Thomas Eugene Gaddis (September 14, 1908 – October 10, 1984) was an American writer most noted for his

biography A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just the basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or ...

, ''Birdman of Alcatraz'' (1955), about convicted murderer

Robert Stroud Robert Franklin Stroud (January 28, 1890 – November 21, 1963), known as the "Birdman of Alcatraz", was a convicted murderer, American federal prisoner and author who has been cited as one of the most notorious criminals in the United S ...

. It was adapted as a 1962 film of the same name, starring Burt Lancaster.

Early life and education

Born in

Denver, Colorado Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

, Gaddis attended local schools before college.

Career

In his early career, Gaddis served seven years as a Los Angeles probation officer and taught adult classes at night school for around 12 years. He wrote many non-fiction books, mostly biographies. He wrote ''Birdman of Alcatraz'' (1955), for which he was well-known. He also wrote about another convict, in '' Killer: A Journal of Murder'' (1970), co-written with James O. Long, about alleged serial killer

Carl Panzram Charles "Carl" Panzram (June 28, 1891 – September 5, 1930) was an American serial killer, spree killer, mass murderer, rap ist, child molester, arsonist, robber, thief, and burglar. In prison confessions and in his autobiography, Panzr ...

''Birdman of Alcatraz''

Gaddis published ''Birdman of Alcatraz'' in 1955. It is considered one of the nation's notable prison biographies. He explored the life of

, a grandson of a federal judge. Stroud was convicted of murder in Alaska and first sentenced to Leavenworth Federal prison in Kansas. After stabbing a guard to death in prison, Stroud was sentenced to life imprisonment in solitary confinement. While in solitary in Leavenworth, Stroud became an expert on birds. He cared for them in his cell and learned independently about how to treat their diseases. He wrote ''Stroud's Digest of the Diseases of Birds'' in Leavenworth from 1939 to 1941. After he was transferred to Alcatraz, he was not allowed to keep any birds. Gaddis's book was loosely adapted as the 1962 film ''

Birdman of Alcatraz Robert Franklin Stroud (January 28, 1890 – November 21, 1963), known as the "Birdman of Alcatraz", was a convicted murderer, American federal prisoner and author who has been cited as one of the most notorious criminals in the United S ...

'', starring Burt Lancaster as Stroud. Gaddis was portrayed by

Edmond O'Brien Eamon Joseph O'Brien (September 10, 1915 – May 9, 1985) was an American actor and film director. His career spanned almost 40 years, and he won one Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. O'Brien w ...

. Gaddis is known for the following quote:

Later career

Later in life, Gaddis worked as an educator at Reed College from 1962 to 1965, as well as a court consultant and psychologist, in addition to writing.

Death

Gaddis died in

Portland, Oregon Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the list of cities in Oregon, largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, Columbia rivers, Portland is ...

on October 10, 1984 at age 76.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gaddis, Thomas E. 1908 births 1984 deaths American male biographers American non-fiction crime writers Writers from Denver Writers from Portland, Oregon 20th-century American biographers 20th-century American male writers