Dennis Lehane (actor)
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Dennis Lehane ( ; born August 4, 1965) is an American author and screenwriter. He has published more than a dozen novels; the first several were a series of mysteries featuring recurring characters, including ''
A Drink Before the War ''A Drink Before the War'' is a crime novel by American writer Dennis Lehane, published in 1994. It was his debut novel. It is the first book in a series focusing on Boston-based private investigators Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro. Plot s ...
''. Four of his novels have been adapted into films of the same names:
Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western (genre), Western TV series ''Rawhide (TV series), Rawhide'', Eastwood rose to international fame with his role as the "Ma ...
's ''
Mystic River The Mystic River is a riverU.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 in Massachusetts. In the Massachusett language, means "large estuary", alluding to the tidal ...
'' (2003),
Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November17, 1942) is an American filmmaker. One of the major figures of the New Hollywood era, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Martin Scorsese, many accolades, including an Academ ...
's '' Shutter Island'' (2010), and ''
Gone Baby Gone ''Gone Baby Gone'' is a 2007 American neo-noir crime thriller film directed by Ben Affleck in his directorial debut. Affleck co-wrote the screenplay with Aaron Stockard based on the 1998 novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane. The film star ...
'' (2007) and ''Live by Night'' (2016), both directed by
Ben Affleck Benjamin Géza Affleck (born August 15, 1972) is an American actor and filmmaker. His accolades include two Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, and three Golden Globes. Affleck began his career as a child when he starred in the PBS educatio ...
. His short story "Animal Rescue" was also adapted into the film ''The Drop'', noted for being the final film role for actor
James Gandolfini James John Gandolfini (; September 18, 1961June 19, 2013) was an American actor. He was best known for his portrayal of Tony Soprano, the Italian-American American Mafia, Mafia crime boss in HBO's television series ''The Sopranos'' (1999–2007 ...
.


Personal life

Lehane was born and raised in the Dorchester neighborhood of
Boston, Massachusetts Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
. He lived in the Boston area most of his life, where he sets most of his books, but now lives in
southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural List of regions of California, region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its densely populated coastal reg ...
. He spent summers on Fieldston Beach in Marshfield.Kristen Walsh, "Lehane likes to keep it close to home; Dorchester native favors South Shore locales", ''
The Patriot Ledger ''The Patriot Ledger'' is a daily newspaper in Quincy, Massachusetts, that serves the South Shore. It publishes Monday through Saturday. History The paper was founded on , as the weekly ''Quincy Patriot'' by John Adams Green and Edmund Butl ...
'' (Quincy, MA). June 9, 2007. Pg. ONE21.
Lehane is the youngest of five children. His father was a foreman for
Sears & Roebuck Sears, Roebuck and Co., commonly known as Sears ( ), is an American chain of department stores and online retailer founded in 1892 by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck and reincorporated in 1906 by Richard Sears and Julius Rosenwal ...
, and his mother worked in a Boston public school cafeteria. Both of his parents emigrated from
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
.Introduction of Dennis Lehane by Dr. Donald R. Eastman, III
. Eckerd College Commencement 2005. Accessed July 13, 2007.
Lehane is a graduate of
Eckerd College Eckerd College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States. Founded in 1958, part of the campus is waterfront (area), waterfront and beach on Boca Ciega ...
in
St. Petersburg, Florida St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 258,308, making it the List of municipalities in Florida, fifth-most populous city in Florida and the most populous city in the sta ...
. His brother, Gerry Lehane, who is two and a half years older than Dennis, trained at the
Trinity Repertory Company Trinity Repertory Company (commonly abbreviated as Trinity Rep) is a non-profit regional theater located at 201 Washington Street in Providence, Rhode Island. The theater is a member of the League of Resident Theatres. Founded in 1963, the the ...
in Providence and became an actor in New York in 1990. Gerry is a member of the Invisible City Theatre Company.Bella English, "In a Related Story: The Brothers Lehane have a strong bond, and a new shared stage," ''
The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe,'' also known locally as ''the Globe'', is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes. ''The Boston Globe'' is the oldest and largest daily new ...
''. November 29, 2005. Pg. C1.
Lehane is married to Chisa Lehane. He has two children from a previous marriage. He is a graduate of
Boston College High School Boston College High School (also known as BC High) is an all-male, Society of Jesus, Jesuit, Catholic Church, Catholic College-preparatory school, college-preparatory day school in the Columbia Point, Boston, Columbia Point neighborhood of Dorche ...
(a Jesuit prep school),
Eckerd College Eckerd College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States. Founded in 1958, part of the campus is waterfront (area), waterfront and beach on Boca Ciega ...
(where he found his passion for writing), and the graduate program in
creative writing Creative writing is any writing that goes beyond the boundaries of normal professional, journalistic, academic, or technical forms of literature, typically identified by an emphasis on craft and technique, such as narrative structure, character ...
at
Florida International University Florida International University (FIU) is a public research university with its main campus in Westchester, Florida, United States. Founded in 1965 by the Florida Legislature, the school opened to students in 1972. FIU is the third-largest univ ...
in
Miami, Florida Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
. He occasionally made guest appearances as himself in the
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...
comedy/drama TV series ''
Castle A castle is a type of fortification, fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by Military order (monastic society), military orders. Scholars usually consider a ''castle'' to be the private ...
.''


Career


Literary career

Lehane's first novel, ''
A Drink Before the War ''A Drink Before the War'' is a crime novel by American writer Dennis Lehane, published in 1994. It was his debut novel. It is the first book in a series focusing on Boston-based private investigators Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro. Plot s ...
'' (1994), which introduced the recurring characters Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro, won the 1995
Shamus Award The Shamus Award is awarded by the Private Eye Writers of America (PWA) for the best detective fiction ( P. I. = Private investigator) genre novels and short stories A short story is a piece of prose fiction. It can typically be read in a sing ...
for Best First P.I. Novel. The fourth novel in the series, ''Gone, Baby, Gone'', was adapted into a film of the same title in 2007; it was directed by
Ben Affleck Benjamin Géza Affleck (born August 15, 1972) is an American actor and filmmaker. His accolades include two Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, and three Golden Globes. Affleck began his career as a child when he starred in the PBS educatio ...
and starred
Casey Affleck Casey Affleck (born Caleb Casey McGuire Affleck-Boldt; August 12, 1975) is an American actor. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Casey Affleck, various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film ...
and
Michelle Monaghan Michelle Lynn Monaghan ( , born March 23, 1976) is an American actress. She has starred in the films ''Kiss Kiss Bang Bang'' (2005), ''Gone Baby Gone'' (2007), ''Made of Honor'' (2008), ''Eagle Eye'' (2008), ''Trucker (film), Trucker'' (2008), '' ...
as Kenzie and Gennaro. Commenting on the movie after a sneak peek, Lehane said, "I saw the movie and it's terrific, I wasn't gonna say anything if I didn't like it but it's really terrific.""Inside Track; Lehane: 'Gone' great, baby, great" by Gayle Fee and Laura Raposa with Erin Hayes. ''
The Boston Herald The ''Boston Herald'' is an American conservative daily newspaper whose primary market is Boston, Massachusetts, and its surrounding area. It was founded in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States. It has been awarde ...
''. July 10, 2007. Pg. 010.
Reportedly, Lehane "has never wanted to write the screenplays for the films ased on his own books because he says he has 'no desire to operate on my own child.'" Lehane's novel ''
Mystic River The Mystic River is a riverU.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 in Massachusetts. In the Massachusett language, means "large estuary", alluding to the tidal ...
'' was adapted into a film in 2003; also called ''
Mystic River The Mystic River is a riverU.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 in Massachusetts. In the Massachusett language, means "large estuary", alluding to the tidal ...
'' and directed by
Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western (genre), Western TV series ''Rawhide (TV series), Rawhide'', Eastwood rose to international fame with his role as the "Ma ...
, it starred
Sean Penn Sean Justin Penn (born August 17, 1960) is an American actor and film director. He is known for his intense leading man roles in film. List of awards and nominations received by Sean Penn, His accolades include two Academy Awards, a Golden Gl ...
,
Tim Robbins Timothy Francis Robbins (born October 16, 1958) is an American actor. He is best known for portraying Andy Dufresne in the film '' The Shawshank Redemption ''(1994), and Jacob Singer in '' Jacob's Ladder'' (1990), as well as winning an Academy ...
, and
Kevin Bacon Kevin Norwood Bacon (born July 8, 1958) is an American actor. Known for various roles, including leading man characters, Bacon has received numerous accolades such as a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Bacon made his featu ...
. Lehane can be briefly seen waving from a car in the parade scene at the end of the film. The novel itself was a finalist for the PEN/Winship Award and won the
Anthony Award The Anthony Awards are literary awards for mystery writers presented at the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention since 1986. The awards are named for Anthony Boucher (1911–1968), one of the founders of the Mystery Writers of America. Categori ...
and the Barry Award for Best Novel, the Massachusetts Book Award in Fiction, and France's
Prix Mystère de la critique Prix was an American power pop band formed in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1975 by Tommy Hoehn and Jon Tiven. The group ended up primarily as a studio project. Its recordings were produced by Tiven along with former Big Star member Chris Bell, who ...
. Lehane's first play, ''Coronado'', debuted in New York in December 2005, produced by Invisible City Theater Company. The play had its regional premiere at American Stage in St. Petersburg in April 2006 and its Midwest premiere in the fall of 2007 with Steep Theatre Company in
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
. ''Coronado'' is based on his acclaimed short story ''Until Gwen'', which was originally published in ''
The Atlantic Monthly ''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher based in Washington, D.C. It features articles on politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science. It was founded in 1857 ...
'' and was selected for both ''The Best American Short Stories'' and ''The Best Mystery Short Stories'' of 2005. Lehane described working on his historical novel, '' The Given Day'', as "a five- or six-year project." the novel opens in 1918 and encompasses the 1919 Boston Police Strike and its aftermath. According to Lehane, "The strike changed everything. It had a big effect on the unionization movement, and
Prohibition Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic b ...
came on the heels of that, then
Calvin Coolidge Calvin Coolidge (born John Calvin Coolidge Jr.; ; July 4, 1872January 5, 1933) was the 30th president of the United States, serving from 1923 to 1929. A Republican Party (United States), Republican lawyer from Massachusetts, he previously ...
promising to break the unions. That's all linked to what's going on now.". While Lehane's epic novel centers on the 1919 Boston police strike, it contains a national sweep and may be the first of a trilogy or perhaps a four-book series. Lehane called the novel his "great white whale" and said that when he finally finished it, he would "either write a sequel—or take a break from the cops and return to Patrick and Angie." The novel was published in October 2008.Colette Bancroft, "From Passing Thought to 'Fiery Epic'", ''St. Petersburg Times (Florida)'', Festival of Reading; Pg. 5. October 23, 2008. On October 22, 2007, Paramount Pictures announced that it had optioned ''Shutter Island'' with
Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November17, 1942) is an American filmmaker. One of the major figures of the New Hollywood era, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Martin Scorsese, many accolades, including an Academ ...
attached as director. The
Laeta Kalogridis Laeta Kalogridis ( ) is an American screenwriter and television and film producer of Greek descent. She has written scripts for ''Alexander'' (2004), '' Night Watch'' (2004), ''Pathfinder'' (2007) and '' Shutter Island'' (2010). She also serve ...
-scripted adaptation has
Leonardo DiCaprio Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio (; ; born November 11, 1974) is an American actor and film producer. Known for Leonardo DiCaprio filmography, his work in biographical and period films, he is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received ...
playing U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels, "who is investigating the disappearance of a murderess who escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane and is presumed to be hiding on the remote Shutter Island."
Mark Ruffalo Mark Alan Ruffalo (; born November 22, 1967) is an American actor. He began acting in the late 1980s and first gained recognition for his work in Kenneth Lonergan's play ''This Is Our Youth'' (1996) and drama film ''You Can Count on Me'' (2000) ...
plays U.S. Marshal Chuck Aule. Production started in March 2008; ''Shutter Island'' was released on February 19, 2010. In 2010 Lehane published ''Moonlight Mile'', his sixth book in the Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro series, and his first of that genre in 11 years. He published ''World Gone By'' in March 2015. Lehane was appointed to the board of trustees of the
Boston Public Library The Boston Public Library is a municipal public library system in Boston, Massachusetts, founded in 1848. The Boston Public Library is also Massachusetts' Library for the Commonwealth (formerly ''library of last recourse''), meaning all adult re ...
by Mayor
Thomas Menino Thomas Michael Menino (December 27, 1942 – October 30, 2014) was an American politician who served as the mayor of Boston, from 1993 to 2014. He was the city's longest-serving mayor. He was elected mayor in 1993 after first serving three mont ...
in December 2011. Lehane's ''
Small Mercies Small Mercies were an Australian alternative rock band from Brisbane, Queensland. They formed in 1997. They used the names, Seventh Avenue and Blaik, before adopting Small Mercies in 2004. Their final line-up was Steve Blaik on lead vocals and ...
'' received praise from
Richard Russo Richard Russo (born July 15, 1949) is an American novelist, short story writer, screenwriter, and teacher. In 2002, he was awarded a Pulitzer Prize in Fiction for his novel '' Empire Falls''. Several of his works have been adapted into televisi ...
, who said: "Think of all your favorite hard-boiled authors (Hammett? Chandler? Ross Macdonald? Robert Parker?) and their tough guy heroes (Spade? Marlowe? Lew Archer? Spenser?). Not one of them could take Lehane's Mary Pat in a fair fight, and they wouldn't last a day in his Southie."


Teaching career

Since becoming a literary success, Lehane has taught at several colleges. He taught fiction writing and serves as a member of the board of directors for the Solstice Low-Residency MFA Program at
Pine Manor College Messina College is an undergraduate constituent college of Boston College. Until 2020 the school was an independent private college in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts referred to as "Pine Manor College" (PMC). The school was founded in 1911 as a p ...
in
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts Chestnut Hill is a wealthy New England village located west of downtown Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is best known for being home to Boston College and a section of the Boston Marathon route. Like all Massachusetts villages, Ch ...
. He has also taught advanced fiction writing at
Harvard University Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...
. In May 2005, Lehane was presented with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from
Eckerd College Eckerd College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States. Founded in 1958, part of the campus is waterfront (area), waterfront and beach on Boca Ciega ...
and was appointed to Eckerd's board of trustees later that year. As of June 2006, he was living temporarily in
St. Petersburg, Florida St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 258,308, making it the List of municipalities in Florida, fifth-most populous city in Florida and the most populous city in the sta ...
, and teaching as writer-in-residence at Eckerd (usually during the spring semester), where he also co-directs the Writers in Paradise conference each January.


Film career

Lehane wrote and directed an independent film called ''Neighborhoods'' in the mid-1990s. Later described as similar to ''
Good Will Hunting ''Good Will Hunting'' is a 1997 American drama film directed by Gus Van Sant and written by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. It stars Robin Williams, Damon, Affleck, Stellan Skarsgård and Minnie Driver. The film tells the story of janitor Will Hunt ...
,'' it was set in Boston's working class areas like Southie and Dorchester. Its production ended in 1996, more than a year before the better-known ''Good Will Hunting''. Lehane joined the writing staff of the
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...
drama series ''
The Wire ''The Wire'' is an American Crime fiction, crime Drama (film and television), drama television series created and primarily written by the American author and former police reporter David Simon for the cable network HBO. The series premiered o ...
'' for the third season in 2004. Lehane wrote the teleplay for the episode " Dead Soldiers" from a story by series creator and executive producer
David Simon David Judah Simon (born February 9, 1960) is an American author, journalist, screenwriter, and producer best known for his work on ''The Wire'' (2002–2008). He worked for ''The Baltimore Sun'' City Desk for twelve years (1982–1995), wrote '' ...
. Lehane made a cameo appearance in the third-season episode, " Middle Ground," as Sullivan, an officer in charge of special equipment. Lehane has commented that he was impressed by the show's creators (
David Simon David Judah Simon (born February 9, 1960) is an American author, journalist, screenwriter, and producer best known for his work on ''The Wire'' (2002–2008). He worked for ''The Baltimore Sun'' City Desk for twelve years (1982–1995), wrote '' ...
and
Ed Burns Edward P. Burns (born January 29, 1946) is an American screenwriter and television producer. He has worked closely with writing partner David Simon. For HBO, they have collaborated on '' The Corner,'' ''The Wire,'' ''Generation Kill'', ''The ...
) having such an ear for authentic street slang. Lehane returned as a writer for the fourth season in 2006 and wrote the teleplay for the episode "
Refugees A refugee, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is a person "forced to flee their own country and seek safety in another country. They are unable to return to their own country because of feared persecution as ...
," from a story he co-wrote with producer
Ed Burns Edward P. Burns (born January 29, 1946) is an American screenwriter and television producer. He has worked closely with writing partner David Simon. For HBO, they have collaborated on '' The Corner,'' ''The Wire,'' ''Generation Kill'', ''The ...
. Lehane and the writing staff won the Writers Guild of America (WGA) Award for Best Dramatic Series at the February 2008 ceremony and the 2007
Edgar Award The Edgar Allan Poe Awards, popularly called the Edgars, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America which is based in New York City. Named after American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), a pioneer in the genre, the awards hon ...
for Best Television Feature/Mini-Series Teleplay for their work on the fourth season. Lehane served as a writer for the fifth and final season in 2008 and was credited with the episode " Clarifications". He and the writing staff were nominated for the WGA Award for Best Dramatic Series again at the February 2009 ceremony for their work on the fifth season but ''Mad Men'' won the award. He served as an executive producer for ''Shutter Island''. On November 27, 2012, ''The Boston Herald'' reported that Lehane would join the writing staff of HBO's ''
Boardwalk Empire ''Boardwalk Empire'' is an American period crime drama television series created by Terence Winter for the premium cable channel HBO. The series is set chiefly in Atlantic City, New Jersey, during the Prohibition era of the 1920s. The series sta ...
'' as a writer and a creative consultant. He will consult with showrunner
Terence Winter Terence Patrick Winter (born October 2, 1960) is an American writer and producer of television and film. He was the creator, writer, and executive producer of the HBO television series '' Boardwalk Empire'' (2010–2014). Before creating ''Boar ...
on the outline of the fourth season of the show, and he confirmed that he would write at least one episode. Lehane wrote his first film screenplay, '' The Drop,'' as an adaptation of his short story "Animal Rescue". The film stars Tom Hardy,
Noomi Rapace Noomi Rapace (; ; born 28 December 1979) is a Swedish actress.Karen Olsson, ''The New York Times Magazine'', 27 May 2012, p. 26. She achieved international fame with her portrayal of Lisbeth Salander in the Swedish film adaptations of the ''Mil ...
, and
James Gandolfini James John Gandolfini (; September 18, 1961June 19, 2013) was an American actor. He was best known for his portrayal of Tony Soprano, the Italian-American American Mafia, Mafia crime boss in HBO's television series ''The Sopranos'' (1999–2007 ...
(in his final film performance). Released September 12, 2014, the movie received positive reviews, particularly for its "smartly written script." In 2013 Lehane was contracted to write a screenplay, ''Silk Road,'' about the online black market. That same year he was attached to adapt the script for the remake of the critically acclaimed French film ''
A Prophet ''A Prophet'' () is a 2009 French prison crime film directed by Jacques Audiard with a screenplay by Audiard, Thomas Bidegain, Abdel Raouf Dafri and Nicolas Peufaillit, from a story by Dafri. The film stars Tahar Rahim in the title role as an ...
,'' a prison drama.


Works


Bibliography


Novels

''Kenzie & Gennaro'' series: # ''
A Drink Before the War ''A Drink Before the War'' is a crime novel by American writer Dennis Lehane, published in 1994. It was his debut novel. It is the first book in a series focusing on Boston-based private investigators Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro. Plot s ...
'' (1994). # '' Darkness, Take My Hand'' (1996). # ''
Sacred Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects ( ...
'' (1997). # '' Gone, Baby, Gone'' (1998). # '' Prayers for Rain'' (1999). # '' Moonlight Mile'' (2010). ''Coughlin'' series: # '' The Given Day'' (2008). # ''
Live by Night ''Live by Night'' is a crime novel by American writer Dennis Lehane, published in 2012. It won a 2013 Edgar Award for novel of the year. Plot summary By 1926, Prohibition has given rise to an endless network of underground distilleries, sp ...
'' (2012). # '' World Gone By'' (2015). Stand-alones: * ''
Mystic River The Mystic River is a riverU.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 in Massachusetts. In the Massachusett language, means "large estuary", alluding to the tidal ...
'' (2001). * '' Shutter Island'' (2003). * '' Coronado: Stories'' (2006). * '' The Drop'' (2014). * '' Since We Fell'' (2017). * ''
Small Mercies Small Mercies were an Australian alternative rock band from Brisbane, Queensland. They formed in 1997. They used the names, Seventh Avenue and Blaik, before adopting Small Mercies in 2004. Their final line-up was Steve Blaik on lead vocals and ...
'' (2023).


Short stories

* "Until Gwen"
The Atlantic
June 2004) * "Animal Rescue" (2009) * "Red Eye" – in "FaceOff" (2014), co-written with
Michael Connelly Michael Joseph Connelly (born July 21, 1956) is an American author of Detective fiction, detective novels and other crime fiction, notably those featuring Los Angeles Police Department, LAPD Detective Harry Bosch, Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch and cr ...
; a Harry Bosch story, with Patrick Kenzie


Filmography

* ''
Mystic River The Mystic River is a riverU.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 in Massachusetts. In the Massachusett language, means "large estuary", alluding to the tidal ...
'' (2003) novel the film is based on * ''
The Wire ''The Wire'' is an American Crime fiction, crime Drama (film and television), drama television series created and primarily written by the American author and former police reporter David Simon for the cable network HBO. The series premiered o ...
'' (2002 TV series) writer ** Episode 3.03 " Dead Soldiers" (2004) story and teleplay ** Episode 3.11 " Middle Ground" (2004) actor ** Episode 4.04 "
Refugees A refugee, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is a person "forced to flee their own country and seek safety in another country. They are unable to return to their own country because of feared persecution as ...
" (2006) story and teleplay ** Episode 5.08 " Clarifications" (2008) story and teleplay * ''
Gone Baby Gone ''Gone Baby Gone'' is a 2007 American neo-noir crime thriller film directed by Ben Affleck in his directorial debut. Affleck co-wrote the screenplay with Aaron Stockard based on the 1998 novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane. The film star ...
'' (2007) novel the film is based on * '' Shutter Island'' (2010) novel the film is based on; executive producer * ''
Castle A castle is a type of fortification, fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by Military order (monastic society), military orders. Scholars usually consider a ''castle'' to be the private ...
'' (2009) actor, as himself ** Episode 3.21 "
The Dead Pool ''The Dead Pool'' is a 1988 American action-thriller film directed by Buddy Van Horn, written by Steve Sharon, and starring Clint Eastwood as Inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan. It is the fifth and final film in the ''Dirty Harry'' film serie ...
" (2011) * ''
Boardwalk Empire ''Boardwalk Empire'' is an American period crime drama television series created by Terence Winter for the premium cable channel HBO. The series is set chiefly in Atlantic City, New Jersey, during the Prohibition era of the 1920s. The series sta ...
'' (2013 TV series) writer; creative consultant ** Episode 4.02 "Resignation" (2013) * '' The Drop'' (2014) screenwriter, based on his own short story "Animal Rescue" * ''
Live by Night ''Live by Night'' is a crime novel by American writer Dennis Lehane, published in 2012. It won a 2013 Edgar Award for novel of the year. Plot summary By 1926, Prohibition has given rise to an endless network of underground distilleries, sp ...
'' (2016) novel the film is based on * '' Mr. Mercedes'' (2017 TV series) writer; consulting producer ** Episode 1.04 "Gods Who Fall" (2017) ** Episode 1.06 "People in the Rain" (2017) ** Episode 1.07 "Willow Lake" (2017) ** Episode 1.10 "Jibber-Jibber Chicken Dinner" (2017) ** Episode 2.01 "Missed You" (2018) ** Episode 2.07 "Fell On Black Days" (2018, with Samantha Stratton & Mike Batistick) ** Episode 2.09 "Walk Like a Man" (2018, with David E. Kelley) * '' The Outsider'' (2020 miniseries) writer ** Episode 1.07 "In the Pines, In the Pines" (2020) ** Episode 1.09 "Tigers and Bears" (2020) * '' Black Bird'' (2022 miniseries) developer and writer * ''
Smoke Smoke is an aerosol (a suspension of airborne particulates and gases) emitted when a material undergoes combustion or pyrolysis, together with the quantity of air that is entrained or otherwise mixed into the mass. It is commonly an unwante ...
'' (2025 miniseries) developer and writer


Awards and nominations

;Notes * A Shared with
Brian Helgeland Brian Thomas Helgeland (born January 17, 1961) is an American screenwriter, film producer, and director. He is best known for writing the screenplays for the films '' L.A. Confidential'' (1998) and '' Mystic River'' (2003). He wrote and directed ...
, while tied with
Gary Ross Gary Ross (born November 3, 1956) is an American screenwriter, director, and producer. He is best known for writing and directing the fantasy comedy-drama film '' Pleasantville'' (1998), the sports drama film ''Seabiscuit'' (2003), the dystopia ...
and
Laura Hillenbrand Laura Hillenbrand (born May 15, 1967) is an American author. Her two bestselling nonfiction books, '' Seabiscuit: An American Legend'' (2001) and '' Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption'' (2010), have sold over ...
for ''
Seabiscuit Seabiscuit (May 23, 1933 – May 17, 1947) was a champion thoroughbred racehorse in the United States who became the top money-winning racehorse up to the 1940s. He beat the 1937 Triple Crown winner, War Admiral, by four lengths in a two-hors ...
'' * B Also shared with Helgeland. * C Shared with
Ed Burns Edward P. Burns (born January 29, 1946) is an American screenwriter and television producer. He has worked closely with writing partner David Simon. For HBO, they have collaborated on '' The Corner,'' ''The Wire,'' ''Generation Kill'', ''The ...
, Kia Corthron, David Mills,
Eric Overmyer Eric Ellis Overmyer (born September 25, 1951) is an American writer and producer. He has written and/or produced numerous TV shows, including '' St. Elsewhere'', '' Homicide: Life on the Street'', ''Law & Order'', ''The Wire'', ''New Amsterdam'', ...
,
George Pelecanos George P. Pelecanos (born February 18, 1957) is an American author, producer and television writer. Many of his 20 books are in the genre of detective fiction and set primarily in his hometown of Washington, D.C. On television, he frequently co ...
,
Richard Price Richard Price (23 February 1723 – 19 April 1791) was a British moral philosopher, Nonconformist minister and mathematician. He was also a political reformer and pamphleteer, active in radical, republican, and liberal causes such as the F ...
,
David Simon David Judah Simon (born February 9, 1960) is an American author, journalist, screenwriter, and producer best known for his work on ''The Wire'' (2002–2008). He worked for ''The Baltimore Sun'' City Desk for twelve years (1982–1995), wrote '' ...
and
William F. Zorzi William F. Zorzi Jr. (born 1954) is an American journalist and screenwriter. He worked at ''The Baltimore Sun'' for almost twenty years and covered politics for the majority of his career. He has also written for the HBO television series ''The ...
. * D Shared with Burns, Chris Collins, Corthron, Mills, Overmyer, Pelecanos, Price, Simon and Zorzi. * E Also shared with Burns, Collins, Mills, Pelecanos, Price, Simon and Zorzi. * F Shared with
Terence Winter Terence Patrick Winter (born October 2, 1960) is an American writer and producer of television and film. He was the creator, writer, and executive producer of the HBO television series '' Boardwalk Empire'' (2010–2014). Before creating ''Boar ...
, Nelson Johnson,
Howard Korder Howard Korder is an American screenwriter and playwright. He is the author of the 1988 coming-of-age play ''Boys' Life'', which earned him a Pulitzer Prize for Drama nomination. His play ''Search and Destroy'' was adapted into a film in 1995. ...
, Steve Kornacki, Cristine Chambers,
David Flebotte David Guy Flebotte (October 12, 1959 – July 8, 2025) was an American television producer and writer. Background Flebotte was born in Hanson, Massachusetts, on October 12, 1959. He attended Emerson College, where a professor encouraged him t ...
, David M. Matthews,
David Stenn David Stenn is an American television writer-producer, biographer, and film preservationist. His television credits range from ''Hill Street Blues'' to ''Boardwalk Empire''. He is known for his biographies of Hollywood stars Clara Bow and Jean Ha ...
, and Jennifer Ames. He has won other professional awards and honorary degrees: In Spring 2009, Lehane received the Joseph E. Connor Award and was made an honorary brother of the Phi Alpha Tau professional fraternity at
Emerson College Emerson College is a private college in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It also maintains campuses in Los Angeles and Well, Limburg, Netherlands (Kasteel Well). Founded in 1880 by Charles Wesley Emerson as a "school of Public Speaking, o ...
in Boston, Massachusetts. Other brothers and Connor Award recipients include
Robert Frost Robert Lee Frost (March26, 1874January29, 1963) was an American poet. Known for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American Colloquialism, colloquial speech, Frost frequently wrote about settings from rural life in New E ...
,
Elia Kazan Elias Kazantzoglou (, ; September 7, 1909 – September 28, 2003), known as Elia Kazan ( ), was a Greek-American film and theatre director, producer, screenwriter and actor, described by ''The New York Times'' as "one of the most honored and inf ...
,
Jack Lemmon John Uhler Lemmon III (February 8, 1925 – June 27, 2001) was an American actor. Considered proficient in both dramatic and comic roles, he was known for his anxious, middle-class everyman screen persona in comedy-drama films. He received num ...
,
Red Skelton Richard Bernard Skelton (July 18, 1913September 17, 1997) was an American entertainer best known for his national old-time radio, radio and television shows between 1937 and 1971, especially as host of the television program ''The Red Skelto ...
,
Edward R. Murrow Edward Roscoe Murrow (born Egbert Roscoe Murrow; April 25, 1908 – April 27, 1965) was an American Broadcast journalism, broadcast journalist and war correspondent. He first gained prominence during World War II with a series of live radio broa ...
,
Yul Brynner Yuliy Borisovich Briner (; July 11, 1920 – October 10, 1985), known professionally as Yul Brynner (), was a Russian-born actor. He was known for his portrayal of King Mongkut in the Rodgers and Hammerstein stage musical ''The King and I'' (19 ...
, and
Walter Cronkite Walter Leland Cronkite Jr. (November 4, 1916 – July 17, 2009) was an American broadcast journalist who served as anchorman for the ''CBS Evening News'' from 1962 to 1981. During the 1960s and 1970s, he was often cited as "the most trust ...
. Also in Spring 2009, Lehane presented the commencement speech at Emmanuel College in Boston, Massachusetts, and was awarded an honorary degree. On October 6, 2015, Lehane won a spot in Best American Mystery Stories.


Novelizations

* Novel '' The Drop'', novelization of film '' The Drop'' (2014)


Adaptations

* ''
Mystic River The Mystic River is a riverU.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 in Massachusetts. In the Massachusett language, means "large estuary", alluding to the tidal ...
'' (2003), film directed by
Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western (genre), Western TV series ''Rawhide (TV series), Rawhide'', Eastwood rose to international fame with his role as the "Ma ...
, based on novel ''
Mystic River The Mystic River is a riverU.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 in Massachusetts. In the Massachusett language, means "large estuary", alluding to the tidal ...
'' * ''
Gone Baby Gone ''Gone Baby Gone'' is a 2007 American neo-noir crime thriller film directed by Ben Affleck in his directorial debut. Affleck co-wrote the screenplay with Aaron Stockard based on the 1998 novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane. The film star ...
'' (2007), film directed by
Ben Affleck Benjamin Géza Affleck (born August 15, 1972) is an American actor and filmmaker. His accolades include two Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, and three Golden Globes. Affleck began his career as a child when he starred in the PBS educatio ...
, based on novel '' Gone, Baby, Gone'' * '' Shutter Island'' (2010), film directed by
Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November17, 1942) is an American filmmaker. One of the major figures of the New Hollywood era, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Martin Scorsese, many accolades, including an Academ ...
, based on novel '' Shutter Island'' * '' The Drop'' (2014), film directed by
Michaël R. Roskam Michaël R. Roskam (; born 1972) is a Belgian film director. Career Roskam attended St. Lucas Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels, where he studied painting and contemporary art. He graduated in 2005 from the Binger Film Institute in Amsterdam w ...
, based on short story "Animal Rescue" * ''
Live by Night ''Live by Night'' is a crime novel by American writer Dennis Lehane, published in 2012. It won a 2013 Edgar Award for novel of the year. Plot summary By 1926, Prohibition has given rise to an endless network of underground distilleries, sp ...
'' (2016), film directed by
Ben Affleck Benjamin Géza Affleck (born August 15, 1972) is an American actor and filmmaker. His accolades include two Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, and three Golden Globes. Affleck began his career as a child when he starred in the PBS educatio ...
, based on novel ''
Live by Night ''Live by Night'' is a crime novel by American writer Dennis Lehane, published in 2012. It won a 2013 Edgar Award for novel of the year. Plot summary By 1926, Prohibition has given rise to an endless network of underground distilleries, sp ...
'' * ''Gone Baby Gone'' (2018), unreleased telefilm directed by
Phillip Noyce Phillip Roger Noyce (born 29 April 1950) is an Australian film and television director. Since 1977, he has directed over 19 feature films in various genres, including historical drama ('' Newsfront'', '' Rabbit-Proof Fence'', '' The Quiet Amer ...
, based on novel '' Gone, Baby, Gone''


References


External links

* *
Interview with Dennis Lehane
''Speaking of Mysteries TV Series'' (2001) {{DEFAULTSORT:Lehane, Dennis 1965 births 20th-century American novelists 21st-century American novelists American male novelists American mystery writers American crime fiction writers American male screenwriters Boston College High School alumni Eckerd College alumni Harvard University faculty Living people Florida International University people Novelists from Boston Writers Guild of America Award winners Irish-American history American writers of Irish descent Nero Award winners Anthony Award winners Shamus Award winners Barry Award winners Dilys Award winners Edgar Award winners 20th-century American male writers 21st-century American male writers People from Dorchester, Boston Writers from Boston Screenwriters from Massachusetts