Marvin H. Albert (January 22, 1924 – March 25, 1996) was an American writer of

mystery Mystery, The Mystery, Mysteries or The Mysteries may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters *Mystery, a cat character in ''Emily the Strange'' *Mystery, a seahorse that SpongeBob SquarePants adopts in the episode " My Pre ...

crime In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a State (polity), state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definiti ...

and

adventure An adventure is an exciting experience or undertaking that is typically bold, sometimes risky. Adventures may be activities with danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting, or other extreme spo ...

novel A novel is an extended work of narrative fiction usually written in prose and published as a book. The word derives from the for 'new', 'news', or 'short story (of something new)', itself from the , a singular noun use of the neuter plural of ...

s including ones featuring Pete (Pierre-Ange rench: Stone Angel Sawyer, a French-American

private investigator A private investigator (often abbreviated to PI; also known as a private detective, an inquiry agent or informally a wikt:private eye, private eye) is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. ...

living and working in France.

Biography

During World War II Albert served in the

United States Merchant Marine The United States Merchant Marine is an organization composed of United States civilian sailor, mariners and U.S. civilian and federally owned merchant vessels. Both the civilian mariners and the merchant vessels are managed by a combination of ...

as a radio operator. After working as the director of a Philadelphia children's theater troupe he moved to New York in 1950 and began writing and editing for ''Quick'' and '' Look'' magazines. He began writing full-time over the success of his 1956 Western novel ''

The Law and Jake Wade ''The Law and Jake Wade'' is a 1958 American Western film directed by John Sturges and starring Robert Taylor and Richard Widmark. The picture was based on the 1956 novel by Marvin H. Albert. The film was shot on location in California's High ...

''. He sometimes wrote under

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true meaning ( orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individual's o ...

s such as Albert Conroy, Ian McAlister, Nick Quarry and Anthony Rome. Settings for his novels include France (where he lived for some time),

Miami 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 ...

and the

Old West The American frontier, also known as the Old West, and popularly known as the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that bega ...

. A 1975 international suspense thriller, ''The Gargoyle Conspiracy'', written under his own name, was an

Edgar Edgar is a commonly used masculine English given name, from an Anglo-Saxon name ''Edgar'' (composed of ''wikt:en:ead, ead'' "rich, prosperous" and ''Gar (spear), gar'' "spear"). Like most Anglo-Saxon names, it fell out of use by the Late Midd ...

nominee in the category of Best Mystery Novel.

Novels

Westerns

*''The Law and Jake Wade'' (1956), filmed under the same title (1958) *''Apache Rising'' (1957), filmed as ''

Duel at Diablo ''Duel at Diablo'' is a 1966 American Western film directed by Ralph Nelson starring James Garner and Sidney Poitier. It is based on Marvin H. Albert's 1957 novel ''Apache Rising''. The production shot on location in southern Utah. The film wa ...

'' (1966) *''The Bounty Killer'' (1958), filmed as (Italian-Spanish movie) '' El Precio de un Hombre'' (1966), aka '' The Ugly Ones'' in the US. *''Renegade Posse'' (1958), filmed as ''

Bullet for a Badman A bullet is a kinetic projectile, a component of firearm ammunition that is shot from a gun barrel. They are made of a variety of materials, such as copper, lead, steel, polymer, rubber and even wax; and are made in various shapes and constru ...

'' (1964) *''The Reformed Gun'' (1959) *''Rider from Wind River'' (1959) *''Posse at High Pass'' (1964)

Westerns written under the name Al Conroy

A series featuring the common character Clayburn. They were later reprinted in 1989-90 under Marvin Albert's own name. *''Clayburn'' (1961). *''Last Train to Bannock'' (1963) *''Three Rode North'' (1964) *'' The Man in Black'' (1965), filmed as '' Rough Night in Jericho'' (1967; Albert also wrote the screenplay)

Detective novels written under the name Al Conroy

* ''The Road's End'' (1952) * ''The Chiselers'' (1953) * ''Nice Guys Finish Dead'' (1957) (filmed as ''À Corps À Cris'' (1989) * ''Murder in Room 13'' (1958) (filmed as ''Adieu Marin!'' (1993) * ''The Mob Says Murder'' (1958) * ''Devil in Dungarees'' (1960)

Jake Barrow Private Eye written under the name Nick Quarry

*''The Hoods Come Calling'' (1958) *''The Girl with No Place to Hide'' (1959) *''Trail of a Tramp'' (1960) *''Till It Hurts'' (1960) *''No Chance in Hell'' (1960) *''Some Die Hard'' (1961)

Tony Rome series

A series featuring the private detective Tony Rome. *''Miami Mayhem'' (As Anthony Rome - 1960), filmed as ''

Tony Rome ''Tony Rome'' is a 1967 American neo-noir mystery crime thriller film directed by Gordon Douglas and starring Frank Sinatra in the title role, alongside Jill St. John, Sue Lyon and Gena Rowlands. It was adapted from Marvin H. Albert's novel ...

'' (1967) *''The Lady in Cement'', (As Anthony Rome, but published in England - 1961) filmed as ''

Lady in Cement ''Lady in Cement'' is a 1968 American neo-noir mystery crime comedy thriller film directed by Gordon Douglas, based on the 1961 novel ''The Lady in Cement'' by Marvin H. Albert. The film stars Frank Sinatra, Raquel Welch, Dan Blocker, Richar ...

'' (1968) *''My Kind of Game'' (As Anthony Rome - 1962) A 1967

television pilot A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie) in United Kingdom and United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television netwo ...

under the name ''Nick Quarry'' was based on ''Tony Rome''

as Nick Quarry

*''The Don Is Dead'' (1972) ( filmed in 1972) *''The Vendetta'' (1972)

Mafia fiction as Al Conroy

Series character: Johnny Morini, Soldato: Man Against the Mafia. *''Soldato!'' (1972) *''Death Grip!'' (1972) *''Strangle Hold!'' (1973) *''Murder Mission!'' (1973) *''Blood Run!'' (1973)

Stone Angel series

A series featuring the common character Pete Sawyer. *'' The Dark Goddess'' (1978) *''Stone Angel'' (1986) *''Back in the Real World'' (1986) *''Get Off at Babylon'' (1987) *''Long Teeth'' (1987) *''The Last Smile'' (1988) *''The Midnight Sister'' (1989) *''Bimbo Heaven'' (1990) *''The Zig-Zag Man'' (1991) *''The Riviera Contract'' (1992)

as Ian McAlister

*''Skylark Mission'' (1973) *''Driscoll's Diamonds'' (1973) *''Strike Force 7'' (1974) *''Valley of the Assassins'' (1975)

Other crime thrillers

*''Lie Down with Lions'' (1959) *''The Looters'' (as Albert Conroy - 1961), filmed as ''

Estouffade à la Caraïbe ''The Looters'' is a 1967 Italian-French adventure film directed by Jacques Besnard and starring Frederick Stafford and Jean Seberg. The film was shot in France, Italy and allmost northern Colombia It was also known as ''Estouffade à la Caraï ...

'' (1966) *''The Gargoyle Conspiracy'' (1975)

Non fiction works

*''The Long White Road'' a biography of the Antarctic explorer

Ernest Shackleton Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton (15 February 1874 – 5 January 1922) was an Anglo-Irish Antarctic explorer who led three British expeditions to the Antarctic. He was one of the principal figures of the period known as the Heroic Age of Antarcti ...

*''Broadsides and Boarders'' a history of great sea captains *''The Divorce'' (1965) about Henry VIII

Film novelizations

* '' Party Girl'' (1958) * '' That Jane from Maine'' (1959) * ''

Pillow Talk ''Pillow Talk'' is a 1959 American romantic comedy film in CinemaScope directed by Michael Gordon and starring Rock Hudson and Doris Day. The supporting cast features Tony Randall, Thelma Ritter, Nick Adams, Allen Jenkins, Marcel Dalio and ...

'' (1959) * '' All the Young Men'' (1960) * ''

Come September ''Come September'' is a 1961 American romantic comedy film directed by Robert Mulligan and starring Rock Hudson, Gina Lollobrigida, Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin. The film was the first produced by Hudson's film production company, 7 Pictures Corp ...

'' (1961) * '' Force of Impulse'' (1961) * ''

Lover Come Back Lover Come Back may refer to: *''Lover Come Back'', a 1940 novel by Clair Blank *Lover Come Back (1931 film), ''Lover Come Back'' (1931 film), starring Constance Cummings *New Moon (1940 film), ''New Moon'' (1940 film), a musical also known as ''Lov ...

'' (1962) * ''

Move Over, Darling ''Move Over, Darling'' is a 1963 American comedy film starring Doris Day, James Garner, and Polly Bergen and directed by Michael Gordon filmed in DeLuxe Color and CinemaScope released by 20th Century Fox. The film is a remake of a 1940 sc ...

'' (1963) * '' The V.I.P.s'' (1963) * ''

Palm Springs Weekend ''Palm Springs Weekend'' is a 1963 Warner Bros. bedroom comedy film directed by Norman Taurog. It has elements of the beach party genre ( AIP's '' Beach Party'' became a smash hit in July, while Warner Bros. was still putting this film together) ...

'' (1963)

Dell Publishing Dell Publishing Company, Inc. is an American publisher of books, magazines and comic books, that was founded in 1921 by George T. Delacorte Jr. with $10,000 (approx. $145,000 in 2021), two employees and one magazine title, ''I Confess'', and ...

, * ''

Under the Yum Yum Tree ''Under the Yum Yum Tree'' is a 1963 American sex comedy film directed by David Swift and starring Jack Lemmon, Carol Lynley, Dean Jones, and Edie Adams, with Imogene Coca, Paul Lynde, and Robert Lansing. The film received two Golden Globe ...

'' (1963) * ''

The Pink Panther ''The Pink Panther'' is an American media franchise primarily focusing on a series of comedy-mystery films featuring an inept French police detective, Inspector Clouseau, Inspector Jacques Clouseau. The franchise began with the release of the fil ...

'' (1963) * ''

The Outrage ''The Outrage'' is a 1964 American Western film directed by Martin Ritt and starring Paul Newman, Laurence Harvey, Claire Bloom, Edward G. Robinson and William Shatner. It is a remake of Akira Kurosawa's 1950 Japanese film '' Rashomon'', ba ...

'' (1964) * ''

Goodbye Charlie ''Goodbye Charlie'' is a 1964 American comedy film directed by Vincente Minnelli and starring Tony Curtis, Debbie Reynolds and Pat Boone. The CinemaScope film is about a callous womanizer who gets his just reward after a jealous husband kills hi ...

'' (1964) * '' Honeymoon Hotel'' (1964) * ''

What's New Pussycat? ''What's New Pussycat?'' is a 1965 screwball comedy film directed by Clive Donner, written by Woody Allen in his first produced screenplay, and starring Allen in his acting debut, along with Peter Sellers, Peter O'Toole, Romy Schneider, Capuc ...

'' (1965) * ''

The Great Race ''The Great Race'' is a 1965 American Technicolor epic slapstick comedy film directed by Blake Edwards, starring Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis and Natalie Wood, written by Arthur A. Ross (from a story by Edwards and Ross) and with music by Henr ...

'' (1965) *'' Strange Bedfellows'' (1965) *'' Do Not Disturb'' (1965) * ''

A Very Special Favor ''A Very Special Favor'' is a 1965 romantic comedy film directed by Michael Gordon and starring Rock Hudson and Leslie Caron. The film was co-produced by Hudson's Gibraltar Productions and Shapiro's Lankershim Company. Plot Paul Chadwick (Hudso ...

'' (1965) * '' Crazy Joe'' (1974) as Mike Barrone * ''

The Untouchables Untouchable or Untouchables may refer to: People * Untouchability, the practice of socially ostracizing a minority group of very low social status * Untouchables, word for the Dalits or Scheduled Castes of India * Untouchables (law enforcement), ...

'' (1987)

TV tie-ins

* ''Mr. Lucky'' (1959), an original novel based on the TV series as by Al Conroy *''

Storefront Lawyers ''Storefront Lawyers'' (also known as ''Men at Law'') is an American legal drama that ran from September 1970 to January 1971 and February 1971 to March 1971 on CBS. The series starred Robert Foxworth, Sheila Larken, David Arkin, and A Mart ...

'' (1970), novelization of the pilot teleplay as by A.L. Conroy ic

Screenplays

*''

'' (1965) *'' Rough Night in Jericho'' (1967) *''

'' (1968) *''

A Twist of Sand ''A Twist of Sand'' is a 1968 British adventure film directed by Don Chaffey and starring Richard Johnson, Jeremy Kemp, Honor Blackman and Peter Vaughan. The screenplay was by Marvin Albert was based on Geoffrey Jenkins' 1959 novel of the sam ...

'' (1968) *''

The Don Is Dead ''The Don Is Dead'' is a 1973 American crime film directed by Richard Fleischer and written by Christopher Trumbo, Michael Butler, and Marvin H. Albert, adapted from Albert's novel of the same name. It stars Anthony Quinn, Frederic Forrest, Robe ...

'' (1973)

Other works

As J. D. Christilian - "Scarlet Women" (1996). As Marvin H. Albert - "Operation Lila" (1983), "The Medusa Complex", "Dancer's Progress and Schrodingers Cat"(1993 - possibly two stories in one volume) and "Hidden Lives" (1981).

Personal life

He was survived by his artist wife Xenia Klar, one son, and one grandchild.

In popular culture

In the movie ''

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood ''Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood'' is a 2019 comedy-drama film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. Produced by Columbia Pictures in association with Bona Film Group, Heyday Films, and Visiona Romantica, and distributed by Sony Pict ...

'', the character Rick Dalton is seen reading and discussing a western-themed paperback novel that features a character named Tom Breezy. The novelization of ''

'' includes an ad for the fictitious Tom Breezy book, which is identified as ''Ride a Wild Bronc'' by Marvin H. Albert.

References

External links

*https://web.archive.org/web/20060507232314/http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/Marvin-Albert.html *http://www.mysteryfile.com/GM_Albert/goldmedal_albert.html {{DEFAULTSORT:Albert, Marvin 20th-century American novelists 20th-century American male writers American male novelists American mystery writers American crime fiction writers 1924 births 1996 deaths Writers from Philadelphia American Western (genre) novelists Novelists from Pennsylvania American expatriates in France United States Merchant Mariners of World War II