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'' Films * ''Mystery'' (2012 film), a 2012 Chinese drama film * ''Mystery'' ( ...

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

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 ...

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

private investigator A private investigator (often abbreviated to PI and informally called a private eye), a private detective, or inquiry agent is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private investigators of ...

living and working in France.

Biography

During World War II Albert served in the

United States Merchant Marine United States Merchant Marines are United States civilian mariners and U.S. civilian and federally owned merchant vessels. Both the civilian mariners and the merchant vessels are managed by a combination of the government and private sectors, an ...

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 released in Metrocolor by MGM in CinemaScope. It is based on the 1956 novel by Marvin H. Albert and directed by John Sturges. The film was shot on location in California's High Sierra ...

''. He sometimes wrote under

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

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 ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...

and the

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

. A 1975 international suspense thriller, ''The Gargoyle Conspiracy'', written under his own name, was an Edgar 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 starring James Garner in his first Western after leaving the long-running tv series ''Maverick'', as well as Sidney Poitier in his first ever Western. Based on Marvin H. Albert's 1957 novel ' ...

'' (1966) *''The Bounty Killer'' (1958), filmed as (Italian-Spanish movie) ''

El Precio de un Hombre ''The Ugly Ones'' ( es: ''El precio de un hombre'', lit. "The Price of a Man", it: ''The Bounty Killer'', later ''La morte ti segue... ma non ha fretta'', lit. "Death follows you... but not in a hurry") is a 1966 Spanish-Italian Spaghetti West ...

'' (1966), aka '' The Ugly Ones'' in the US. *''Renegade Posse'' (1958), filmed as ''

Bullet for a Badman ''Bullet for a Badman'' is a 1964 American Western film directed by R. G. Springsteen and starring Audie Murphy and Darren McGavin. The film is based on the 1958 novel ''Renegade Posse'', the working title of the film by Marvin H. Albert. The f ...

'' (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, Richa ...

'' (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 States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television network or other distr ...

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'' (1974) *''Valley of the Assassins'' (1975) *''Strike Force 7'' (1975)

Other crime thrillers

*''Lie Down with Lions'' (1959) *''The Looters'' (as Albert Conroy - 1961), filmed as '' Estouffade à la Caraïbe'' (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 ...

*''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 the relaxed, intimate conversation that often occurs between two sexual partners, sometimes after sexual activity, usually accompanied by cuddling, caresses, kissing, and other physical intimacy. It is associated with honesty, se ...

'' (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. Plot Wealthy American businessman Robert Talbot owns a villa on the Ligurian coast, ...

'' (1961) * ''

Force of Impulse '' Force of Impulse'' is a 1961 American drama film directed by Saul Swimmer and starring Robert Alda, Jeff Donnell and J. Carrol Naish.McCarty p.192 A high school student robs his own father's grocery store in order to raise the money to take h ...

'' (1961) * '' Lover Come Back'' (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 screw ...

'' (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, * ''

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 in supporting roles. The film received ...

'' (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 Jacques Clouseau. The franchise began with the release of the classic film '' The Pi ...

'' (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'', based ...

'' (1964) * '' Goodbye Charlie'' (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, Capuci ...

'' (1965) * ''

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

'' (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. Plot Paul Chadwick (Hudson) is a wealthy American oilman who is in a Parisian court, where he is up against the oppo ...

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

The Untouchables Untouchables or The Untouchables may refer to: American history * Untouchables (law enforcement), a 1930s American law enforcement unit led by Eliot Ness * ''The Untouchables'' (book), an autobiography by Eliot Ness and Oscar Fraley * ''The U ...

'' (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 Martinez. ...

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

Screenplays

*''

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

'' (1968) *'' A Twist of Sand'' (1968) *'' The Don Is Dead'' (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'', the character Rick Dalton is seen reading and discussing a western-themed paperback novel that features a character named Tom Breezy. The novelization of '' Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'' 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