What a wonderful thread and appreciation.
I owe Westlake for steering me into a career in films. It was after
I saw THE HOT ROCK as a pre-teen. I noticed it was based on a book
so I went to the local library and took out The Fugitive Pigeon and
The Busy Body. It was the first time I laughed out loud while
reading a book, and after each book was done I would say, "This would
make a great movie!". Needless to say, I was hooked.
I had the great opportunity of meeting and working with Don on
serveal occasions. Anytime a new Westlake book appeared on the desk
of his agent Gary Salt, Gary would give me a 72 hour head start to
buy/set up the project before he sent the manuscript out to the
town. I'll never forget the day Comeback appeared on Gary's desk.
He called me all giddy because Don resurrected Parker and didn't tell
anyone. The tradition continued when Gary passed and Stephen Moore
took over as Don's LA agent.
In LA I was known as the Westlake expert, and would receive calls
from producers and occasionally his agents - looking for copies of
his hard to find books (which I had extra copies of in paperback and
well as hardcover). I even supplied Don with a DVD of the Godard
film MADE IN AMERICA when he blocked from ever being shown because he
was never paid for the underlying rights. In an ironic twist Don was
finally given North America rights to the film as was to be hosting a
special screening of it at Film Forum in the coming weeks.
Don could write any genre and do it with great ease. I will miss him.
BTW another name Don wrote under was John Taylor for a paperback bio
of Elizabeth Taylor. In my signed copy under "about the author" Don
wrote, "Lies, it's all lies!"
best,
Joe
--- In rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com, DJ-Anonyme@... wrote:
>
> Maybe this is an opportunity to compile as complete a list as
possible
> of Westlake's pseudonyms. These are ones I know of:
>
> Donald E Westlake, of course
> Richard Stark (Parker series)
> Tucker Coe (Mitch Tobin series)
> Curt Clark (Anarchaos and some SF stories)
> Sam Holt (Sam Holt)
> Thomas J Culver (Ex Officio, Power Play in paperback)
> J. Morgan Cunningham (Comfort Station)
> Carmichael, but I forget the first name/initial
>
> And those on what he called "euphemism novels" (because at that
time you
> couldn't come right out and say certain things in books):
>
> Edwin West
> Alan Marshall
> And I'm sure I'm missing a few others he used there
>
> Although there's debate over whether or not he was responsible for
all
> of the books under those names or some were house names he merely
> contributed to.
>
> So what others am I missing?
>
> Mark
>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : 03 Jan 2009 EST