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Joe Gores

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Joe Gores
BornJoseph Nicholas Gores
(1931-12-25)December 25, 1931
Rochester, Minnesota, U.S.
DiedJanuary 10, 2011(2011-01-10) (aged 79)
Greenbrae, California, U.S.
OccupationWriter

Joseph Nicholas Gores (December 25, 1931 - January 10, 2011) was an American mystery writer. He was known best for his novels and short stories set in San Francisco and featuring the fictional Dan Kearney and Associates[1] (the "DKA Files") private investigation firm specializing in repossessing cars, a thinly veiled escalation of his own experiences as a confidential sleuth and repo man. Gores was also recognized for his novels Hammett (1975; made into the 1982 film Hammett), Spade & Archer (the 2009 prequel to Dashiell Hammett's The Maltese Falcon) and his Edgar Award-winning or -nominated works, such as A Time of Predators, 32 Cadillacs and Come Morning.[2]

Work

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Gores was a three-time Edgar Award winner, and only one of three authors (the other two being Donald E. Westlake and William L. DeAndrea) to receive Edgars in three separate categories; Gores won Best First Novel (for A Time of Predators (1969)—a story set in the San Francisco Bay Area and having to do with a Stanford University professor who re-learns his military commando skills in order to go after a gang of juvenile thugs who raped his wife), Best Short Story ("Goodbye, Pops," Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Dec. 1969)[3] and Best TV Series Segment (for writing an episode of the crime drama Kojak titled "No Immunity for Murder"—airdate Nov. 23, 1975).[4] In addition, Gores received the 1986 Maltese Falcon Award (Japan's highest commendation in the mystery fiction field) and the Private Eye Writers of America lifetime achievement award (The Eye), and he was elected president of the Mystery Writers of America.[5] His novels 32 Cadillacs and Come Morning were nominated for Best Novel Edgars.[6] Beyond Kojak, Gores composed teleplays and screenplays for popular mystery-related series such as Remington Steele, B.L. Stryker, Mrs. Columbo, and Magnum, P.I.[7]

Literary crossovers

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Westlake and Joe Gores wrote the same encounter between two of their characters from different perspectives in two different novels. In Chapter 18 of Gores' 1972 novel Dead Skip, San Francisco detective Dan Kearney meets Westlake's amoral thief Parker while looking for one of Parker's associates. The sequence is described from Parker's viewpoint in the 1972 book Plunder Squad, which Westlake wrote under the pseudonym Richard Stark. Gores hints further at the connection between the two books by referring to Parker's associates as "the plunder squad." Additionally, earlier in the novel, the book's protagonist Larry Ballard is described as being a reader only of Richard Stark novels.[8]

Gores and Westlake also wrote a shared chapter in Westlake's Drowned Hopes and Gores' 32 Cadillacs, having the characters in those books influenced by the same event.[9][10]

Background

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Gores lived in the San Francisco Bay Area and was a longtime resident. He obtained a degree in English literature from Notre Dame University and received a master's degree, also in English literature, from Stanford University in 1961.[11][12] Gores worked for 12 years as a real-life private investigator for San Francisco's David Kikkert & Associates,[13] and put in other stints as a truck driver, logger, assistant motel manager and an English teacher at a boys' school in Kenya. In his novels he used variations of the names of former associates—such as Stan Groner. According to The Thrilling Detective Web Site, "He has often relied on his former occupations, particularly his stint as a private eye, to lend an air of authenticity to his work, blasting through the 'glamour' of detective work, [and] showing the drudgery and grunt work of detection."[4] Gores died in a Marin County, California, hospital 50 years to the day after Dashiell Hammett died.[14]

Works

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Novels:

  • A Time of Predators (Edgar Award winner, Best First Novel; 1969)
  • Interface (1974)
  • Wolf Time (1989)
  • Come Morning (Edgar Award nominee, Best Novel; 1986)
  • Dead Man (1993)
  • Menaced Assassin (1994)
  • Cases (1999)
  • Glass Tiger (2006)

Hammett Novels:

  • Hammett (1975)
  • Spade & Archer (2009)

DKA Novels (involving detective agency Dan Kearney and Associates):

  • Dead Skip (DKA; 1972)
  • Final Notice (DKA; 1973)
  • Gone, No Forwarding (DKA; 1978)
  • 32 Cadillacs (DKA; Edgar Award nominee, Best Novel; 1992)
  • Contract Null & Void (DKA; 1996)
  • Stakeout on Page Street and Other DKA Files (DKA Short Stories; Crippen & Landru, 2000)
  • Cons, Scams & Grifts (DKA; 2001)

Short Story Collections:

  • Mostly Murder (Short Stories; 1992)
  • Speak of the Devil: 14 Tales of Crimes and Their Punishments (Short Stories; 1999)

Editorial Works:

  • Honolulu: Port of Call (Editor; 1974)
  • Tricks and Treats (Editor with Bill Pronzini; 1976)
  • Marine Salvage: The Unforgiving Business of No Cure, No Pay (1971)

Non-Fiction:

  • Marine Salvage: The Unforgiving Business of No Cure, No Pay (1971)
  • Joe Gores Interview (Audio Book; 1987)

Selected short stories

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Joe Gores had written more than 100 short stories by 1993.[15] This is a selection:

EQMM = Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine; DKA = stories involving Dan Kearney and Associates

  • "Inscrutable" (2001, The Mysterious Press Anniversary Anthology)
  • "Summer Fog" (2001, Flesh and Blood)
  • "Ishmael" (1993, New Mystery)
  • "Sleep the Big Sleep" (April 1991, EQMM; Danny Durant)
  • "Dance of the Dead" (Spring 1991, The Armchair Detective; Neal Fargo)
  • "File #12: Do Not Go Gentle" (March 1989, EQMM; DKA)
  • "Detectivitis, Anyone?" (January 1988, EQMM; a.k.a. "Plot It Yourself")
  • "Smart Guys Don't Snore" (1987, A Matter of Crime #2; Bonecrack Krajewski)
  • "File #11: Jump Her Lively, Boys!" (July 1984, EQMM; DKA)
  • "File # 9: Full Moon Madness" (February 1984, EQMM; DKA)
  • "Rope Enough" (1976, Tricks and Treats)
  • "Kirinyga" (March 1975, EQMM)
  • "File #8: The O'Bannon Blarney File" (1973, Men and Malice; DKA)
  • "Raptor" (October 1983, EQMM)
  • "File #10: The Maimed and the Halt" (January 1976, EQMM; DKA)
  • "Watch for It" (1973, Mirror, Mirror, Fatal Mirror)
  • "The War Club" (May 1972, Argosy)
  • "File #7: O Black and Unknown Bard" (April 1972, EQMM; DKA)
  • "File #6: Beyond the Shadow" (January 1972, EQMM; DKA)
  • "You're Putting Me On—Aren't You?" (1971, Adam's Reader, 1971)
  • "Trouble at 81 Fathoms" (June 1971, Argosy)
  • "Force 12" (January 1971, Argosy)
  • "The Andrech Samples" (September 1970, Swank)
  • "The Bear's Paw" (April 1970, Argosy)
  • "The Criminal" (1970, Adam 14, No. 12)
  • "Goodbye, Pops" (December 1969, EQMM; winner of 1970 Edgar Award for Best Short Story)
  • "Quit Screaming" (November 1969, Adam's Reader 41)
  • "Gunman in Town" (October 1969, Zane Grey's Western Magazine)
  • "File #5: The Maria Navarro Case" (June 1969, EQMM; a.k.a. "Be Nice To Me;" DKA)
  • "South of the Moon" (January 1969, Argosy)
  • "File #4: Lincoln Sedan Deadline" (September 1968, EQMM; DKA)
  • "File #3: The Pedretti Case" (July 1968, EQMM; a.k.a. "The Three Halves;" DKA)
  • "The Golden Tiki" (June 1968, Argosy)
  • "Olmurani" (February 1968, Argosy)
  • "File #2: Stakeout on Page Street" (January 1968, EQMM; DKA)
  • "File # 1: The Mayfield Case" (December 1967, EQMM; a.k.a. "Find the Girl;" DKA)
  • "Odendahl" (December 1967, Argosy)
  • "The Second Coming" (August 1966, Adam's Best Fiction)
  • "Kanaka" (1966, Adam 10, No. 11)
  • "The Seeker of Ultimates" (November 1965, EQMM)
  • "A Sad and Bloody Hour" (April 1965, EQMM) reprinted in Mike Ashley, ed., Historical Whodunits, Barnes & Noble, Inc. 1997, p.243
  • "My Buddy" (1965)
  • "Sweet Vengeance" (July 1964, Manhunt)
  • "The Price of Lust" (April 1963, Manhunt)
  • "Darl I Luv U" (February 1963, EQMM)
  • "Trouble in Papeete" (April 1962, Rake)
  • "The Main Chance" (April 1962, Gent)
  • "Muscle Beach" (March 1962, Rogue)
  • "The Mob" (December 1961, Negro Digest)
  • "Night Out" (October 1961, Manhunt)
  • "Sailor's Girl" (August 1961, Manhunt)
  • "You Aren't Yellow" (January 1960, Mike Shayne's Mystery Magazine)
  • "Down and Out" (June 1959, Manhunt)
  • "Killer Man" (June 1958, Manhunt; a.k.a. "Pro")
  • "Chain Gang" (December 1957, Manhunt)

Selected Screenplays

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  • B.L. Stryker: "Blind Chess" (Airdate: Mar. 27, 1989)
  • T.J. Hooker: "Death Trip" (Airdate: May 14, 1986)
  • Magnum, P.I.: "A Pretty Good Dancing Chicken" (Airdate Apr. 4, 1985)
  • Remington Steele: "Let's Steele a Plot" (Airdate Dec. 18, 1984)
  • Kate Loves a Mystery (a.k.a. Mrs. Columbo): "Love, on Instant Replay" (Airdate: Oct. 18 1979)
  • Kojak: "Case without a File" (Airdate: Dec. 17 1977)
  • Kojak: "Bad Dude" (Airdate: Jan. 25, 1976)
  • Kojak: "No Immunity for Murder" (Airdate: Nov. 23, 1975; Edgar Award winner, Best Episode in a TV Series)

Audio drama

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German audio-drama producer Ohrenkneifer releases "South of Market" on CD, a full-cast audio drama version of the short story (in German language). August 2014.[16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39]

Further reading

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References

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  1. ^ "Dan Kearney & Associates". www.thrillingdetective.com. 28 March 2021.
  2. ^ "Joe Gores, author of Spade & Archer, Hammett, the DKA series of detective novels, and other murder mysteries". www.emerybooks.com.
  3. ^ "Why I Write Mysteries - Mystery Writing by Joe Gores - MysteryNet.com". mysterynet.com. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Authors and Creators: Joe Gores". www.thrillingdetective.com. 28 March 2021.
  5. ^ supra, n.1
  6. ^ supra, n.2
  7. ^ "Joe Gores". IMDb.
  8. ^ Gores, Joe (1972). "Chapter 18". Dead Skip: A DKA File Novel. Random House. ISBN 0-394-48157-7.
  9. ^ Joe Gores (27 June 2009). 32 Cadillacs. Grand Central Publishing. ISBN 978-0-446-56234-8.
  10. ^ Donald E. Westlake (31 July 2015). Drowned Hopes. Mysterious Press at Bastei Entertainment. pp. 6–. ISBN 978-3-95859-647-4.
  11. ^ MysteryNet.com, "Why I Write Mysteries" Mystery Writing by Joe Gores, "Why I Write Mysteries - Mystery Writing by Joe Gores". Archived from the original on 2009-07-14. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
  12. ^ "Kara Platoni, Stanford Magazine, "Sleuth or Dare: How Joe Gores Recreated Sam Spade"". Archived from the original on 2009-06-09. Retrieved 2009-06-09.
  13. ^ Grimes, William (January 14, 2011). "Joe Gores, Crime Writer in Dashiell Hammett Mode, Dies at 79" – via NYTimes.com.
  14. ^ Coggins, Mark (12 January 2011). "Gores: Gifted, Garrulous, and Generous".
  15. ^ Mike Ashley, (Headnote) to Joe Gores, "A Sad and Bloody Hour", in Mike Ashley, ed., Historical Whodunits, Barnes & Noble, Inc. 1997, p. 243
  16. ^ "PND-BEACON AKS referring 107397471". beacon.findbuch.de. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  17. ^ Gores, Joe. BnF Catalogue général. Retrieved 13 July 2017 – via catalogue.bnf.fr.
  18. ^ "Katalog der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek - results/titledata". dispatch.opac.d-nb.de. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  19. ^ "Katalog der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek". portal.dnb.de.
  20. ^ "LC Linked Data Service: Authorities and Vocabularies (Library of Congress)". id.loc.gov. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  21. ^ "ISNI 0000000117949333 Gores, Joe (1931-2011)". isni.org. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  22. ^ "Library of Congress LCCN Permalink n50035036". lccn.loc.gov. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  23. ^ "Datenschutzrichtlinie - Meta". meta.wikimedia.org. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  24. ^ "Katalog der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek". portal.dnb.de. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  25. ^ "59083277". viaf.org.
  26. ^ "Gores, Joe (1931-2011)".
  27. ^ "An Introduction to The Maltese falcon by Dashiell Hammett : audio guide /". www.worldcat.org. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  28. ^ Pierce, J. Kingston (15 August 2010). "Title Search". therapsheet.blogspot.com. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  29. ^ Coggins, Mark (12 January 2011). "Gores: Gifted, Garrulous, and Generous". therapsheet.blogspot.com. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  30. ^ "Joe Gores, author of Spade & Archer, Hammett, the DKA series of detective novels, and other murder mysteries". www.emerybooks.com. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  31. ^ "Joe Gores". IMDb. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  32. ^ "Why I Write Mysteries - Mystery Writing by Joe Gores". 25 February 2004. Archived from the original on 2004-02-25.
  33. ^ "Joe Gores, Crime Writer in Dashiell Hammett Mode, Dies at 79". The New York Times. 14 January 2011. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  34. ^ "Joe Gores, mystery writer, dies at 79". sfgate.com. 14 January 2011. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  35. ^ "Stanford Magazine - Article". www.stanfordalumni.org. Archived from the original on 9 June 2009. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  36. ^ "Dan Kearney & Associates". www.thrillingdetective.com. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  37. ^ "Authors and Creators: Joe Gores". www.thrillingdetective.com. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  38. ^ "Kino: Filmfestspiele Cannes 1982: Hammett kam nur bis Hollywood". Die Zeit. 21 November 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  39. ^ "Joe Gores - The Alfred Hitchcock Wiki". the.hitchcock.zone.
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