. The series features Powers Boothe as Raymond Chandler's title char ...

''. Underneath the wisecracking, hard-drinking, tough private eye, Marlowe is quietly contemplative, philosophical and enjoys

chess Chess is a board game for two players, called White and Black, each controlling an army of chess pieces in their color, with the objective to checkmate the opponent's king. It is sometimes called international chess or Western chess to dist ...

and

poetry Poetry (derived from the Greek ''poiesis'', "making"), also called verse, is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language − such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre − to evoke meanings i ...

. While he is not afraid to risk physical harm, he does not dish out violence merely to settle scores. Morally upright, he is not fooled by the genre's usual '' femmes fatales'', such as Carmen Sternwood in ''The Big Sleep''. Chandler's treatment of the detective novel exhibits an effort to develop the form. His first full-length book, ''The Big Sleep'', was published when Chandler was 51; his last, '' Playback'' was published when he was 70. He created seven novels in the last two decades of his life. An eighth, '' Poodle Springs'', was completed posthumously by Robert B. Parker and published years later.

Inspiration

Explaining the origin of Marlowe's character, Chandler commented, "Marlowe just grew out of the pulps. He was no one person". When creating the character, Chandler had originally intended to call him Mallory; his stories for the ''Black Mask'' featured characters that are considered precursors to Marlowe. The emergence of Marlowe coincided with Chandler's transition from writing short stories to novels.

Biographical notes

Philip Marlowe is a fictional character created by Raymond Chandler in a series of novels including ''The Big Sleep'', ''

Farewell, My Lovely ''Farewell, My Lovely'' is a novel by Raymond Chandler, published in 1940, the second novel he wrote featuring the Los Angeles private eye Philip Marlowe. It was adapted for the screen three times and was also adapted for the stage and rad ...

'', and '' The Long Goodbye''. Chandler is not consistent as to Marlowe's age. In ''The Big Sleep'', set in 1936, Marlowe's age is given as 33, while in ''The Long Goodbye'' (set 14 years later), Marlowe is 42. In a letter to D. J. Ibberson of April 19, 1951, Chandler noted among other things that Marlowe is 38 years old and was born in

Santa Rosa, California Santa Rosa ( Spanish for " Saint Rose") is a city and the county seat of Sonoma County, in the North Bay region of the Bay Area in California. Its estimated 2019 population was 178,127. It is the largest city in California's Wine Country and ...

. He had a couple of years at college and some experience as an investigator for an insurance company and the district attorney's office of Los Angeles County. He was fired from the DA's office for insubordination (or as Marlowe put it, "talking back"). The DA's chief investigator, Bernie Ohls, is a friend and former colleague and a source of information for Marlowe within law enforcement. Marlowe stands tall. He weighs about . He is described as having dark hair and a medium heavy build (''Farewell, My Lovely''); dark brown hair with some grey and brown eyes (''The Long Good-bye''). Marlowe first lived at the Hobart Arms, on Franklin Avenue near North Kenmore Avenue (in ''The Big Sleep'') but then moved to the Bristol Hotel, where he stayed for about 10 years. By 1950 (in ''The Long Good-bye'') he has rented a house on Yucca Avenue in

Laurel Canyon Laurel Canyon is a mountainous neighborhood in the Hollywood Hills region of the Santa Monica Mountains, within the Hollywood Hills West district of Los Angeles, California. The main thoroughfare of Laurel Canyon Boulevard connects the neighb ...

and continued at the same place in early 1952 in '' Playback'', Chandler's last full-length Marlowe novel. His office, originally on the seventh floor of an unnamed building in 1936, is at #615 on the sixth floor of the Cahuenga Building by March–April 1939 (the date of ''Farewell, My Lovely''), which is on

Hollywood Boulevard Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It begins in the east at Sunset Boulevard in the Los Feliz district and proceeds to the west as a major thoroughfare through Little Armenia and Thai Town, Hollywoo ...

near Ivar. North Ivar Avenue is between North Cahuenga Boulevard to the west and Vine Street to the east. The office telephone number is GLenview 7537. Marlowe's office is modest and he does not have a secretary (unlike Sam Spade). He generally refuses to take

divorce Divorce (also known as dissolution of marriage) is the process of terminating a marriage or marital union. Divorce usually entails the canceling or reorganizing of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage, thus dissolving the ...

cases. He drinks

whiskey Whisky or whiskey is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Various grains (which may be malted) are used for different varieties, including barley, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky is typically aged in wooden ...

or brandy frequently and in relatively large quantities. For example, in ''

The High Window ''The High Window'' is a 1942 novel written by Raymond Chandler. It is his third novel featuring the Los Angeles private detective Philip Marlowe. Plot Private investigator Philip Marlowe is hired by wealthy widow Elizabeth Bright Murdock to rec ...

'', he gets out a bottle of

Four Roses Four Roses is a brand of Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey produced in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. Its Spanish Mission-style distillery was built in 1910 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Old Prentice Distillery. The ...

and pours glasses for him, Det. Lt. Breeze and Spangler. At other times, he is drinking Old Forester, a

Kentucky bourbon Bourbon () is a type of barrel-aged American whiskey made primarily from corn. The name derives from the French Bourbon dynasty, although the precise source of inspiration is uncertain; contenders include Bourbon County in Kentucky and Bourbo ...

, "I hung up and fed myself a slug of Old Forester to brace my nerves for the interview. As I was inhaling it I heard her steps tripping along the corridor". (''

The Little Sister ''The Little Sister'' is a 1949 novel by Raymond Chandler, his fifth featuring the private investigator Philip Marlowe. The story is set in Los Angeles in the late 1940s and follows Marlowe's investigation of a missing persons case and blackm ...

'') However, in ''Playback'' he orders a double

Gibson Gibson may refer to: People * Gibson (surname) Businesses * Gibson Brands, Inc., an American manufacturer of guitars, other musical instruments, and audio equipment * Gibson Technology, and English automotive and motorsport company based * Gi ...

at a bar while tailing Betty Mayfield. Also, in ''The Long Good-bye'', Terry Lennox and he drink Gimlets; in the same novel he also orders a

whiskey sour The whiskey sour is a mixed drink containing whiskey (often Bourbon whiskey, bourbon), lemon juice, Syrup#Simple_sugar_syrups, sugar, and optionally, a dash of egg white. It is a type of Sour (cocktail), sour, a mixed drink with a base spirit, c ...

and drinks Cordon Rouge

champagne Champagne (, ) is a sparkling wine originated and produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation, that demand specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within it, ...

with Linda Loring. Marlowe is adept at using liquor to loosen peoples' tongues. An example is in ''The High Window'', when Marlowe finally persuades the detective-lieutenant, whose "solid old face was lined and grey with fatigue", to take a drink "Breeze looked at me very steadily. Then he sighed. Then he picked the glass up and tasted it and sighed again and shook his head sideways with a half smile; the way a man does when you give him a drink and he needs it very badly and it is just right and the first swallow is like a peek into a cleaner, sunnier, brighter world". He frequently drinks coffee. Eschewing the use of filters (see ''Farewell, My Lovely''), he uses a vacuum coffee maker (see ''The Long Good-bye'', chapter 5). He smokes and prefers

Camel cigarettes Camel is an American brand of cigarettes, currently owned and manufactured by the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company in the United States and by Japan Tobacco outside the U.S. Most current Camel cigarettes contain a blend of Turkish tobacco and Virg ...

. At home, he sometimes smokes a pipe. A

adept, he almost exclusively plays against himself or plays games from books. Typical of classic private eyes, Marlowe is the eternal bachelor in the novels but in the opening paragraphs of '' Poodle Springs'' he has just married Linda Loring, the divorced daughter of press tycoon Harlan Potter. He knows her from ''The Long Good-bye'', where they spent one night together and from ''Playback'', where she, after one and a half years, surprisingly called him from Paris and proposed to him ("I'm asking you to marry me.").

Marlowe bibliography

Original short stories by Raymond Chandler

* '' Blackmailers Don't Shoot'' (December 1933, '' Black Mask''; protagonist named Mallory) * ''

Smart-Aleck Kill "Smart-Aleck Kill" is a short story by writer Raymond Chandler. It was first published in July 1934 in the magazine ''Black Mask''. Plot Private detective Johnny Dalmas has been hired by a film studio to handle a blackmail threat against directo ...

'' (July 1934, ''Black Mask''; Mallory) * ''Finger Man'' (October 1934, Black Mask; Carmady) * ''Killer in the Rain'' (January 1935, ''Black Mask''; Carmady) * ''Nevada Gas'' (June 1935, ''Black Mask'') * ''Spanish Blood'' (November 1935, ''Black Mask'') * ''Guns at Cyrano's'' (January 1936, ''Black Mask''; Ted Malvern) * ''The Man Who Liked Dogs'' (March 1936, ''Black Mask''; Carmady) * ''Noon Street Nemesis'' (May 30, 1936, ''Detective Fiction Weekly''; or "Pick-up on Noon Street") * ''Goldfish'' (June 1936,'' Black Mask''; Carmady) * ''The Curtain'' (September 1936, ''Black Mask''; Carmady) * ''Try the Girl'' (January 1937, ''Black Mask''; Carmady) * ''Mandarin's Jade'' (November 1937, ''Dime Detective''; John Dalmas) * ''Red Wind'' (January 1938, ''Dime Detective'': John Dalmas) * '' The King in Yellow'' (March 1938, ''Dime Detective'') * ''Bay City Blues'' (June 1938; ''Dime Detective''; John Dalmas) * ''The Lady in the Lake'' (January 1939, ''Dime Detective''; John Dalmas) * ''Pearls Are a Nuisance'' (April 1939, ''Dime Detective'') * ''Trouble Is My Business'' (August 1939, ''Dime Detective''; John Dalmas) * ''I'll Be Waiting'' (October 14, 1939, ''Saturday Evening Post'') * ''The Bronze Door'' (November 1939, ''Unknown'') * ''No Crime in the Mountains'' (September 1941, ''Detective Story'', John Evans)

Original Philip Marlowe works by Raymond Chandler

* ''

'' (1939) * ''

'' (1940) * ''

'' (1942) * ''

The Lady in the Lake ''The Lady in the Lake'' is a 1943 detective novel by Raymond Chandler featuring the Los Angeles private investigator Philip Marlowe. Notable for its removal of Marlowe from his usual Los Angeles environs for much of the book, the novel's com ...

'' (1943) * ''

'' (1949) * '' The Long Goodbye'' (1953) * '' Playback'' (1958) * "The Pencil" (or "Marlowe Takes On the Syndicate", "Wrong Pigeon" and "Philip Marlowe's Last Case") (1959), (short story). Chandler's last completed work about Marlowe, his first Marlowe short story in more than 20 years and the first short story originally written about Marlowe * '' The Poodle Springs Story'' in '' Raymond Chandler Speaking'' (1962) (only the first four chapters were completed and then left unfinished at Chandler's death in 1959; Robert B. Parker extended the material to a full-length novel, '' Poodle Springs'', in 1989.)

Authorized works by other writers

* ''El Diez Por Ciento de Vida'' by Hiber Conteris (Spain, 1985), English translation as ''Ten Percent of Life'' by Deborah Bergmann (1987, ). Marlowe probes the 1956 "suicide" of a Hollywood literary agent, one of whose clients is Raymond Chandler. * ''Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe: A Centennial Celebration'', ed. Byron Preiss (1988, ; extended edition 1999, ); reprints ''The Pencil'' alongside Philip Marlowe stories by other authors: ** ''The Perfect Crime'' by

Max Allan Collins Max Allan Collins (born March 3, 1948) is an American mystery writer, noted for his graphic novels. His work has been published in several formats and his '' Road to Perdition'' series was the basis for a film of the same name. He wrote the ''Di ...

** ''The Black-Eyed Blonde'' by Benjamin M. Schutz ** ''Gun Music'' by Loren D. Estleman ** ''Saving Grace'' by

Joyce Harrington Joyce Harrington (November 21, 1931 – March 10, 2011) was an American writer. She was born on November 21, 1931 in Marietta, Ohio. She attended Marietta College and graduated with an A.B. in 1953. She died in 2011. Awards Before writing her ...

** ''Maliby Tag Team'' by

Jonathan Valin Jonathan Valin (born November 23, 1947 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is an American mystery author best known for the Harry Stoner detective series. He won the Shamus Award for best mystery novel of 1989. After writing eleven Harry Stoner novels over a 1 ...

** ''Sad-Eyed Blonde'' by Dick Lochte ** ''The Empty Sleeve'' by W. R. Philbrick ** ''Dealer's Choice'' by

Sara Paretsky Sara Paretsky (born June 8, 1947) is an American author of detective fiction, best known for her novels focused on the protagonist V. I. Warshawski. Life and career Paretsky was born in Ames, Iowa. Her father was a microbiologist and moved the ...

** ''Red Rock'' by Julie Smith ** ''The Deepest South'' by

Paco Ignacio Taibo II Paco Ignacio Taibo II (born Francisco Ignacio Taibo Mahojo; on January 11, 1949), also known as Paco Taibo II or informally as PIT is a Spanish-Mexican writer, novelist and political activist based in Mexico City. He is most widely known as the ...

** ''Consultation in the Dark'' by Francis M. Nevins Jr ** ''In the Jungle of Cities'' by Roger L. Simon ** ''Star Bright'' by

John Lutz John Michael Lutz (born April 23, 1973) is an American actor, comedian, and screenwriter. He is best known for playing J. D. Lutz on the NBC sitcom ''30 Rock'', and for his work as a writer on the NBC series ''Saturday Night Live'' for seven ...

** ''Stardust Kill'' by

Simon Brett Simon Anthony Lee Brett OBE FRSL (born 28 October 1945 in Worcester Park, Surrey, England) is a British author of detective fiction, a playwright, and a producer-writer for television and radio. As an author, he is best known for his mystery s ...

** ''Locker 246'' by Robert J. Randisi ** ''Bitter Lemons'' by

Stuart M. Kaminsky Stuart M. Kaminsky (September 29, 1934 – October 9, 2009) was an American mystery writer and film professor. He is known for three long-running series of mystery novels featuring the protagonists Toby Peters, a private detective in 1940s Holl ...

** ''The Man Who Knew Dick Bong'' by

Robert Crais Robert Crais (pronounced ) (born June 20, 1953) is an American author of detective fiction. Crais began his career writing scripts for television shows such as ''Hill Street Blues'', ''Cagney & Lacey'', '' Quincy'', ''Miami Vice'' and ''L.A. Law ...

** ''Essence D'Orient'' by

Edward D. Hoch Edward Dentinger Hoch (February 22, 1930 – January 17, 2008) was an American writer of detective fiction. Although he wrote several novels, he was primarily known for his vast output of over 950 short stories. Biography Hoch (pronounced ...

** ''In The Line of Duty'' by Jeremiah Healey ** ''The Alibi'' by Ed Gorman ** ''The Devil's Playground'' by

James Grady James Grady may refer to: * James Grady (footballer) (born 1971), Scottish footballer * James Grady (author) (born 1949), American writer and investigative journalist {{hndis, Grady, James ...

** ''Asia'' by

Eric Van Lustbader Eric Van Lustbader (born December 24, 1946) is an American author of thriller and fantasy novels. He has published as Eric Lustbader, Eric V. Lustbader, and Eric Van Lustbader. He is a graduate of New York's Stuyvesant High School and Columb ...

** ''Mice'' by Robert Campbell ** ''Sixty-Four Squares'' by J. Madison Davis (1999 edition) ** ''Summer In Idle Valley'' by Roger L. Simon (1999 edition)

Authorized novels by other writers

* '' Poodle Springs'' (1989, ), by Robert B. Parker. An authorized completion of Chandler's unfinished last work; the original text 'The Poodle Springs Story' had been published alongside excerpts from Chandler's letters, notes and essays in '' Raymond Chandler Speaking'' (1971), by Dorothy Gardener and Katherine Sorley Walker. New York: Books for Library Press. * '' Perchance to Dream'' (1991, ), by Robert B. Parker. An authorized sequel to Chandler's ''The Big Sleep''. * ''The Black-Eyed Blonde'' (2014), by

John Banville William John Banville (born 8 December 1945) is an Irish novelist, short story writer, adapter of dramas and screenwriter. Though he has been described as "the heir to Proust, via Nabokov", Banville himself maintains that W. B. Yeats and Henry ...

writing as "Benjamin Black," is an authorized sequel to ''The Long Goodbye'', and reuses the title of Benjamin M. Schutz's otherwise-unrelated Marlowe story. * ''Only to Sleep'' (2018), by

Lawrence Osborne Lawrence Osborne (born 1958) is a British novelist and journalist who is currently residing in Bangkok. Osborne was educated at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, and at Harvard University, and has since led a nomadic life, residing for years i ...

, finds the elderly Marlowe in Mexico in 1988, investigating the “accidental” swimming death of a debt-ridden con man/developer. * ''The Goodbye Coast'' (2022), by Joe Ide, a reimagining of the character, set in present day Los Angeles.

Film adaptations

* ''

The Falcon Takes Over ''The Falcon Takes Over'' (also known as ''The Falcon Steps Out''), is a 1942 black-and-white mystery film directed by Irving Reis. The B film was the third, following '' The Gay Falcon'' and '' A Date with the Falcon'' (1941), to star George ...

'' (1942) – (adaptation of ''Farewell, My Lovely'' with detective " The Falcon" substituting for Marlowe)

George Sanders George Henry Sanders (3 July 1906 – 25 April 1972) was a British actor and singer whose career spanned over 40 years. His heavy, upper-class English accent and smooth, bass voice often led him to be cast as sophisticated but villainous chara ...

as The Falcon. * '' Time to Kill'' (1942) – (adaptation of ''The High Window'' with detective Michael Shayne substituting for Marlowe)

Lloyd Nolan Lloyd Benedict Nolan (August 11, 1902 – September 27, 1985) was an American film and television actor. Among his many roles, Nolan is remembered for originating the role of private investigator Michael Shayne in a series of 1940s B movies. B ...

as Shayne. * ''

Murder, My Sweet ''Murder, My Sweet'' (released as ''Farewell, My Lovely'' in the United Kingdom) is a 1944 American film noir, directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Dick Powell, Claire Trevor and Anne Shirley (in her final film before retirement). The film ...

'' (1944) – (adaptation of nd released in the UK as''Farewell, My Lovely'') Dick Powell as Marlowe. * ''

'' (1944–1946) – Humphrey Bogart as Marlowe. * ''

Lady in the Lake ''Lady in the Lake'' is a 1947 American film noir starring Robert Montgomery, Audrey Totter, Lloyd Nolan, Tom Tully, Leon Ames and Jayne Meadows. An adaptation of the 1943 Raymond Chandler murder mystery ''The Lady in the Lake'', the pictur ...

'' (1947) – Robert Montgomery as Phillip Marlowe ("Phillip" is spelled with two "l"s in this film.) * ''

The Brasher Doubloon ''The Brasher Doubloon'' (known in the UK as ''The High Window'') is a 1947 American crime film noir directed by John Brahm and starring George Montgomery and Nancy Guild. It is based on the 1942 novel '' The High Window'' by Raymond Chandler. ...

'' (1947) – (adaptation of nd released in the UK as''The High Window'') George Montgomery as Marlowe. * ''

Marlowe Marlowe may refer to: Name * Christopher Marlowe (1564–1593), English dramatist, poet and translator * Philip Marlowe, fictional hardboiled detective created by author Raymond Chandler * Marlowe (name), including list of people and characters w ...

'' (1969) – (adaptation of ''The Little Sister'')

James Garner James Garner (born James Scott Bumgarner; April 7, 1928 – July 19, 2014) was an American actor. He played leading roles in more than 50 theatrical films, including ''The Great Escape (film), The Great Escape'' (1963) with Steve McQueen; Paddy ...

as Marlowe. This became the partial inspiration for ''

The Rockford Files ''The Rockford Files'' is an American detective drama television series starring James Garner that aired on the NBC network from September 13, 1974 to January 10, 1980, and remains in syndication. Garner portrays Los Angeles private investiga ...

'', the other being the series ''

Maverick Maverick, Maveric or Maverik may refer to: History * Maverick (animal), an unbranded range animal, derived from U.S. cattleman Samuel Maverick Aviation * AEA Maverick, an Australian single-seat sportsplane design * General Aviation Design Burea ...

''. * '' The Long Goodbye'' (1973) – Elliott Gould as Marlowe. * ''

'' (1975) –

Robert Mitchum Robert Charles Durman Mitchum (August 6, 1917 – July 1, 1997) was an American actor. He rose to prominence with an Academy Award nomination for the Best Supporting Actor for ''The Story of G.I. Joe'' (1945), followed by his starring in ...

as Marlowe. * ''

'' (1978) – Robert Mitchum as Marlowe. * ''

'' (2022) – (adaptation of ''The Black-Eyed Blonde'' by Benjamin Black)

Liam Neeson William John Neeson (born 7 June 1952) is an actor from Northern Ireland. He has received several accolades, including nominations for an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and two Tony Awards. In 2020, he was placed 7th on ''The I ...

as Marlowe.

Radio and television adaptations

Radio

* ''

Lux Radio Theater ''Lux Radio Theatre'', sometimes spelled ''Lux Radio Theater'', a classic radio anthology series, was broadcast on the NBC Blue Network (1934–35) (owned by the National Broadcasting Company, later predecessor of American Broadcasting Company ...

'', "Murder My Sweet", adapted from the 1944 film, CBS Radio, June 11, 1945 (Dick Powell as Marlowe) * '' The New Adventures of Philip Marlowe'', NBC Radio series, June 17, 1947 to September 9, 1947 (

Van Heflin Emmett Evan "Van" Heflin Jr. (December 13, 1908 – July 23, 1971) was an American theatre, radio and film actor. He played mostly character parts over the course of his film career, but during the 1940s had a string of roles as a leading man. H ...

as Marlowe) * '' Suspense'', CBS radio, January 10, 1948 (cameo by series host Robert Montgomery in '' The Adventures of Sam Spade'' cross-over, "The Kandy Tooth") * ''

'', "Lady in the Lake", adapted from the 1947 film, CBS Radio, February 9, 1948 (Robert Montgomery as Marlowe) * '' Hollywood Star Time'', "Murder My Sweet", adapted from the 1944 film, CBS Radio, June 8, 1948 (Dick Powell as Marlowe) * ''

The Adventures of Philip Marlowe ''The Adventures of Philip Marlowe'' was a radio series featuring Raymond Chandler's private eye, Philip Marlowe. Robert C. Reinehr and Jon D. Swartz, in their book, ''The A to Z of Old Time Radio'', noted that the program differed from most other ...

'', CBS Radio series, September 26, 1948 to September 15, 1951 (

Gerald Mohr Gerald Mohr (June 11, 1914 – November 9, 1968) was an American radio, film, and television character actor and frequent leading man, who appeared in more than 500 radio plays, 73 films, and over 100 television shows. Early years Mohr wa ...

as Marlowe) * '' The BBC Presents: Philip Marlowe'', BBC Radio series, September 26, 1977 to September 23, 1988 ( Ed Bishop as Marlowe) * In 2011 the BBC started a series of radio adaptations of all the Philip Marlowe novels under the heading ''Classic Chandler''.

Toby Stephens Toby Stephens (born 21 April 1969) is an English actor who has appeared in films in the UK, US and India. He is known for the roles of Bond villain Gustav Graves in the 2002 James Bond film ''Die Another Day'' (for which he was nominated for th ...

played Philip Marlowe throughout. The series started on February 5, 2011, on

BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...

with a 90-minute adaptation of ''

'' and continued with adaptations of ''

'' (February 12, 2011), ''

'' (February 19, 2011) and a 60-minute version of '' Playback'' (February 26, 2011). The series continued later that year with 90-minute adaptations of '' The Long Goodbye'' (October 1, 2011). ''

'' (October 8, 2011), ''

'' (October 15, 2011) and a 60-minute version of '' Poodle Springs'' (October 22, 2011).

Television

* ''

Robert Montgomery Presents ''Robert Montgomery Presents'' is an American dramatic television series which was produced by NBC from January 30, 1950, until June 24, 1957. The live show had several sponsors during its eight-year run, and the title was altered to feature the ...

'', "The Big Sleep", adapted from the novel, NBC Television, September 25, 1950 (

Zachary Scott Zachary Scott (February 21, 1914 – October 3, 1965)Obituary '' Variety'', October 6, 1965. was an American actor who was known for his roles as villains and "mystery men". Early life Scott was born in Austin, Texas, the son of Sallie L ...

as Marlowe) * ''

Climax! ''Climax!'' (later known as ''Climax Mystery Theater'') is an American television anthology series that aired on CBS from 1954 to 1958. The series was hosted by William Lundigan and later co-hosted by Mary Costa. It was one of the few CBS progra ...

'', "The Long Goodbye", adapted from the novel, CBS Television, October 7, 1954 (Dick Powell as Marlowe) * ''

Philip Marlowe Philip Marlowe () is a fictional character created by Raymond Chandler, who was characteristic of the hardboiled crime fiction genre. The hardboiled crime fiction genre originated in the 1920s, notably in ''Black Mask'' magazine, in which Dashie ...

'', ABC Television series, October 6, 1959 to March 29, 1960 (

Philip Carey Philip Carey (born Eugene Joseph Carey, July 15, 1925February 6, 2009) was an American actor. Early life and education On July 15, 1925, Carey was born in Hackensack, New Jersey.Philip Marlowe, Private Eye ''Philip Marlowe, Private Eye'' is an American mystery series that aired on HBO in the United States from April 16, 1983 through June 3, 1986, and on ITV in the United Kingdom. The series features Powers Boothe as Raymond Chandler's title char ...

'', HBO/London Weekend Television series, April 16, 1983 to May 14, 1983, April 27, 1986 to June 3, 1986''Philip Marlowe, Private Eye''
at

IMDb IMDb (an abbreviation of Internet Movie Database) is an online database of information related to films, television series, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and personal biographies, ...

(

Powers Boothe Powers Allen Boothe (June 1, 1948 – May 14, 2017) was an American actor. He won an Emmy in 1980 for his portrayal of Jim Jones in '' Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones''. He also played saloon owner Cy Tolliver on '' Deadwood'', "C ...

as Marlowe) * '' Fallen Angels'', " Red Wind", adapted from the short story,

Showtime Showtime or Show Time may refer to: Film * ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film * ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur Television Networks and channels * Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...

Television, November 26, 1995 ( Danny Glover as Marlowe) * '' Poodle Springs'', adapted from the novel (a fragment completed by Robert B. Parker), HBO Television movie, July 25, 1998 (

James Caan James Edmund Caan ( ; March 26, 1940 – July 6, 2022) was an American actor. He came to prominence playing Sonny Corleone in ''The Godfather'' (1972) – a performance which earned him Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Best Suppo ...

as Marlowe) * ''Marlowe'', a 2007 TV pilot (

Jason O'Mara Jason O'Mara (born 6 August 1972) is an Irish actor. He has starred in the American television network dramas ''In Justice'', ''Life on Mars'', '' Terra Nova'', ''Vegas'', and ''Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.''. O'Mara won an Irish Film and Television A ...

as Marlowe)

Theater adaptations

Marlowe has appeared on stage at least twice. An adaptation of ''The Little Sister'' in 1978 in Chicago starred

Mike Genovese Mike Genovese (born Peter Michael Genovese on April 26, 1942 in St. Louis, Missouri) is an American actor. Career Genovese was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri to an Italian American family. Genovese earned a master's degree in drama a ...

as Marlowe. In 1982,

Richard Maher Richard Maher is a British screenwriter, author and playwright. Born in Bristol in 1957, he graduated from Queens' College, Cambridge in 1979. His television work includes writing for ''Pie in the Sky'' and ''Taggart'', and co-creating the ITV1 ...

and Roger Michell wrote ''Private Dick,'' in which Chandler has lost the manuscript for a novel, and calls in Marlowe to help find it. The production played in London, with

Robert Powell Robert Powell (; born 1 June 1944) is an English actor who is known for the title roles in '' Mahler'' (1974) and ''Jesus of Nazareth'' (1977), and for his portrayal of secret agent Richard Hannay in '' The Thirty Nine Steps'' (1978) and its s ...

as Marlowe.

Video game adaptations

* '' Philip Marlowe: Private Eye'', Byron Preiss (developer),

Simon & Schuster Simon & Schuster () is an American publishing company and a subsidiary of Paramount Global. It was founded in New York City on January 2, 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. As of 2016, Simon & Schuster was the third largest pu ...

(publisher), 1996–1997

Podcasts

In 2018 an unauthorized original Philip Marlowe audio fiction,
A Man Named Marlowe
' was produced by The WallBreakers. Set in 1935, the story predates ''The Big Sleep'' and tells of a Marlowe run-in with two supposedly dead gunmen from the old west: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

References in other works

* The character appears in the 1982 comedy film '' Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid'', played by Humphrey Bogart, through clips pulled from ''The Big Sleep'' and other films. * In the pilot episode of '' Bored to Death'', the main character

Jonathan Ames Jonathan Ames (; born March 23, 1964) is an American author who has written a number of novels and comic memoirs, and is the creator of two television series, '' Bored to Death'' ( HBO) and ''Blunt Talk'' ( STARZ). In the late '90s and early ...

(played by

Jason Schwartzman Jason Francesco Schwartzman (born June 26, 1980) is an American actor and musician. Schwartzman made his film debut in Wes Anderson's 1998 film '' Rushmore'', and has gone on to appear in six other Anderson films: '' The Darjeeling Limited'' (2 ...

) reads ''

'' and uses the name Philip Marlowe as a pseudonym. * The central character in

Dennis Potter Dennis Christopher George Potter (17 May 1935 – 7 June 1994) was an English television dramatist, screenwriter and journalist. He is best known for his BBC television serials '' Pennies from Heaven'' (1978), ''The Singing Detective'' (198 ...

's ''

The Singing Detective ''The Singing Detective'' is a BBC television serial drama, written by Dennis Potter, starring Michael Gambon and directed by Jon Amiel. Its six episodes are "Skin", "Heat", "Lovely Days", "Clues", "Pitter Patter" and "Who Done It". The ser ...

'' is crime novelist Philip E. Marlow, portrayed in the original TV version by Michael Gambon and in the later

film version A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dia ...

Robert Downey Jr. Robert John Downey Jr. (born April 4, 1965) is an American actor and producer. His career has been characterized by critical and popular success in his youth, followed by a period of substance abuse and legal troubles, before a resurgence of ...

* Marlowe is referenced in the lyrics to Burton Cummings' 1979 song "Dream of a Child" and Dire Straits' "Private Investigations". * The two main characters of the film ''

Radioactive Dreams ''Radioactive Dreams'' is a 1985 post-apocalyptic science fiction-comedy film written and directed by Albert Pyun and starring George Kennedy, Michael Dudikoff, Don Murray, and Lisa Blount. The names of the two main characters are homages t ...

'' are named Philip and Marlowe; Philip narrates it in a similar style as Chandler's novels. * In the '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' episode "

The Big Goodbye "The Big Goodbye" is the twelfth episode of the American science fiction television series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation''. The episode first aired in broadcast syndication on January 11, 1988. This was the second writing credit of the s ...

", a computer malfunction traps Jean-Luc Picard,

Data In the pursuit of knowledge, data (; ) is a collection of discrete Value_(semiotics), values that convey information, describing quantity, qualitative property, quality, fact, statistics, other basic units of meaning, or simply sequences of sy ...

, and

Beverly Crusher Beverly Crusher is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' franchise played by Gates McFadden. Debuting in the television series, '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'', McFadden appeared in every season except for the second, as well as its spin ...

in a 1940s Dixon Hill detective story

holodeck The Holodeck is a fictional device from the television franchise ''Star Trek'' which uses "holograms" (projected light and electromagnetic energy which create the illusion of solid objects) to create a realistic 3D simulation of a real or imag ...

program, in homage to such characters as Marlowe and Sam Spade, among others. * In ''

Kamen Rider W , is a 2009-2010 Japanese tokusatsu drama, the eleventh series in the Heisei period run of the Kamen Rider Series and the twentieth overall. It premiered following the finale of ''Kamen Rider Decade'' on September 6, 2009, and aired alongside '' S ...

'', Sokichi Narumi gives Raito Sonozaki the name "Philip" due to his fondness of Philip Marlowe. * ''Smart Philip'' (2003): Crime comedy film inspired by Chandler's work with

Tomáš Hanák Tomáš Hanák (born March 27, 1957) is a Czech actor, comedian, screenwriter, and TV presenter who has appeared in several films and television shows since 1984. He is also an occasional singer. Biography Hanák was born in Kremnica, Czechoslo ...

as Philip Marlowe.

References

External links

Philip Marlowe
on

BBC Radio 4 Presents: Classic Chandler

Audio

OTR Network Library: ''The Adventures of Philip Marlowe'' (63 episodes)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Marlowe, Philip Fictional characters from Los Angeles Fictional detectives Fictional private investigators Series of books Characters in pulp fiction Characters in American novels of the 20th century Literary characters introduced in 1939 Thriller film characters Crime film characters Characters in short stories Detective fiction short stories Male characters in literature Male characters in film

Inspiration

Biographical notes

Marlowe bibliography

Original short stories by Raymond Chandler

Original Philip Marlowe works by Raymond Chandler

Authorized works by other writers

Authorized novels by other writers

Film adaptations

Radio and television adaptations

Radio

Television

Theater adaptations

Video game adaptations

Podcasts

References in other works

See also

References

External links

Audio