Category Archives: News

Mort: Frederic Forrest

Posted on June 30, 2023 by Don

I definitely should record the passing of actor Frederic Forrest on June 23 at the age of 86. For purposes of the Mean Streets, he claims the honor for portraying Dashiell Hammett in the 1982 film Hammett directed by Wim … Continue reading →

Posted in Dash, Film, News | Tagged , , |

Hammett: I Just Knew “The Diamond Wager” Sucked

Posted on June 30, 2023 by Don

Today Will Murray put out his latest research project over on the Black Gate blog, and every serious Hammett fan will want to take a gander — then do a double-take — and then sit down with a drink to … Continue reading →

Posted in Dash, News | Tagged , , , |

Sinister Cinema: Wim Wenders’ Hammett

Posted on May 27, 2023 by Don

Heard from a guy over in France who plans to do a documentary on the 1982 Wim Wender’s film based on the Joe Gores novel Hammett. Cool aspect — I guess if it all works out — is that the … Continue reading →

Posted in Dash, Film, Frisco, News | Tagged , , , , , |

Hammett: Frisco Apartment on the Block

Posted on May 10, 2023 by Don

Yeah, people have been bombarding me with queries about the recent article which reports a Hammett San Francisco residence — 237 Leavenworth — up for sale if you’ve got a few million. Four million — sounds cheap: An early 1920s … Continue reading →

Posted in Dash, Frisco, News | Tagged , , , |

Mort: John Jakes

Posted on March 20, 2023 by Don

It’s time to mention his name in Atlantis. Brian Leno popped the news to me that John Jakes died Saturday March 18, age 90. Jakes was one of the most commercially successful writers to emerge from the paperback originals and … Continue reading →

Posted in Lit, News, REH | Tagged , , , |

Rediscovered: An Item of Modern Arkham House Ephemera

Posted on February 16, 2023 by Don

John D. Haefele and I actually have been slaving away on a book on Arkham House ephemera from the Classic Years — 1937-1972. We’ve got guys eyeballing some of the largest private collections (as I post, one stalwart has the … Continue reading →

Posted in Lit, News | Tagged , , , , |

Mort: Raquel Welch

Posted on February 15, 2023 by Don

Upon news of her passing today at the age of 82, Autograph Hound Brian Leno pulled his signed Raquel Welch print from his stacks and stacks of autos. From One Million Years B. C., of course. I usually misquote a … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, News | Tagged , , , |

Rediscovered: Every Other Day Birthdays

Posted on January 20, 2023 by Don

The noted book and pulp collector Kevin Cook spotted a fantasy writer trend and reported in: January 20            A. Merritt January 22            Robert E. Howard January 24            C.L. Moore January 26            Philip Jose Farmer

Posted in Lit, News | Tagged |

Sinister Cinema: A Marlowesque Neeson

Posted on December 27, 2022 by Don

Brian Wallace slipped me the dope back in 2019 that Liam Neeson was lined up to portray Philip Marlowe in a flick. Now he sends along a review of the finished film by Stephanie Bunbury. You know people will argue … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, News | Tagged , , |

Hammett: Jeopardy! Hits Nick and Nora (And Glass Onion Cameos the Black Bird)

Posted on December 26, 2022 by Don

Jeopardy! hasn’t hit the Hammett clew pile lately as much as it did back in the Golden Age of Alex Trebek. But every now and then they just can’t avoid it. . . . For the show broadcast December 23rd, … Continue reading →

Posted in Dash, Film, Lit, News | Tagged , , , , , |