Ellis Edward Amburn (2 August 1933 – 18 August 2018) was an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

book editor and biographer.

Life

A 1954 graduate of Texas Christian University, Ellis Amburn worked as a reporter for '' Newsweek'' before going into the book publishing industry where he rose to the position of

editor Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, photographic, visual, audible, or cinematic material used by a person or an entity to convey a message or information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, orga ...

, working for such well-known publishers as Delacorte Press, Coward-McCann, William Morrow. During his career, Amburn was an editor for authors such John le Carré,

Belva Plain Belva Plain (October 9, 1915 – October 12, 2010), née Offenberg, was a best-selling American author of mainstream fiction. Biography Belva Offenberg was a third-generation Jewish American who was raised in New York City. She graduated from Ba ...

, Muriel Spark,

Joshua Logan Joshua Lockwood Logan III (October 5, 1908 – July 12, 1988) was an American director, writer, and actor. He shared a Pulitzer Prize for co-writing the musical '' South Pacific'' and was involved in writing other musicals. Early years Logan ...

and for

Jack Kerouac Jean-Louis Lebris de Kérouac (; March 12, 1922 – October 21, 1969), known as Jack Kerouac, was an American novelist and poet who, alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, was a pioneer of the Beat Generation. Of French-Canadian a ...

, who would be the subject of Amburn's 1998 book on which Leonardo DiCaprio has optioned

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

rights. Amburn served as editorial director for G. P. Putnam's Sons and in addition worked as a ghostwriter for Priscilla Presley, Shelley Winters,

Peggy Lee Norma Deloris Egstrom (May 26, 1920 – January 21, 2002), known professionally as Peggy Lee, was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, composer, and actress, over a career spanning seven decades. From her beginning as a vocalis ...

and Zsa Zsa Gabor. In 1990, he produced his first biography on fellow Texan

Roy Orbison Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician known for his impassioned singing style, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. His music was described by critics as ...

that led to further such books. He is noted for his exhaustive research, even going so far as to live for several weeks at the home of the parents of Orbison's first wife, Claudette Frady-Orbison. His books have generated controversy at times (such as his biography of Janis Joplin), and he is reviled by many Buddy Holly and Roy Orbison fans for presenting hearsay as fact. Amburn lived in High Springs, Florida, outside of Gainesville and in Tifton, Georgia. His papers are held at Texas Christian University.

Death

The Virginian-Pilot and the literary website Shelf Awareness reported that Amburn died on Saturday, August 18, 2018, after a long illness. Maureen O'Brien, book editor, ghostwriter, and friend of Amburn's remembered him thus: "Always the chipper man about town and cheerleader to his multitude of friends all over the world, Ellis was writing and editing right up to the end, working on a memoir of his celebrity-filled life in the book biz, where he was considered one of the best pop culture chroniclers from New York City to Hollywood and all points in between. A great gossip and even better confidant and friend, he was a true role model and mentor."

Partial bibliography

*'' Pearl: The Obsessions and Passions of Janis Joplin'' (2005) - Warner Books *'' The Sexiest Man Alive : A Biography of Warren Beatty'' (2002) - HarperCollins *'' The Most Beautiful Woman in the World: The Obsessions, Passions, and Courage of Elizabeth Taylor'' (2000) - HarperCollins *'' Subterranean Kerouac: The Hidden Life of Jack Kerouac'' (1998) - St. Martin's Press *'' Buddy Holly: A Biography'' (1995) - St. Martin's Press *'' Dark Star: The Roy Orbison Story'' (1990) - Carol Publishing Group *'' Olivia de Havilland and the Golden Age of Hollywood'' (2018) -

Lyons Press Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group is an independent publishing house founded in 1949. Under several imprints, the company offers scholarly books for the academic market, as well as trade books. The company also owns the book distributing compa ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Amburn, Ellis 1933 births American biographers American male biographers Celebrity biographers People from High Springs, Florida People from Jack County, Texas People from Tifton, Georgia Texas Christian University alumni Writers from Texas 2018 deaths