William Diehl (; December 4, 1924 – November 24, 2006) was an American
novelist
A novelist is an author or writer of novels, though often novelists also write in other genres of both fiction and non-fiction. Some novelists are professional novelists, thus make a living writing novels and other fiction, while others asp ...
and
photojournalist.
Biography
Diehl was a successful photographer and journalist, when he began his novel-writing career at 50. His first novel, ''Sharky's Machine'', was made into the 1981 film of the
same name, directed and starred
Burt Reynolds. Diehl saw it being shot on location in and around his hometown of
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
, Georgia. Its cast included
Vittorio Gassman
Vittorio Gassman (; born Gassmann; 1 September 1922 – 29 June 2000), popularly known as , was an Italian actor, director and screenwriter.
He is considered one of the greatest Italian actors, whose career includes both important productions ...
,
Brian Keith
Brian Keith (born Robert Alba Keith, November 14, 1921 – June 24, 1997) was an American film, television, and stage actor who in his six-decade career gained recognition for his work in films such as the Disney family film '' The Parent T ...
,
Charles Durning
Charles Edward Durning (February 28, 1923 – December 24, 2012) was an American actor who appeared in over 200 movies, television shows and plays.Schudel, Matt (December 26, 2012) "''In real life and on the screen, he played countless role ...
,
Earl Holliman
Henry Earl Holliman (born September 11, 1928) is an American actor, animal-rights activist, and singer known for his many character roles in films, mostly Westerns and dramas, in the 1950s and 1960s. He won a Golden Globe Award for the film ' ...
,
Rachel Ward
Rachel Claire Ward (born 12 September 1957) is an English-Australian ,
Bernie Casey
Bernard Terry Casey (June 8, 1939 – September 19, 2017) was an American actor, poet and professional American football player.
Early life
Casey was born in Wyco, West Virginia, the son of Flossie (Coleman) and Frank Leslie Casey. He graduated ...
,
Henry Silva
Henry Silva (September 23, 1926 – September 14, 2022) was an American actor. A prolific character actor, Silva was a regular staple of international genre cinema, usually playing criminals or gangsters. His notable film appearances include ...
, and
Richard Libertini
Richard Joseph Libertini (May 21, 1933 – January 7, 2016) was an American stage, film and television actor.
He was known for playing character roles and his ability to speak in numerous accents. His films include ''Catch-22'' (1970), '' The I ...
. It was the most successful box-office release of a film directed by Reynolds.
Diehl relocated to
St. Simons Island, Georgia, in the early 1980s, and lived there for the next 15 years before returning to Atlanta. While living on St. Simons, he completed eight other novels, including ''
Primal Fear'', which was adapted into a
1996 film.
Death
Diehl died of an
aortic aneurysm at
Emory University
Emory University is a private research university in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1836 as "Emory College" by the Methodist Episcopal Church and named in honor of Methodist bishop John Emory, Emory is the second-oldest private institution of ...
Hospital in Atlanta on November 24, 2006, while working on his 10th novel. He was survived by five children, four (Cathy, Bill, Stan, and Melissa) from his first marriage, and one (Temple) from his second marriage.
Bibliography
* ''Sharky's Machine'' (1978)
* ''Chameleon'' (1981)
* ''Hooligans'' (1984)
* ''Thai Horse'' (1987)
* ''The Hunt (27)'' (1990)
* ''
Primal Fear'' (1993)†
* ''
Show of Evil'' (1995)†
* ''
Reign in Hell'' (1997)†
* ''Eureka'' (2002)
* ''Seven Ways to Die'' (2012) with Kenneth John Atchity
[Stevenson, Luanne (2012-04-23).]
Book Review: ''Seven Ways to Die'' by William Diehl with Kenneth John Atchity
. Retrieved on 2012-10-10.
: †''Primal Fear'', ''Show of Evil'', and ''Reign in Hell'' are all part of a series featuring lawyer Martin Vail and killer Aaron Stampler.
References
External links
*
Primal Fear' author Diehl dies at 81" Associated Press, 26 November 2006
1924 births
2006 deaths
20th-century American novelists
United States Army Air Forces personnel of World War II
United States Army Air Forces soldiers
21st-century American novelists
People from Woodstock, Georgia
People from St. Simons, Georgia
American male novelists
20th-century American male writers
21st-century American male writers
Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
Recipients of the Air Medal
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