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Frank Hamilton Spearman (September 6, 1859 – December 29, 1937) was an American writer.
"Whispering Smith"
''IMDb''. Most of his novels have been reprinted frequently. For example, The Paper Tiger press brought out reprints in 1996, complete with the original illustrations.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spearman, Frank H. 1859 births 1937 deaths 20th-century American novelists Converts to Roman Catholicism Western (genre) writers American male novelists Fiction about rail transport Laetare Medal recipients 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American non-fiction writers American male non-fiction writers
Frank Hamilton Spearman (September 6, 1859 – December 29, 1937) was an American writer.
Career overview
Spearman was known for his books in theWestern fiction
Western fiction is a genre of literature set in the American Old West frontier and typically set from the late eighteenth to the late nineteenth century. Well-known writers of Western fiction include Zane Grey from the early 20th century and ...
genre and especially for his fiction and non-fiction works on the topic of railroads. The books were illustrated by leading artists, such as N. C. Wyeth for ''Whispering Smith''.
Although he wrote prolifically about railroads, his actual career was that of a bank president in McCook, Nebraska
McCook is a city in and the county seat of Red Willow County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 7,446 at the 2020 census.
History
McCook was platted in 1882 when the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad was extended to that point. I ...
, and did not himself work for a railroad. Spearman was also a devout Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
convert and held political views best described as proto-Libertarian
Libertarianism (from french: libertaire, "libertarian"; from la, libertas, "freedom") is a political philosophy that upholds liberty as a core value. Libertarians seek to maximize autonomy and political freedom, and minimize the state's e ...
, both of which beliefs are also reflected in his novels.
His western novel ''Whispering Smith
''Whispering Smith'' is a 1948 American Western film directed by Leslie Fenton and starring Alan Ladd as a railroad detective assigned to stop a gang of train robbers. The supporting cast includes Robert Preston, Brenda Marshall and Donald C ...
''—the title character of which was modeled on real-life Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Paci ...
detectives Timothy Keliher and Joe Lefors
Joe or JOE may refer to:
Arts
Film and television
* ''Joe'' (1970 film), starring Peter Boyle
* ''Joe'' (2013 film), starring Nicolas Cage
* ''Joe'' (TV series), a British TV series airing from 1966 to 1971
* ''Joe'', a 2002 Canadian animated ...
(though the name of the titular hero was apparently derived from another UPRR policeman, James L. "Whispering" Smith)—was made into a movie on eight separate occasions, four silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, when ...
s in 1916, 1917, 1926, and 1927, with later versions in 1930, 1935, 1948
Events January
* January 1
** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated.
** The Constitution of New Jersey (later subject to amendment) goes into effect.
** The railways of Britain are nationalized, to form British ...
, and 1952. There was also a ''TV series
A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed betw ...
'' in 1961.''IMDb''. Most of his novels have been reprinted frequently. For example, The Paper Tiger press brought out reprints in 1996, complete with the original illustrations.
Bibliography
*''The Nerve of Foley'' (1900) *''Held for Orders'' (1901) *''Doctor Bryson'' (1902) *''The Daughter of a Magnate'' (1903), *''The Close of the Day'' (1904) *''The Strategy of Great Railroads'' (1904) *''Whispering Smith'' (1906), *''Robert Kimberly'' (1911) *''The Mountain Divide'' (1912) *''Merrilie Dawes'' (1913) *''Nan of Music Mountain'' (1916), *''Laramie Holds the Range'' (1921) *''The Marriage Verdict'' (1923) *''Selwood of Sleepy Cat'' (1924) *''Your Son's Education'' (1925) *''Flambeau Jim'' (1927) *''Spanish Lover'' (1930) *''Hell's Desert'' (1932) *''Gunlock Ranch'' (1935) *''Carmen Of The Rancho'' (1937)Notes
Further reading
* Sparr, Arnold J. (1987). "From Self-Congratulation to Self-Criticism: Main Currents in American Catholic Fiction, 1900-1960," ''U.S. Catholic Historian,'' Vol. 6, No. 2/3, pp. 213–230.External links
* * * *{{DEFAULTSORT:Spearman, Frank H. 1859 births 1937 deaths 20th-century American novelists Converts to Roman Catholicism Western (genre) writers American male novelists Fiction about rail transport Laetare Medal recipients 20th-century American male writers 20th-century American non-fiction writers American male non-fiction writers