The Falcon (aka Michael Waring, Gay Stanhope Falcon, Gay Stanhope Lawrence, Tom Lawrence)

Created by Drexel Drake
Pseudonym of Charles H. Huff
(1887-1959)

Or possibly:

Michael Arlen
Pseudonym of Dikran Kouyoumdjian
(1895-1956)

 THE FALCON was the nom de guerre of a true man of mystery.

He was either MICHAEL WINGATE, a shadowy figure who took on the underworld with the aid of his friend Sarge, avoiding the police because they tended to blame him for their unsolved crimes, created by Drexel Drake (real name Charles H. Huff) in 1936 and originally appearing in a series of novels and at least one short story.

Or he was GAY STANHOPE FALCON, a sort of freelance adventurer and troubleshooter, definitely on the hard-boiled side, created by Michael Arlen (real name Dikran Kouyoumdjian) in a 1940 short story.

Either way, The Falcon was a man who made his living “keeping his mouth shut and engaging in dangerous entreprises,” according to Otto Penzler’s Detectionary. And, like Boston Blackie, despite his murky origins, he enjoyed a long, lucrative and convoluted career in film, radio and television, even as his occupation and his actual name were changed from medium to medium.

THE MOVIES

Regardless of the date of his first literary appearance, The Falcon was first brought to the screen in a 1941 RKO film, as a replacement for its popular series of B-movies featuring Leslie Charteris’ The Saint, which had starred actor George Sanders and been shot in the United States. Except for the name change and the fact that production had moved to the U.K., at first it was pretty hard to tell the difference — which didn’t escape the notice of Charteris. Or his attorneys.

Charteris sued, apparently successfully (presumably for a large chunk of cash), and the movies continued, with Sanders playing The Falcon. Wendy Barrie, who had played the Saint’s girlfriend, even appeared in the first couple of Falcon movies as… the Falcon’s girlfriend.

And so, just like the Saint, The Falcon was a good-looking suave, sophisticated type, a sort of freelance gentleman adventurer operating out of New York City, much to the dismay of the local constabulary. He wasn’t British, though — he was American, but he bore a light British accent — just like the Saint. The first film, 1941’s The Gay Falcon, proved successful enough to warrant a long string of sequels, three with George Sanders in the lead, although he was now called GAY STANHOPE LAWRENCE (as far as I know, none of the films or television or radio episodes ever explains why he’s known as The Falcon) and nine more with Sanders’ real-life brother, Tom Conway, as the Falcon’s brother, TOM LAWRENCE, who took over the nom de guerre.

Over the course of the RKO series, the Falcon gradually became more of your standard private eye. In fact the third Falcon flick, 1942’s The Falcon Takes Over, was the first filmed adaptation of Raymond Chandler’s Farewell, My Lovely, substituting The Falcon for Philip Marlowe. (And actor Tom Conway went on to play another private eye, Mark Saber, on American television).

Capitalizing on the films’ success, there were two novels written “by” George Sanders, one of which is a Falcon/Saint send-up. One of the books was written by Leigh Brackett and the other by Craig Rice, who had supposedly worked on some of the Falcon films.

RADIO, MORE MOVIES & TELEVISION

The success of the films also led to a radio series (cleverly titled THE FALCON) that premiered on the American Blue Network in April 1943, and aired for the next ten years on various networks. It was here that his transition into a private eye was finalized, with The Falcon, now called MICHAEL WARING working as a hard-boiled insurance investigator, with an office and a secretary, Nancy. Barry Kroeger was the first radio voice of the Falcon, followed by James Meighan, Les Tremayne, George Petrie, and Les Damon. Nearly all the shows were broadcast from New York.

The producers made sure to announce that this Falcon was based on Drexel Drake‘s character, not Arlen‘s, but they weren’t shy about insinuating that their Falcon was also the hero of the RKO films, and I’m sure both the radio shows and the movies benefited from the confusion. There’s also little doubt that most fans didn’t care.

Each show usually started out with a telephone call to The Falcon from a beautiful woman. Answering in his slightly British accent, he would reply to her and another adventure would follow. Waring was snappy and sarcastic with the incompetent police — who were inevitably unable to solve the mysteries without his help. Like the films, the radio plots mixed danger, romance and comedy in equal parts. A total of about 70 shows, representing the length of the run, are available today.

It was this version of the Falcon that was made into another short series of films, three in all, with John Calvert as Waring, produced by Film Classics. And it was this film version of the Falcon that in turn was adapted, in the mid-fifties, for a brief syndicated television series, The Adventures of the Falcon, starring Charles McGraw now as a slightly more hard-boiled, and far less dashing Falcon. But again, his occupation had changed. He was now a “famous undercover agent” who operated “around the world on his hazardous missions,” as the promos put it.

As Richard Meyers points out, in TV Detectives, “the character had come full circle. The Mike Waring (that) the gravel-voiced McGraw played was basically the same rough-hewn adventurer Arlen had presented to his readers in 1940.”

Or, we assume, Drake in 1936.

HUH?

• The controversy surrounding the identity of The Falcon’s creator seems to rest largely on the fact that the radio series always credited Drake as the creator, but the films always credited Michael Arlen. Adding to the confusion was the fact that in the films, the character’s real name was Gay Lawrence (until his brother Tom took over the mantle), while in the radio shows he was known as Michael Waring (and then, for a few films, he was, rather inexplicably, Michael Watling). For more on this, please see On the Trail of Drexel Drake’s Falcon on this site.

NOVELS

• The Falcon’s Prey (1936; by Drexel Drake) | Buy this book
• The Falcon Cuts In (1937; by Drexel Drake) | Buy this book
  Published originally in the Sunday, July 11, 1937 edition of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
• The Falcon Meets A Lady (1938; by Drexel Drake) | Buy this book

SHORT STORIES

• “The Falcon Strikes,” (November 1938, The American Magazine; by Drexel Drake)
• “Gay Falcon” (January 1940, The Strand; by Michael Arlen)

FILMS

   

• THE GAY FALCON | Buy it on DVD
  (1941, RKO)
  67 minutes, black and white
  Release date: May 29, 1942
  Based on characters created by Michael Arlen
  Based on the story by Michael Arlen
  Screenplay by Frank Fenton and Lynn Root
  Directed by Irving Reis
  Starring George Sanders as THE FALCON (GAY LAWRENCE)
  Also starring Wendy Barrie, James Gleason, Allen Jenkins, Anne Hunter, Gladys Cooper, Edward Brophy, Arthur Shields, Damian O’Flynn
• A DATE WITH THE FALCON | Buy it on DVD
  (1941, RKO)
  Based on characters created by Michael Arlen
  Directed by Irving Reis
  Starring George Sanders as THE FALCON (GAY LAWRENCE)
  Also starring Wendy Barrie, James Gleason, Allen Jenkins.
• THE FALCON TAKES OVER | Buy it on DVD
  (1942, RKO)
  Based on characters created by Michael Arlen and Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler
  Adapted by Lynn Root and Frank Fenton
  Directed by Irving Reis
  Starring George Sanders as THE FALCON (GAY LAWRENCE)
  Also starring Helen Gilbert, Lyn Bari, Ward Bond, Ann Revere, Turhan Bey, Hans Conried, James Gleason, Allen Jenkins
  The first film adaptation of a Chandler novel, although the detective is The Falcon, not Philip Marlowe. 
• THE FALCON’S BROTHER | Buy it on DVD
  (1942, RKO)
  63 minutes, black & white
  Based on characters created by Michael Arlen
  Screenplay by Craig Rice and Stuart Palmer
  Directed by Stanley Logan
  Produced by Maurice Geraghty
  Starring George Sanders as THE FALCON (GAY LAWRENCE)
  and Tom Conway as TOM LAWRENCE
  Also starring Cliff Clark, Jane Randolph, Don Barclay, Edward Gargan, James Newill, Charlotte Wynters, Eddie Dunn, Keye Luke, Amanda Varela, George J. Lewis, Gwili Andre
• THE FALCON STRIKES BACK | Buy it on DVD
  (1943, RKO)
  Based on characters created by Michael Arlen
  Directed by Edward Dmytryk
  Starring Tom Conway as THE FALCON (TOM LAWRENCE)
• THE FALCON IN DANGER | Buy it on DVD
  (1943, RKO)
  69 minutes, black & white
  Based on characters created by Michael Arlen
  Screenplay by Craig Rice and Fred Niblo Jr.
  Directed by William Clemens
  Produced by Maurice Geraghty
  Starring Tom Conway as THE FALCON (TOM LAWRENCE)
  Also starring Amelita Ward, Jean Brooks, Elaine Shepard, Richard Davies, Cliff Clark, Edward Gargan, Clarence Kolb, Felix Basch, Richard Martin, Erford Gage, Ian Wolfe, Eddie Dunn
• THE FALCON AND THE CO-EDS | Buy it on DVD
  (1943, RKO)
  68 minutes
  Based on characters created by Michael Arlen
  Directed by William Clemens
  Starring Tom Conway as THE FALCON (TOM LAWRENCE)
  Also starring Jean Brooks, Rita Corday, Amelita Ward, Isabel Jewel, George Givot, Cliff Clark, Dorothy Malone, Ian Wolfe, Edward Gargan, Olin Howlin
  The Falcon poses as an insurance investigator to investigate a suspicious death at an all-girls college. Along for the ride are three precocious singing sisters who don’t really belong, but are sorta cute.
• THE FALCON OUT WEST | Buy it on DVD
  (1944, RKO)
  Based on characters created by Michael Arlen
  Directed by William Clemens
  Starring Tom Conway as THE FALCON (TOM LAWRENCE)
• THE FALCON IN MEXICO | Buy it on DVD
  (1944, RKO)
  Based on characters created by Michael Arlen
  Directed by William Berke
  Starring Tom Conway as THE FALCON (TOM LAWRENCE)
• THE FALCON IN HOLLYWOOD | Buy it on DVD
  (1944, RKO)
  Based on characters created by Michael Arlen
  Directed by Gordon Douglas
  Starring Tom Conway as THE FALCON (TOM LAWRENCE)
• THE FALCON IN SAN FRANCISCO | Buy it on DVD
  (1945, RKO)
  Based on characters created by Michael Arlen
  Directed by Joseph H. Lewis
  Starring Tom Conway as THE FALCON (TOM LAWRENCE)
  Typical fare, except for a few shots and set pieces that give off a semi-noir vibe. You can blame director Joe “Gun Crazy” Lewis for those.
• THE FALCON’S ALIBI | Buy it on DVD
  (1946, RKO)
  Based on characters created by Michael Arlen
  Directed by Ray McCarey
  Starring Tom Conway as THE FALCON (TOM LAWRENCE)
  Also starring Elisha Cook, Jr.
• THE FALCON’S ADVENTURE |  Buy it on DVD
  (1946, RKO)
  Based on characters created by Michael Arlen
  Directed by William Berke
  Starring Tom Conway as THE FALCON (TOM LAWRENCE)
• THE DEVIL’S CARGO | Watch it now!
  (1948, Film Classics)
  61 minutes
  Based on characters created by Michael Arlen
  Story by Jason James and Robert Tallman
  Screenplay by Don Martin
  Directed by John F. Link
  Starring John Calvert as THE FALCON (MICHAEL WATLING)
  Also starring Rochelle Hudson, Roscoe Karns, Lyle Talbot, Tom Kennedy, Theodore Van Eltz, Paul Regan
  Horrible. The Conways’ vaguely British air of class and charisma is replaced in this poverty row production by John Calvert’s cheesy cut-rate portrayal of a doofus who performs magic tricks, and whose “partner” is a particularly useless dog called “brain Trust.” Oh, and the script is inept, too.
• APPOINTMENT WITH MURDER | Watch it now!
  (1948, Film Classics)
  67 minutes
  Based on characters created by Michael Arlen
  Story by Joel Malone and Harold Swanton
  Screenplay by Don Martin
  Directed by Jack Bernhard
  Starring John Calvert as THE FALCON (MICHAEL WATLING)
  Also starring Catherine Craig, Lyle Talbot, Jack Reitzzen, Peter Brocco
• SEARCH FOR DANGER
  (1949, Film Classics)
  62 minutes
  Based on characters created by Michael Arlen
  Story by Jerome Epstein
  Screenplay by Don Martin
  Directed by John Bernhard
  Starring John Calvert as THE FALCON (MICHAEL WARING)
  Also starring Albert Dekker, , Myrna Dell, Douglas Fowley, Ben Welden

RADIO

• THE FALCON
  (1943, NBC Blue; 1945, Mutual; 1950, NBC)
  30-minute episodes, weekly
  Based on characters created by Drexel Drake
  Writers: Palmer Thompson, Eugene Wang, Stanley Niss, Jay Bennett, Bernard Dougall
  Directors: Carlo De Angelo, Stuart Buchanan, Richard Lewis
  Producers: Bernard Schubert, Jr.
  Announcers: Russ Dunbar, Ed Herlihy
  Starring Barry Kroeger as THE FALCON (MICHAEL WARING)
  (later replaced by James Meighan, Les Tremayne, George Petrie, and Les Damon)
  with Joan Banks as Nancy
  Also starring Ethel Everett, Joan Alexander, Mandel Kramer, Robert Dryden
  • “Murder Is A Family Affair” (November 27, 1945)
  • “Murder Is A Bad Bluff” (November 1, 1948)
  • “Murder Is A Knockout” (February 20, 1949)
  • “The Case of the Amorous Book-Keeper” (May 14, 1950
  • “The Case of the Quarrelsome Quartet” (September 3, 1950)
  • “The Case of the Worried Champion” (Septembe5 10, 1950)
  • “The Case of the Double Deal” (September 17, 1950)
  • “The Case of the Friendly Target” (September 24, 1950)”
  • “The Case of the Talented Twins” (October 1, 1950)
  • “The Case of the Careless Client” (October 15, 1950)
  • “The Case of the Double Nephews” (October 22, 1950)
  • “The Case of the Double Exposure” (October 29, 1950)
  • “The Case of the Rich Racketeer” (November 5, 1950)
  • “The Case of the Widow’s Gorilla” (November 12, 1950)
  • “The Case of the Puzzling Pinup” (November 19, 1950)
  • “The Case of the Stooge’s Errand” (November 26, 1950)
  • “The Case of the Harried Husband” (December 3, 1950)
  • “The Case of the Raw Deal” (December 10, 1950)
  • “The Case of the Baby Brother” (December 17, 1950)
  • “The Case of the Invisible Thug” (January 7, 1951)
  • “The Case Of The Happy Hoodlum” (January 14, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Substitute Target” (January 21, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Bellicose Boxer” (January 28, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Neighbor’s Nightmare” (February 4, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Mighty Muscle” (February 11, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Superfluous Murder” (February 18, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Practical Choker” (February 25, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Gangster’s Girl” (March 4, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Unsilent Butler” (March 11, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Witty Widow” (March 18, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Talented Texan” (March 25, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Worried Wife” (April 1, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Carved Hand” (April 8, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Shopkeeper’s Gun” (April 15, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Missing Miss” (April 22, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Big Talker” (April 29, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Flaming Club” (May 6, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Dutch Doll” (May 13, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Curious Cop” (May 20, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Unwelcome Wife” (May 27, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Proud Papa” (June 6, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Sweet Swindle” (June 13, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Broken Fingerprint” (June 20, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Nervous Shakedown” (June 27, 1951)
  • “The Case of Everybody’s Gun” (July 4, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Vanishing Varmint” (July 11, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Cautious Cousin” (July 18, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Plenty Twenty” (July 25, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Hypocritical Hypo” (August 1, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Loose Lip” (August 15, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Beautiful Bait” (August 22, 1951)
  • “The Case of the Missing Patient” (February 14, 1952)
  • “The Case of the Missing Patient” (February 17, 1952)
  • “The Case of the Gold Ring” (February 24, 1952)
  • “The Case of the Natural Seven” (February 21, 1952)
  • “The Case of the Killer’s Key” (March 6, 1952)
  • “The Case of the Grand Gamble” (March 13, 1952)
  • “The Case of the Murdering Misses” (March 20, 1952)
  • “The Case of the Deadly Dame” (April 3, 1952)
  • “The Case of the Handy Helpmate” (April 10, 1952)
  • “The Case of the Jumping Jack” (April 17, 1952)
  • “The Case of the Weeping Willow” (April 24, 1952)
  • “The Case of the Fatal Fix” (May 1, 1952)
  • “The Case of the King Of Hearts” (May 8, 1952)
  • “The Case of the Falling Star” (May 15, 1952)
  • “The Case of the Burning Bridges” (May 29, 1952)
  • “The Case of the Dirty Dollars” (June 5, 1952)
  • “The Case of the Vanishing Visa” (June 19, 1952)
  • “The Case of the Menacing Madamoiselle” (June 26, 1952)
  • “The Case of the Babbling Brooks” (July 3, 1952)
  • “The Case of the Running Waters” (July 10, 1952)
  • “The Case of the King Of Clubs” (July 17, 1952)
  • “The Case of the Broken Key” (July 24, 1952)
  • “The Case of the Lonely Hunter” (July 31, 1952)
  • “The Case of the Rolling Stones” (August 7, 1952)
  • “The Case of the Gorgeous Greek” (August 14, 1952)
  • “The Case of the Silent Butler” (August 21, 1952)
  • “The Case of the Careless Corpse” (August 28, 1952)
  • “The Case of the Jack Of Diamonds” (September 7, 1952)
  • “The Case of the Strawberry Blonde” (September 14, 1952)
  • “The Invisible Thug” (1952)

TELEVISION

• THE ADVENTURES OF THE FALCON
  (1955, Syndicated)
  39 episodes
  Based on characters created by Michael Arlen
  Writer: Eugene Wang
  Director: George Waggner
  Producers: Buster Collier and Harry J. Brown
  Produced by Federal Telefilms
  Starring Charles McGraw as THE FALCON (MICHAEL WARING)

ALSO OF INTEREST

• Dickerson, Ian,
  Who is the Falcon?: The Detective In Print, Movies, Radio and TV | Buy this book
  Purview Press, 2016.
  Everything you always wanted to know about the dashing rogue, detective and ladies’ man alternately known as Gay Stanhope Falcon, Gay Lawrence, Tom Lawrence, Michael Watling, Malcolm J. Wingate, Mike Waring or simply “The Falcon” and his long complicated jopurney through print, film, radio and television. Includes complete radio and television logs.

RELATED LINKS

• On the Trail of Drexel Drake’s Falcon
  An On-Going Investigation by Frank Derato.

Respectfully submitted by Kevin Burton Smith. Thanks to Adam Jezard for his help with this page. Also, a big thank you to Jack French for the radio info.

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