By Stephen Reid "I refuse to don this ridiculous costume.." Albert sucked in his belly and swelled up like a rooster. "A saint I ain't, Mac. I am a highly regarded thespian." "You're a highly regarded has-been, is what you are, Albert. Now sit down and try those boots on." I had to pick the … Continue reading “A Hard-Boiled Christmas”
Tag: Christmas
“Mac” MacCauley
Created by Stephen Reid (1950-2018) "After fifteen years as a private investigator -- the last ten as a practising drunk --I had lost my license twice and my self-respect more times than I could count. The chances of me ever regaining either were between zero and entropy." That's how long-past-his-prime P.I. "MAC" MacCAULEY sums up … Continue reading “Mac” MacCauley
Sam Donovan (Cover Up)
Created by Jerome Odlum, Dennis O'Keefe, Francis Swann & Lawrence Kimble This Christmas Eve, if you're tired of The Thin Man, and can't quite stomach another viewing of Die Hard, there's an easy-going alternative that ought to hit the sweet spot between crime films and Christmas cheer. Cover Up is a pleasant little feelgooder from … Continue reading Sam Donovan (Cover Up)
My Scrapbook: A Seasonal Greeting Card from the Charleses
My Scrapbook A Seasonal Greeting Card from the Charleses MGM publicity still for the release of Shadow of the Thin Man (1941) Above is a publicity still for the release of Shadow of the Thin Man (1941, MGM), starring William Powell and Myrna Loy and as Dashiell Hammett's Nick and Nora Charles. Of course by … Continue reading My Scrapbook: A Seasonal Greeting Card from the Charleses
Do You Hear What I Hear?
Christmas Eyes on Old Time Radio Almost as ubitquious as private eyes on old time radio was the ubitquious and seemingly obligatory very special "Christmas" episodes, usually (but not always) a toned down, more family-friendly episode than the usual fare. They usually ended with an upbeat message, very earnest seasonal salutations to listeners and maybe, … Continue reading Do You Hear What I Hear?
Deck the Mean Streets with Boughs of Holly
Christmas Eyes "Christmas was coming... Brenda Lee had been rockin' round the Chritmas tree so long store cashiers were on suicide watch." -- opening to Midnight Lullaby by James D.F. Hannah "Ah, sweet Christmas!" -- Luke Cage SHORT STORIES "A Hard-Boiled Christmas" | Read it now! By Stephen Reid (December 23, 1989, The Globe and … Continue reading Deck the Mean Streets with Boughs of Holly
Joe Leland (aka “John McClane”)
Created by Roderick Thorp (1936-99) THE DETECTIVE Certainly one of the longest private eye novels ever written was Roderick Thorp's 1966 bestselling potboiler The Detective. And that was only the beginning -- not only did it become a successful film, but the novel's sequel went on to inspire a multi-million dollar action film franchise thirty years … Continue reading Joe Leland (aka “John McClane”)