Posts Tagged ‘Nathan Heller’

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The Noir Musical, A Fairy Godfather With a Cigar and More

Tuesday, March 25th, 2025

My last several Update/blogs have been to promote this and that of mine. Plus, I was deep in the writing of a screenplay and couldn’t come up for much air. You deserve better.

On my plate this week, among other things, is doing a commentary track with Heath Holland of Cereal at Midnight for the 1932 western, Law and Order, from a W.R. Burnett novel about Wyatt Earp. I’m also doing a podcast with my old buddy Matthew Clemens, and have several business calls on Zoom.

So there will likely be some follow-up on some or all of that here next week. What now, then? Well, the questions I continue to be asked most often are (a) what have you read lately, and (b) what have you seen?

As for what I’ve read, the two most current books are:

Barnaby Volume 5

Barnaby Volume 5 () from Fantagraphics, the final volume of the complete daily strips of this classic, too little-known comic strip, which (with Dick Tracy, Li’l Abner and Terry and The Pirates) is among my top favorites. Written and drawn (sometimes with Jack Morley’s help on art) by the great children’s book author, Crockett Johnson (Harold and the Purple Crayon), Barnaby is a deceptively simple strip of the ‘40s and early ‘50s that details the whimsical adventures of a five-year-old boy (Barnaby) and his Fairy Godfather (Mr. O’Malley). O’Malley is just as short as the child Barnaby and is a pleasantly pompous little pixie who looks like a middle-aged man with a fedora and, of course, pink wings.

Barbaby’s parents are distressed by their little boy’s insistence that his Fairy Godfather is real. A lot of the gentle humor comes from the reality of Barnaby’s opinion on this matter being true. Mr. O’Malley frequently almost meets one or both parents, and that becomes the chief running gag of the strip. The other is Mr. O’Malley’s cheerful incompetence, his magic wand (a cigar) frequently accomplishing nothing at all.

O’Malley’s friends and associates are fellow pixies and supernatural types, like Gus the Ghost, who wears glasses and is easily spooked; Atlas the Mental Giant (also no taller than Barnaby), McSnoyd the Invisible Leprechaun (who speaks in a Brooklyn accent); Barnbaby’s talking dog Gorgon (who never speaks around Barnaby’s parents); and many more. Johnson’s “clear line cartooning” is the most deceptively simple aspect of all: oddly elegant, beautifully understated, and unmistakably Crockett.

In this final volume, Barnaby turns six and must say farewell to Mr. O’Malley. It’s a sad moment, bittersweet but just another day in the life of a Fairy Godfather, who is definitely not imaginary and as real as anybody in the comic strip canon.

Round in Circles: The Story of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel

Round in Circles: The Story of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel () by Barry Kester takes an in-depth look at one of the greatest musicals ever written, and in my view (and that of many) the finest work by Rodgers (music) and Hammerstein (book and lyrics). From the 1901 play Liliom by Ferenc Molnar, fairly faithful but with a much less dark conclusion, Carousel focuses on the sudden romance between a carnival barker and a young mill worker lass; the latter’s friends in a New England fishing community provide a backdrop and counterpoint.

It’s most overtly noir musical I can think of, with its emphasis on crime and its tortured central lovers. Modern audiences – or at least those mounting this great work of art for those audiences – have problems with the thematic content of the play. Billy Bigelow is a roustabout roughneck who has, at least on one occasion, “hit” (probably slapped) his gentle wife, who puts up with her husband’s jobless state and foul temper. In modern terms, this is viewed as an abusive relationship, and Round in Circles explores that subject thoroughly and well. Author Kester makes the point that the year the play was produced (1945) was toward the end of the Second World War, when men were starting to return from combat in a traumatized state and sometimes had difficulty into getting back into a peacetime grove. Some brought violence home with them. This is probably why audiences of the day had little if any problem with the overstated “wife-beating” aspect of the narrative.

Today, people are liable to read in contemporary values and beliefs, and somehow ignore the tragic aspects of the story, growing from flaws in both characters, the volatile Billy and the passive Julie. But Oscar Hammerstein knew what he needed to do with this tragedy. In both Liliom and Carousel, the roughneck gets a chance to redeem himself by getting another day – a single day – back on earth. Liliom is the story of man who blows his chance to redeem himself; Carousel is about a man who does, ultimately, in the nick of time redeem himself.

The film version is often dismissed, but it has rewards; and the play itself appears to be a major influence on It’s A Wonderful Life with its angelic conceits.

Additionally, the play has some of the most beautiful words and music ever written for the musical stage – from “The Carousel Waltz” to “If I Loved You” and finally “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” few scores rival it.

Carousel has a particular resonance for me. My father, in the early 1950s, when he was a high school music teacher, mounted the first high school production of Carousel. I was very young but I was spellbound – my father had a working carousel on stage for the opening of the show! Amazing. What a showman my pop was – imagine getting a wonderful performance in a play this difficult from a bunch of high school kids in the early fifties. And as I witnessed my dad’s hometown triumph, those beautiful songs crept into my brain and made a permanent home there.

If you are interested in musical theater at all, Carousel is the ultimate noir musical, and Barry Kester’s Round in Circles does it justice.

Here’s what Barb and I (and sometimes Nate) have been watching (some of these remarks will be brief):

Black Bag – a solid, well-acted espionage tale in the John Le Carre vein, starring Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender, directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by David Koepp. This we saw at a theater.

Zero Day – a good but not great six-part mini-series starring Robert De Niro as a former president recruited from retirement to head up a commission into a devastating cyber- attack. Netflix.

Reacher Season 3 – a meat-and-potatoes series with a fine central performance by Alan Ritchson. The weakest of the three seasons so far, and at times painfully predictable and occasionally plot-hole-riddled, it’s nonetheless a fun watch. Amazon Prime.

Paradise – somewhat overrated but with a brilliant seventh (of eight) episodes. I just wish every character wouldn’t have a monologue about their back story delivered to some other character. I am interested to see where they go next, because the series seems to have painted itself into a corner. Hulu.

Adolescence – a four-episode limited British series that is one of the best things I’ve seen in years. Be forewarned: it’s harrowing, not so much for on-screen violence (which is limited) but for emotional impact. A young teen is accused of murder and we follow from the procedural end through the impact on the parents. Remarkable in approach, every episode is shot in a single unbroken take; how this was accomplished required a degree of difficulty I can barely imagine. The third episode, the least flashy in filmmaking terms, is a masterpiece thanks to the performances of Erin Doherty as psychologist Briony Ariston and Owen Cooper as young accused murderer Jamie meeting at a youth detention facility to prepare a pre-trial report on his mental health. Netflix.

The Thief of Bagdad – This 1924 film starring Douglas Fairbanks is one of the greatest fantasy films of all time. Barb loves silent movies and this one is terrific, with a wonderful orchestral score. The effects are mind-boggling. Eureka! Home Video.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One – We decided to revist this before Part Two (no longer labelled that way) comes out. Underrated on its release, with an A-1 “bad guy” that seems more current now than when the film came out, this entry in the long-running series is a succession of over-the-top (in a good way) action sequences, often hilarious in their shameless excess. Paramount Home Video.

The Golden Buddha – From the boxed set Super Spies and Secret Lies, this is an Asian James Bond-era knock-off with eye-popping art direction and an amusing storyline anticipating Austin Powers. My son Nate and I watch one or two Asian movies every week, seldom artistic masterpieces but great fun. Eureka! Home video.

The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie – We went with the (nearly) entire family to this one at the local theater, and it’s a blast – traditional animation that seemed more Ren & Stimpy than Warner Bros, but I was fine with that. Word is this was dumped by Warner’s (as was a Road Runner/Wile E. Coyote movie) and that’s a disgrace. Very funny.

Okay that’s what I’ve been reading and watching. It’s an eclectic bunch of stuff, but that’s how we roll around here. I don’t read as much fiction as I once did – particularly not mysteries – but I take in a lot of physical media and streaming shows/movies. It’s how I relax and put fuel in the boiler.

There’s a lot to dislike on TV and on the movie screen these days, but plenty’s still out there to enjoy.

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This very nice, smart review popped up this week at Do Some Damage – it’s detailed and (to me) gratifying. I happen to think the two Krista Larsen books are top-notch Collins, but I got a lot of heat from some reviewers (mostly in the UK) and, frankly, from my Thomas & Mercer editor. The big complaint was too much clothing description, something that goes unremarked upon in this extended lovely review. I had hoped to do at least a third Krista novel, but Thomas & Mercer wasn’t interested. It is, admittedly, the only book of mine there that hasn’t “earned out” yet; but in my defense they’ve given that title zero support.

If you haven’t read Girl Most Likely, check out this review.

This is a very good article on Road to Perdition as a comic book movie that is also a masterpiece. Oddly, neither I nor Richard Piers Rayner are mentioned. But it’s nice,
just the same.

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We have been getting complaints from a handful of you fine folks that the link to this page from Facebook listings doesn’t always work. We (that is, son Nate) are (is) looking into it.

For those of you who can get here, we will have a book giveaway next week.

True Noir Poster

In the meantime, True Noir: The Assassination of Mayor Cermak is winding down – the last couple of the ten episodes will drop any moment now. Director Robert Meyer Burnett continues to do a great job.

If you order now, at least the first eight of ten episodes are available. Episode eight is, as Rob would say, “a banger.”

And this just in!

M.A.C.

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An Irish-American Legend: Mickey Spillane

Tuesday, March 18th, 2025

I am in the midst of a project (the nature of which I’ll share here soon), so this will be a short update, at least on the news side.

It’s St. Patrick’s Day 2025 as I write this, and how better to celebrate that (sort of) holiday than to share with you this nice article on Mickey Spillane from Casa Carlini. I rate a single mention – not exactly accurate – but that doesn’t take away from what a nice piece this is…even I do wish there’d been mention of the current Baby, It’s Murder, the final Hammer novel of the fifteen books I’ve fashioned from partial manuscripts and synopses entrusted to me by Mickey himself in his final days.

Mickey Spillane in 2001
Hard-Boiled and Unforgettable:
The Legacy of Mickey Spillane

Mickey Spillane, the literary titan of hard-boiled crime fiction, left an indelible mark on the world of detective stories. His name is synonymous with gritty narratives, tough-as-nails protagonists, and a writing style that punches you in the gut. But Spillane’s legacy is more than just a collection of thrilling tales—it’s a testament to the enduring appeal of raw, unfiltered storytelling. In this deep dive, we’ll explore the man behind the typewriter, the cultural impact of his work, and why his stories continue to captivate readers decades later.

The Man Behind the Mike Hammer Mysteries

Mickey Spillane, born Frank Morrison Spillane in 1918, was a man who lived as boldly as the characters he created. Before he became a literary sensation, Spillane dabbled in various careers, including as a circus performer and a fighter pilot trainee during World War II. But it was his foray into writing that cemented his place in history.

Spillane’s breakout character, Mike Hammer, debuted in I, the Jury (1947), a novel that set the tone for his signature style. Hammer wasn’t your typical detective—he was a vengeful, no-nonsense antihero who operated by his own moral code. Spillane’s writing was fast-paced, visceral, and unapologetically violent, a stark contrast to the more polished detective fiction of the time.

The Hard-Boiled Revolution

Spillane didn’t just write crime novels; he revolutionized the genre. His work was a departure from the cerebral whodunits of Agatha Christie or the suave sophistication of Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe. Instead, Spillane’s stories were raw, emotional, and often controversial. He didn’t shy away from depicting the darker side of human nature, and his protagonists were flawed, complex, and deeply relatable.

The term “hard-boiled” perfectly encapsulates Spillane’s approach. His stories were tough, gritty, and unflinching, much like the detectives who populated them. Mike Hammer wasn’t just solving crimes—he was navigating a world of corruption, betrayal, and moral ambiguity. This realism resonated with readers, making Spillane one of the best-selling authors of the 20th century.

Controversy and Criticism: Love Him or Hate Him

Spillane’s work wasn’t without its detractors. Critics often dismissed his novels as overly violent, misogynistic, or sensationalistic. Some accused him of prioritizing shock value over literary merit. But Spillane didn’t care. He famously quipped, “I don’t have fans. I have customers.” His focus was on entertaining his readers, not winning over the literary elite.

Despite the criticism, Spillane’s influence on the crime fiction genre is undeniable. His work paved the way for later authors like Elmore Leonard, James Ellroy, and even modern-day thriller writers. He proved that crime fiction could be both commercially successful and culturally significant.

Mike Hammer: The Antihero We Can’t Forget

At the heart of Spillane’s success was Mike Hammer, the quintessential hard-boiled detective. Hammer was a man of contradictions—brutal yet compassionate, cynical yet idealistic. He wasn’t afraid to bend the rules (or break them) to achieve justice, and his relentless pursuit of the truth made him a compelling character.

Hammer’s popularity extended beyond the pages of Spillane’s novels. He became a cultural icon, appearing in films, television shows, and comic strips. Actors like Darren McGavin and Stacy Keach brought Hammer to life on screen, each adding their own interpretation to the character. Even today, Mike Hammer remains a symbol of the hard-boiled detective archetype.

Spillane’s Writing Style: Punchy, Provocative, and Unforgettable

One of the hallmarks of Spillane’s writing was his ability to grab readers from the very first sentence. His openings were often explosive, setting the tone for the rest of the story. For example, the first line of I, the Jury is iconic: “I shook hands with the man whose brother I’d killed.” It’s a masterclass in hooking the reader and establishing the stakes.

Spillane’s prose was lean and mean, with no room for unnecessary flourishes. He had a knack for dialogue that crackled with tension and descriptions that painted vivid pictures with just a few words. This economy of language made his stories fast-paced and immersive, keeping readers on the edge of their seats.

The Cultural Impact of Mickey Spillane

Spillane’s influence extends far beyond the world of literature. His work helped shape the cultural landscape of mid-20th century America, reflecting the anxieties and complexities of the post-war era. The themes of his novels—corruption, justice, and the struggle between good and evil—resonated with a society grappling with rapid change.

Moreover, Spillane’s success demonstrated the power of genre fiction. At a time when literary snobbery often dismissed popular fiction as inferior, Spillane proved that genre writing could be both commercially viable and artistically significant. His legacy paved the way for future generations of genre authors to be taken seriously.

Spillane’s Later Years and Enduring Legacy

Even in his later years, Spillane remained a prolific writer. He continued to produce novels, short stories, and even comic books, proving that his creative spark never dimmed. In the 1990s, he collaborated with Max Allan Collins to complete several unfinished manuscripts, ensuring that his work would continue to reach new audiences.

NOTE FROM M.A.C.: Mickey and I did projects during his later years, from the Mike Danger comic book to numerous co-edited anthologies. The unfinished manuscripts were addressed after his passing, and represent posthumous works with considerable Spillane content.

Spillane passed away in 2006, but his legacy lives on. His novels are still widely read, and his influence can be seen in everything from modern crime fiction to film and television. The hard-boiled detective archetype he helped popularize remains a staple of popular culture, a testament to the enduring power of his storytelling.

Why Mickey Spillane Still Matters Today
In an age of complex antiheroes and morally ambiguous narratives, Mickey Spillane’s work feels more relevant than ever. His stories remind us that the line between right and wrong isn’t always clear, and that justice often comes at a cost. Mike Hammer may not be a traditional hero, but his unwavering commitment to his own code of ethics makes him a compelling figure.

Spillane’s writing also serves as a reminder of the power of storytelling. In a world saturated with content, his novels stand out for their raw emotion, gripping plots, and unforgettable characters. They remind us why we fell in live with crime fiction in the first place.

A Hard-Boiled Legend
Mickey Spillane was more than just a writer—he was a cultural force. His work redefined the crime fiction genre, introduced us to one of literature’s most iconic detectives, and proved that storytelling doesn’t need to be polished to be powerful. Whether you love him or hate him, there’s no denying the impact of Mickey Spillane.

So, the next time you pick up a gritty crime novel or watch a noir film, take a moment to appreciate the man who helped make it all possible. Mickey Spillane may have been hard-boiled, but his legacy is anything but forgettable.

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J. Kingston Pierce at the indispensable Rap Sheet recommends Baby, It’s Murder as one of the most interesting of recent mystery novels. He also provides a link to Borg’s splendid review of the book, if you missed it.

A very good look at Road to Perdition (primarily the film version) is here.

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True Noir banner

Director Robert Meyer Burnett’s eighth episode of True Noir: The Assassination of Mayor Cermak has just dropped, and it’s a banger, as Rob himself might say. Probably the most impressive episode in terms of sound design if nothing else. And we’re in the home stretch now! Two episodes to go….

M.A.C.

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New Nathan Heller and Mike Hammer…and Blue Xmas on Tubi!

Tuesday, March 11th, 2025

There’s a new Nathan Heller book you may not have heard about. The title in fact is Nathan Heller, and it’s an 85-page novel-by-novel account of me interviewing Mr. Heller. Anyone interested in the Heller novels will want to read this, and will surely get a kick out of it.

It’s available in three forms – a paperback at $8.95 (such a deal!) and signed/numbered at $50 and signed/lettered at $100. Nathan Heller is the latest in a series of profiles of mystery fiction detectives selected by Otto Penzler and published by Mysterious Press. Among the others in this series are Lee Child’s Jack Reacher, Michael Connelly’s Hieronymous Bosch, Jeff Deaver’s Lincoln Rhyme and Colin Dexter’s Inspector Morse, among many other celebrated authors and sleuths in this unique series.

The format varies among these profiles, but I chose to interview Nate Heller, the conceit being these are excerpts of interviews with him I recorded over the years to help me ghost-write his memoirs.

I’m grateful to Otto Penzler for giving Nate Heller and me a place on this impressive list. Otto is a key figure in the mystery trade – he’s an editor, publisher and a pioneer in the mystery book store field. He edited and published the first three Mike Hammer novels by me working from Mickey’s material-in-progress (The Goliath Bone, The Big Bang and Kiss Her Goodbye), as well as the Spillane/Collins Mike Hammer short story collection, A Long Time Dead.

You can get Nathan Heller by Max Allan Collins right here.

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Hardcover:
E-Book: Amazon Google Play Nook Kobo iTunes

Digital Audiobook: Google PlayNook Kobo iTunes
Audio MP3 CD:
Audio CD:

And as far as Mike Hammer is concerned, the final novel in the series was just published by Titan Books. Baby, It’s Murder can be ordered from the usual suspects, and the audio book read by the great Stefan Rudnicki is available at Audible and other venues for audio books.

Stefan, who also reads the Quarry novels (and does a bang-up job of it) took over after Stacy Keach stepped down after a long run.

For those of you who prefer a physical media version of Baby, It’s Murder, and not an audio download, there’s always the book itself using the audio book option at Amazon.

Speaking of Baby, It’s Murder – the concluding Mike Hammer novel – Borg has reviewed it very generously here.

And in case you missed it, here’s the splendid Kirkus review of Baby, It’s Murder.

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By the time you read this, the eighth episode of True Noir: The Assassination of Anton Cermak should have dropped. We are closing in on the finish. Director Rob Burnett has edited chapters nine and ten, with only the final mix ahead.

Rob has done an incredible job on this project, serving as director, editor, and producer. We are discussing other projects in the True Noir series including more of our fully immersive adaptations of the Heller novels, with True Crime and The Million-Dollar Wound the likely candidates. We are discussing a Nate Heller movie, as well. Early days on that, but I’ll be scripting it very soon, which is the first step.

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Many thanks to all of you who left birthday wishes either here at F.O.M.A.C. or at the various Facebook sites where I post my weekly update/blog. I tried to answer or at least “like” all of those kind wishes, but frankly the number was too great. I ran out of steam before all of you did.

But my thanks are no less sincere. I seem to have lost only one reader (at least one who was vocal) after I posted a mildly political meme last time. I have no intention of getting political here, but sometimes enough is just enough.

Still, I want to keep this a politics-free zone. Early on I got vocal on Facebook and lost some friends or at least damaged some friendships. Social media has not improved our lives, and certainly has damaged our civility.

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With my buddy Heath Holland of Cereal at Midnight I’ve done a show about some of my favorite comedy movies. It’s right here.

Finally, if you never got around to watching Blue Christmas last year, or buying the DVD or Blu-ray, it’s free on Tubi starting today, March 10. Check it out here.

M.A.C.

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We All Have It Coming

Tuesday, March 4th, 2025

Today’s update/blog will be very stream of consciousness.

I am writing it on March 3, 2025, my 77th birthday. My father died on his 78th birthday, so I sense the clock ticking. Loudly. Memories are flooding in like the water of the terribly tepid bath I took this morning. My memory is selective – I have few vivid memories, rather many more sketchy ones. Ask Terry Beatty, my longtime collaborator, who has had to put up with my smear of a memory more than most. My wife Barb is probably relieved she doesn’t have to hear more about what little I remember.

This will be about loss. The list of key players in the drama of my life who’ve already had a final curtain call is a long one. Bruce Peters, the greatest rock ‘n’ roll showman I ever had the honor and difficulty of appearing with. Paul Thomas, my closest friend in the many years of playing rock ‘n’ roll. Michael Cornelison, the actor who was at times a troubled soul but usually a smart, positive one who starred in four of my indie movies and narrated my two documentaries. There are others, too many others; but these three stand out.

I am going to give myself a present. I rarely talk politics here. It’s a combination of respecting the opinions of others and cravenly not wanting to lose any readers. But I am allowing myself the following little joke:

Farkus and Dill in A Christmas story
President Donald Trump and V.P. J.D. Vance prepare to welcome President Zelensky

If this offends you deeply, we are so on opposite pages that you are invited never to read me again. I have, on several occasions, requested that disgruntled readers not put my words into their brain, even temporarily. I hate to see you go but don’t let the screen door (you know the rest).

Before I start rambling on this and that, I will pause to say how much I love my wife Barb and what an incredible partner in every phase of my adult life she has been – beautiful, smart, funny, and supportive. When I was in the hospital in 2016 for open-heart surgery, for two-and-a-half weeks, she was there every day. The follow-up surgery a year later, she was there. Every procedure that followed, she was there. She also is excellent at putting me in my place.

Plus she gave me my son Nate, who gave me my grandson Sam and granddaughter Lucy, all three gifts that keep on giving.

Well, that’s out of the way, so let’s talk about Larry Coven.

Larry passed away recently. I met him under unusual circumstances. Barb and I loved Second City in Chicago, the great improv comedy theater where we once saw the cast that largely became that of SCTV. Larry was in the strongest cast I ever saw at Second City, including that storied Canadian one. He shared the stage with George Wendt, Tim Kazurinsky, Mary Gross, Jim Belushi and Danny Breen, all of whom went on to later fame in movies and television, from Cheers to Saturday Night Live and many movie and national TV appearances.

At one of these performances, Barb and I were in Chicago for an early comics convention at the Congress Hotel…I think it was still the Pick-Congress then. To my astonishment, Larry Coven was there. He turned out to be a book and comics dealer, and was a little wary of me because my Second City enthusiasm was on the psychotic side.

But we hit it off and stayed in touch – not regularly though more than just an acquaintance sort of thing. He was amused by my Spillane enthusiasm but respected my right to have it. I asked him, in 1995, to take a small role for me in my Mommy sequel, Mommy’s Day. He appeared as an ominous doctor who gave Patty McCormack as Mommy a dose of something to curtail her homicidal tendencies. This appearance was a generous one, but so was Larry’s delivering the legendary Del Close to me for another role in the film.

Close turned out to be a book enthusiast and a (I can’t believe this even today) fan of mine. Whenever a true Chicagoan endorsed Nate Heller, that was a big deal to me. Del took the role in Mommy’s Day in part because Mickey Spillane was in it and Del wanted to meet this very famous writer and get his Spillane books signed.

Larry took on a much bigger role in my little indie Real Time: Siege at Lucas Street Market, playing the upbeat clerk whose quiet evening was disrupted by armed robbers. He brought an improvisational touch to the proceedings (“We have some fine Hostess products”) and true professionalism. He had appeared in several other films and on lots of TV. His presence in the cast, which otherwise included mostly inexperienced or local actors, set a high standard and encouraged good performances around him.

If you haven’t seen Real Time: Siege at Lucas Market (and there are enthusiasts of that odd little production), it was my first but not last attempt to get a movie made on spit and chewing gum. Our budget was $10,000. I presented it as a found-footage movie, but it was really tightly scripted, with room for Larry to work a little magic. It came to be after the success of the two Mommy movies was scuttled by a “friend” who was also my producer, and who stole most of the money.

This led to my two documentaries, and the $10,000 production of Eliot Ness: An Untouchable Life (with Mike Cornelison, who had considerable Hollywood success for about a decade, appearing on Hill Street Blues, World’s Greatest American Hero and helming three pilot movies, among much else, including a memorable role in Albert Brooks’ Lost in America). Two more recent movies of mine have also been micro-budget affairs (Blue Christmas, also a ten-grand wonder, and the slightly higher budgeted Death By Fruitcake). It was tough getting through both of them without Mike Cornelison in the mix.

Larry would call me whenever I had a novel out – which is often! – and requested that he might send me books of mine to sign, one for himself and another batch for his customers (he was a book dealer, remember). What a bright, funny presence he was. Hearing from him was always a joy. I was lucky to have known him.

Another passing is less personal but has a resonance I’ll share with you (and, yes, I’ve written about this before).

The film Bonnie and Clyde was extraordinarily influential on me. It re-sparked my interest in Prohibition-era crime, initially created by the Untouchables TV series. All of this, plus my Dick Tracy interest, led me down the path to writing historical crime fiction, notably True Detective, currently getting a new lease on life thanks to director Rob Burnett’s True Noir: The Assassination of Anton Cermak, the fully immersive audio drama written by me.

Bonnie and Clyde was, and is, a great movie. But I was particularly taken, as were so many others, by an unknown actor’s portrayal of Clyde’s brother Buck. As much as I loved virtually every element of director Arthur Penn’s film, it was Gene Hackman’s performance as Buck that really stole the show for me. The real-life Buck died by police gunfire in my home state of Iowa, and a famous photo of the crime scene, including the bloodied Buck, was recreated in the film.

As I’ve said here and elsewhere before, my father was no huge movie buff. Max Allan Collins, Sr., was a gifted musician but his movie interest was negligible, and he seemed only to put up with my mother’s keen interest in movies, and his son’s. Dad was a sports fan and I was a disappointment in my preference for going to movie matinees on the weekend and not watching sports with him.

But at my urging he went with me to Bonnie and Clyde, which at that point I’d seen half a dozen times. When the Iowa-set scene with the recreation of Buck’s bloody death came on the screen, he was visibly shaken. An ex-WW 2-era Naval veteran, Dad had never reacted to a movie in this fashion, even one as bloody as Bonnie and Clyde. I asked him afterward why it had affected him so, and he reported that his father (my grandfather) had driven him to the bloody crime scene (not far from their Grand Junction, Iowa, home) to witness the aftermath of what a life in crime could bring. The bloody garments were strewn around in the sort of grove where the gun battle had taken place, as was a bullet-pocked car or two. Dad would have been a young boy when he saw this, but he hadn’t thought of it in years till Arthur Penn put it on screen. That Buck Barrow had been brought to life, and then to die, so effectively, so memorably, had an impact.

Hackman was always a favorite actor of mine, but I couldn’t see him without thinking of Buck Barrow and my youngster-age father. I realize that Hackman’s death, at least as I write this, is shrouded in mystery and unfortunate circumstances. But as Clint Eastwood said in The Unforgiven, a movie with an Oscar-winning performance by Gene Hackman, “We all have it coming, kid.”

At 77 I am very aware that the end is coming for all of us. Some are lucky enough, and hard-working enough, to leave behind them a legacy of work, if not one of the magnitude of movies and novels that Gene Hackman did. And all of us who love great acting are lucky to have been on the planet when Hackman was around.

I should leave it at that, but I can’t help but comment that Barb and I watched, this past weekend, a Hackman film, Bite the Bullet, a terrific, under-appreciated movie that co-stars James Coburn. Seeing those two working together is a master class in film acting.

What I love about this pairing is how Hackman is an actor who learned to be a movie star, and Coburn is a movie star who leaned to be an actor.

I’m glad I was around to see them both.

* * *

If you’re wondering what I want for my birthday, it’s for you to go to truenoir.co and order True Noir: The Assassination of Anton Cermak.

M.A.C.

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