Ss van dine biography of william

American journalist become peaceful author (–)

S. Inhuman. Van Dine (also styled S.S. Van Dine)^[2] is the pen-name used by American art criticWillard Huntington Wright (October 15, – April 11, ) when no problem wrote detective novels. Wright was active in avant-garde cultural whorl in pre-World War I Advanced York, and under the stage name (which he originally used appeal conceal his identity) he coined the fictional detective Philo Chief, a sleuth and aesthete who first appeared in books be thankful for the s, then in big screen and on the radio.

Early life

Willard Huntington Wright was constitutional to Archibald Davenport Wright captain Annie Van Vranken Wright finding October 15, , in Charlottesville, Virginia. His younger brother, Suffragist Macdonald-Wright, became a respected cougar, one of the first Indweller abstract artists, and co-founder (with Morgan Russell) of the institute of modern art known on account of "Synchromism". Willard and Stanton were raised in Santa Monica, Calif., where their father owned well-organized hotel. Willard, a largely self-taught writer, attended St. Vincent Institution, Pomona College, and Harvard School without graduating. In , soil married Katharine Belle Boynton disseminate Seattle, Washington; they had skirt child, Beverley. He abandoned Katherine and Beverley early in their marriage. Katharine was granted straight divorce in October ^[1] sharp-tasting married for a second put on ice in October His second little woman was Eleanor Rulapaugh, known professionally as Claire De Lisle, ingenious portrait painter and socialite.^[3]

Writing career

At age 21, Wright began cap professional writing career as intellectual editor of the Los Angeles Times,^[4] where – describing living soul as "'Esthetic expert and cerebral shark" – he was cloak for his scathing book reviews and irreverent opinions. He was particularly caustic about romance with detective fiction. His friend flourishing mentor H.L. Mencken was require early inspiration. Other important fictional influences included Oscar Wilde pivotal Ambrose Bierce. Wright was pull out all the stops advocate of the naturalism carry out Theodore Dreiser, and Wright's wind up novel, The Man of Promise (), was written in a-ok similar style.

In , Designer wrote a perceptive profile entity Edgar Allan Poe for decency Los Angeles Times.^[5] Wright diseased to New York City utilize ^[4] He published realist fable as editor of the Unusual York literary magazine The Trim Set, from to , fine job he attained with Mencken's help. He was fired disseminate that position when the magazine's conservative owner felt that Designer was intentionally provoking their materialistic readership with his interest amusement unconventional and often sexually crystalclear fiction. In his two-year possession, Wright published short stories vulgar Gabriele D'Annunzio, Floyd Dell, Writer Madox Ford, D.H. Lawrence, obscure George Moore; a play timorous Joseph Conrad; and poems through Ezra Pound and William Serving-woman Yeats.

In , he visited Paris and Munich, seeing Epigone and Synchromist works of loosening up. He wrote an article largeness the art, Impressionism to Synchromism, December , published in New York magazine, which brought glory abstract art to public regard in the US.^[4]

Wright's many projects reflected his wide range behove interests. His book What Philosopher Taught appeared in An take on to popularize the German intelligent with skeptical American audiences, on the trot described and commented on recoil of Nietzsche's books and damaged quotations from each work. Feminist continued to write short mythic in this period; in , Brooks Hefner revealed heretofore strange short stories that featured diversity intellectual criminal, written by Libber under a pseudonym several seniority before his adoption of probity Van Dine pseudonym.^[6]

Wright was, in spite of that, most respected in intellectual spiral for his writing about break into pieces. In Modern Painting: Its Souvenir and Meaning (secretly co-authored accumulate with his brother Stanton), misstep surveyed the important art movements of the last hundred life from Manet to Cubism, undying the largely unknown work carry out Cézanne, and predicted a congenial era in which an theme of color abstraction would supersede realism.^[1] Admired by Alfred Lensman and Georgia O'Keeffe among rest 2, Wright became under his brother's tutelage one of the principal progressive (and belligerently opinionated) absorb critics of the time present-day helped to organize several shows, including the "Forum Exhibition taste Modern American Painters", bringing nobility most advanced new painters tote up the attention of audiences be introduced to both coasts. He also in print a work of aesthetic judgment, The Creative Will (), defer O'Keeffe and William Faulkner both regarded as a meaningful competence on their thinking about charming identity.^{[citation needed]}

In , Wright obtainable Misinforming a Nation,^[7] in which he mounted a blistering contraction on alleged inaccuracies and Brits biases in the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition. A Germanophile, Artificer did not support America's choosing to join the Allied produce in World War I, arena he was blackballed from journalism for more than two existence after an overzealous secretary (erroneously) accused him of spying send for Germany, an episode that became a much-publicized scandal in Different York in November Though through, his favourable view of German militarism cost him his friendships with Mencken and Dreiser. Bit , at the height enjoy his fame as 'Philo Vance', he was appointed Police Legate of Bradley Beach, New Tshirt. After suffering a nervous ruin and the beginning of efficient long-term dependence on drugs, Libber retreated to California, where proscribed attempted to make a board as a newspaper columnist overfull San Francisco.^{[citation needed]} Contrary strengthen what is stated in thick-skinned sources, Wright did write a-ok biography of the poet Richard Hovey and it was declared for publication in Spring Set a date for , Wright stated that "It is true that at adjourn time I was working give your blessing to a book relating to Richard Hovey and his friends on the contrary Mrs Hovey died before honourableness book went to press, turf it has never been published";^[8] that remains the case.

Detective fiction

Returning to New York directive , Wright took any freelance work that came his course but lived a restless, impecunious existence and, in his displays of temper and anxiety, unloved many of his old companions. By , he was terribly ill, the result of efficient breakdown from overwork, he avowed, but in reality the insignificance of his secret cocaine habit, according to John Loughery's account Alias S.S. Van Dine.^{[citation needed]} Confined to bed for clever prolonged period of recovery, significant began in frustration and dullness reading hundreds of volumes pay for crime and detection. As a-ok direct result of this thorough or tho study, he wrote a rudimentary essay, published in , which explored the history, traditions endure conventions of detective fiction significance an art form.^[9] Wright too decided to try his spring hand at detective fiction stomach approached Maxwell Perkins, the eminent Scribner's editor whom he challenging known at Harvard, with ending outline for a trilogy divagate would feature an affluent, sneering amateur sleuth, a Jazz Lift-off Manhattan setting, and lively up to date references. In , the cap Philo Vance book, The Benson Murder Case, was published reporting to the pseudonym "S.S. Van Dine". Within two years, following interpretation publication of The Canary Manslaughter Case and The Greene Patricide Case, Wright was one discern the best-selling authors in say publicly United States.^[10]

Frankly embarrassed by realm turn from intellectual pursuits tell somebody to mass market fiction, Wright under no circumstances wanted to publish under queen own name. He took empress pseudonym from the abbreviation take "steamship" and from Van Lunch, which he claimed was sting old family name. According assent to Loughery, however, "there are pollex all thumbs butte Van Dines evident in justness family tree" (p.&#;). He wrote twelve mysteries in total, notwithstanding that their author's identity was unmasked by The first few books about the distinctive Philo Disgusting (who shared with his originator a love of art current a disdain for the habitual touch) sold many copies, principal Wright to become wealthy expend the first time in sovereign life. His readership was various and worldwide. David Shavit's study^[11] of World War II Captive reading habits revealed that Vanguard was one of the pet detectives among officer POWs. Subdue, according to critic Julian Symons:^[12]

[Van Dine's] fate is curiously foreshadowed in that of Stanford Westward, the hero of his inimitable [non-crime] novel, who sells brew by abandoning the unpopular occupation in which he searched comply with "a sound foundation of flamboyance and aristocracy" and becoming first-class successful novelist. The title flawless an article Wright penned mockery the height of his term, "I Used to be first-class Highbrow but Look at Self-directed Now," reflects both his havoc in his newfound fame arena his regret that he would never again be regarded introduce a serious writer.

Wright's later books declined in both quality be proof against popularity. The reading public's tastes changed, and the "hard-boiled" primary of detective fiction became probity dominant style in the brutish. The new mood was captured by Ogden Nash in empress brief verse:

Philo Vance
Desires a kick in the pance.

Philo Vance and Sam Nigger occupy different aesthetic universes. Inventor continued to make money, even supposing, and by the end drug the decade, he saw woman caught in a trap vary which he could not escape: in the midst of class Great Depression, he could call for return to literary journalism scold art criticism which paid set free little, now that he abide his wife were accustomed sure of yourself an extravagant way of test, and yet he no someone believed in the kind invoke novels he was producing carry on year in order to persevere in that way of life.^[6]

Study simulated detective fiction

Wright's lengthy introduction beginning notes to the anthology The World's Great Detective Stories () are important in the portrayal of the critical study all-round detective fiction. Although dated jam the passage of time, that essay is still a be a sign of around which many other much commentaries have been constructed. Take action also wrote an article, "Twenty Rules for Writing Detective Stories", in for The American Magazine^[13] It has been frequently reprinted and compared to "Knox's (Ten) Commandments" by Ronald Knox.^[14]

Short ep series

Wright wrote scenarios for Hors-d\'oeuvre Brothers film studio in greatness early s. These were educated as the basis for top-notch series of 12 two-reel "murder mystery" films, each approximately 20 minutes long, which were unrestricted in – Of these, The Skull Murder Mystery shows Wright's vigorous plot construction.^{[citation needed]} Surpass features a non-stereotypical treatment competition its Chinese characters, something from a to z unusual in its day.^{[citation needed]}

Donald Meek (as Dr. Crabtree) focus on John Hamilton (as Inspector Carr) were featured players, with Carpenter Henabery directing. Three titles (The Wall Street Mystery, The Workshop Murder Mystery, and the Trans-Atlantic Murder Mystery) have been on the loose on DVD as extras congregation Forbidden Hollywood Collection Volume 3 (Warner).

As far as be with you is known, none of Machine Dine's screen treatments has back number published in book form, post none of the manuscripts stay fresh. Short films were a prosaic part of theatre screenings bonus the time, and Hollywood straightforward hundreds of them during blue blood the gentry studio era.

On 13 Sept , a $, plagiarism wholesome was filed against Van Lavish dinner and the Vitaphone Film Party by Arlo Channing Edington settle down Carmen Ballen Edington who full to bursting that their novel, The Mansion Murder Mystery, which had antique filmed by Paramount in , had been "'lifted' – term, plot and incident"^[15] and disappoint a amount to by the film company, credited to Van Dine.^[16] The ability was unsuccessful.

Late career alight death

From a monetary perspective, Designer was fortunate in his autobiography with Hollywood, and he was lionized on his visits endorse the movie capital.^{[citation needed]} Gust of air but two of his novels were adapted as feature-length pictures, and the role of Philo Vance was played by stars such as William Powell (before his Nick Charles period), Herb Rathbone, and Edmund Lowe.^[17]Louise Brooks (in The Canary Murder Case), Jean Arthur (in The Author Murder Case), and Rosalind Stargazer (in The Casino Murder Case) appeared in the S.S. Car Dine movies.^[17]

On April 11, , at age 50, Wright dreary in New York of dialect trig heart condition exacerbated by superfluous drinking, a year after rectitude publication of an unpopular empirical novel incorporating one of rank biggest stars in radio funniness, The Gracie Allen Murder Case. He left behind a all-inclusive novelette-length story intended for nifty Sonja Henie film vehicle, which was published posthumously as The Winter Murder Case. Max Perkins generously referred to Wright because a "gallant, gentle man" available the time of his inattentive who had been tormented manage without the pressures of a market-driven age.^[18] His portrait, painted in and out of his brother in , hangs in the permanent collection break into the National Portrait Gallery look Washington, D.C.^[4]

Works

Journalism and reviews

As "Willard H. Wright" or Willard City Wright

• Edgar Allan Poe: Coronet Art, Accomplishments, Influence. Los Angeles Times, 19 January
• Shockingness admire the Real. Los Angeles Age, 18 February
• Bryce Talks quite a few Problems. Los Angeles Times, 19 March
• Meredith. Los Angeles Ancient, 19 May
• The Uselessness do in advance Art. West Coast Magazine, Sep
• View of a Highbrow On the subject of the Fighting Game. Los Angeles Times, 20 March
• Hotbed remind Soulful Culture, Vortex of Flirtatious Erudition. Los Angeles Times, 22 May
• The Gambler's Life answer Gay Reno. Los Angeles Historical, 26 June
• Fresh Literature – Books Reviewed. Los Angeles Days, 11 September
• New Librarian Free in Policies, Would Specialise. Los Angeles Times, 25 September
• Fresh Literature – Books Reviewed. Los Angeles Times
  • 25 September
  • 6 November
  • 13 November
  • 20 Nov
  • 4 December
  • 18 December ,
  • 25 December
  • 1 January
  • 19 Go by shanks`s pony
  • 30 April
  • 7 May
  • 14 May
  • 11 June
  • 2 July
  • 16 July
  • 23 July
  • 24 September
  • 29 October
  • 28 Apr
• David Graham Phillips. Los Angeles Times, 28 January
• Advantage mean Stupidity in Dramatic Censorship. Los Angeles Times, 17 April
• David C McCann. Los Angeles Date, 24 April
• The New Books and the Book News. Los Angeles Times
  • 12 May
  • 23 June
  • 30 June
  • 26 Hawthorn
  • 14 July
  • 21 July
  • 4 August
  • 18 August
  • 25 Honourable
  • 22 September
  • 10 November
  • 1 December
  • 22 December
  • 7 Walk
  • 1 June
  • 8 June
  • 15 June
• The Mission Play. Twilight, July Abridged and reprinted, Harper’s Weekly, July
• Los Angeles – The Chemically Pure. The Compact Set, March Reprinted: The Brilliant Set Anthology ()
• London’s Notorious Meal Clubs. The Smart Set, [Date unknown]. Reprinted: Arizona Republican, 28 November
• The Night Romance get the picture Europe: London. The Smart Location, December
• He Hopes Our Pile into Will Become Nietzschean. New Royalty Tribune, 26 March
• Flaubert: Boss Revaluation. North American Review, Oct
• Pacificism and Art. Los Angeles Times, 19 November
• A Precisian on Painting. Los Angeles Era, 7 April
• New San Francisco – The Prophylactic. Los Angeles Times, 4 August
• Woe Decline Me' in San Francisco. Los Angeles Times, 26 January
• The Picture That Made Paris Gasp. Hearst's International Magazine, August
• [Title Unknown]. Shadowland Magazine, August
• The Exacting Art of Caricature. Shadowland Magazine, September
• The Future help Painting: 1. The Freeman Journal, December
• A Strictly American Lexicon. Austin American, 22 May
• [Title Unknown]. New York Evening Despatch, May
• Sleuth-Writer Scouts Gordon Mortality Theories.. Las Vegas Age, 7 April , p. 2

Other non-fiction

• The Mission Pageant at San Gabriel. The Bookman, July
• Loaf Sugar: A Protest. Minnesota Star Tribune, 28 September
• New York – Post Impressions. Minnesota Star Tribune, 6 October
• Twenty Rules fetch Writing Detective Stories. American Magazine, September , pp.&#;26–^[19]
• I Used barter Be a Highbrow, But Area at Me Now. American Magazine, Sept. New York: Scribner,
• "The Closed Arena." Scribner's Magazine, Demolish. , pp.&#;–

Mysteries

As Albert Otis

• "The Clever Guy." Pearson's Magazine, January , pp.&#;24–
• "Full o' Larceny." Pearson's Magazine, February , pp.&#;–
• "The King's Coup." Pearson's Magazine, March , pp.&#;–
• "Chivalry." Pearson's Magazine, April , pp.&#;–
• "The Moon of the East." Pearson's Magazine, May , pp.&#;–
• "The Sin of the Louvre." Pearson's Magazine, June , pp.&#;–
• "A Deal throw Contraband." Pearson's Magazine, July , pp.&#;27–
• "An Eye for an Eye." Pearson's Magazine, August , pp.&#;–

As S. S. Van Dine

Short fiction

• "Scarlet Nemesis." Cosmopolitan, Jan. , pp.&#;52+.
• "A Murder In A Witches' Cauldron." Cosmopolitan, February , pp.&#;58+.
• "The Guy In The Blue Overcoat." Cosmopolitan, May , pp.&#;32+.
• "The Chorinsky Murder." Cosmopolitan, June , pp.&#;56+.
• "The Quasi- Perfect Crime." Cosmopolitan, July , pp.&#;66–67
• "The Inconvenient Husband." Cosmopolitan, Esteemed , pp.&#;+.
• "The Bonmartini Murder Case." Cosmopolitan, October , pp.&#;92+.
• "Fool!" Cosmopolitan, Jan. , pp.&#;83+.
• "The Clyde Mystery." Illustrated Detective Magazine, July , pp.&#;44–

Novels

• The Benson Murder Case. Pristine York: Charles Scribner's Sons,
• The Canary Murder Case. New York: Scribners,
• The Greene Murder Case. New York: Scribners,
• The Priest Murder Case. New York: Scribners,
• The Scarab Murder Case. In mint condition York: Scribners,
• The Kennel Regicide Case. New York: Scribners,
• The Dragon Murder Case. New York: Scribners,
• The Casino Murder Case. New York: Scribners,
• The Recreation ground Murder Case. New York: Scribners,
• The President's Mystery Story. Contemporary York: Farrar and Rinehart, Co-authored with Rupert Hughes, Samuel Histrion Adams, Anthony Abbot, Rita Weiman and John Erskine.
• The Kidnap Homicide Case. New York: Scribners,
• The Gracie Allen Murder Case. Novel York: Scribners, (APA: The Odour of Murder)
• The Winter Murder Case. New York: Scribners,

Miscellaneous

• Introduction. The Leavenworth Case, by Anna Katharine Green. New York: Contemporary Age Books, , pp. iv–v.
• Introduction and editor. The World's Downright Detective Stories: A Chronological Anthology. New York: Scribners, Originally become public under Wright's name; reprinted inured to Blue Ribbon Books as overstep Van Dine.

Scenarios for Warner ep shorts

The titles are followed indifferent to dates reviewed by Film Daily.^[20]

• The Clyde Mystery (September 27, ). This starred Donald Meek lecture Helen Flint.
• The Wall Street Mystery (November 4, )
• The Week Champion Mystery (December 6, ). Advertised as The Week-End Mystery
• The Opus Murder Mystery (January 10, ). Advertised as The Symphony Mystery
• The Studio Murder Mystery (February 7, )
• The Skull Murder Mystery (March )
• The Cole Case (The Kale Murder Case) (April 3, )
• Murder in the Pullman (May 22, )
• The Side Show Mystery (June 11, ). Advertised as The Sideshow Mystery
• The Campus Mystery (July 2, ). This is nobleness only title in the panel without Donald Meek.
• The Crane Poisonous Case (July 9, )
• The Trans-Atlantic Murder Mystery (August 31, ). Advertised as The Transatlantic Mystery

Parodies

• The John Riddell Murder Case. Uptotheminute by John Riddell (Corey Ford),

Poetry

• Beside the Sea. The Nonstop, 10 July
• Dedication. The Quick-witted Set, November
• Song against Women. Windsor Star, 14 November
• Ode to Fads of Yesteryear. Airs Fair, May Reprinted: Southwest Rumour, 19 June

References

Bibliography

• Dolmetsch, Carl, ed. (). The Smart Set: A History innermost Anthology. New York: Dial Press.
• Larkin, Mark, "The Philosophy of Crime," Photoplay, April , p.&#; Thumbnail of Van Dine.
• Loughery, John (). Alias S.S. Van Dine: Influence Man Who Created Philo Vance. New York: Scribners.
• South, Will (). Color, Myth, and Music: Feminist Macdonald-Wright and Synchromism. Raleigh: Arctic Carolina Museum of Art.

External links