Created by Charles K. Boston Pseudonym of Frank Gruber (1904-1969) The slick and ethically elastic team of Los Angeles private investigators OTIS BEAGLE and JOE PEEL was the product of the multi-talented pulpster Frank Gruber. Otis is the front man, 6'3" and 210 lbs., all "flashy and phony," a "quite criminal investigator" as one blurb … Continue reading Otis Beagle & Joe Peel
Tag: Frank Gruber
My Bookshelf: The Pulp Jungle by Frank Gruber
My Bookshelf The Pulp Jungle, by Frank Gruber A fascinating collection of colourful reminisces of the Frank Gruber's years as a writer, covering his years in New York from 1934 to 1943, as he struggled to--and eventually succeeded--in establishing himself in the highly competitive world of the pulps. Regrets? Gruber had a few, but when … Continue reading My Bookshelf: The Pulp Jungle by Frank Gruber
Johnny Fletcher & Sam Cragg
Created by Frank Gruber Pseudonyms include Stephen Acre, Charles K. Boston & John K. Vedder (1904-69) JOHNNY FLETCHER and SAM CRAGG may claim to be private eyes or even book salesmen, but what they really are are scam artists supreme, always one step from the poorhouse or jail, it seems. Johnny's the "brains" of the … Continue reading Johnny Fletcher & Sam Cragg
Frank Gruber’s “Fool-proof” 11 Point Formula for Mystery Short Stories
By Frank Gruber In 1966, prolific pulpster Frank Gruber published Brass Knuckles, a collection of short stories featuring Oliver Quade, the "Human Encyclopedia." It was Gruber's only collection of his work to be published during his lifetime, and it's got to have one of the most gawd-awful covers I've ever seen on the cover of … Continue reading Frank Gruber’s “Fool-proof” 11 Point Formula for Mystery Short Stories
Frank Gruber
Pseudonyms include Stephen Acre, Charles K. Boston & John K. Vedder (1904-1969) One of the most successful of the pulp writers, Frank Gruber was born February 2, 1904, in Elmer, Minnesota and died December 9, 1969 in Santa Monica, California. But in those sixty-five years, Gruber became one of the most prolific writers of pulp … Continue reading Frank Gruber
Oliver Quade (“The Human Encyclopedia”)
Created by Frank Gruber Pseudonyms include Stephen Acre, Charles K. Boston & John K. Vedder (1904-1969) "The price of this magnificent volume is not twenty-five dollars as you might expect, not even fifteen or ten, but a paltry two-ninety-five. It sounds preposterous, I know, but it's really true! All the wisdom of all the ages … Continue reading Oliver Quade (“The Human Encyclopedia”)
Tom Alder (Twenty Plus Two)
Created by Frank Gruber Pseudonyms include Stephen Acre, Charles K. Boston & John K. Vedder (1904-1969) Handsome, clean cut Los Angeles private investigator TOM ALDER has a house in Brentwood, a couple of nice suits, a Purple Heart, and a knack for tracking down missing heirs, in Frank Gruber's 1961 novel, Twenty Plus Two. When the … Continue reading Tom Alder (Twenty Plus Two)
Suspense
"Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrills!" A fixture on the CBS Radio Network, SUSPENSE was the longest-running anthology series on American radio. It made its debut in June of 1942 and was on the air for the next two decades -- an incredible twenty year run. True crime, detective stories, thrillers, tales of mystery and suspense … Continue reading Suspense
Jim Hardie (Tales of Wells Fargo)
Created by James Brooks, Frank Gruber and Gene Reynolds JIM HARDIE was the tall, good-looking hombre who starred in (and narrated) Tales of Wells Fargo (1957-62, NBC), arguably the second-most successful hybrid of the private eye and western genres in the early days of American television. Have Gun, Will Travel also lasted an impressive six seasons, while Shotgun Slade … Continue reading Jim Hardie (Tales of Wells Fargo)
Shotgun Slade
Created by Frank Gruber (1904-69) The two hottest genres in the early days of television drama were the Western and the private eye drama, and within a few years, four different shows attempted to combine the two. But unlike Have Gun Will Travel, The Man from Blackhawk or Tales from Wells Fargo, TV's SHOTGUN SLADE was perhaps … Continue reading Shotgun Slade