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About DonHerron.com
In 1977 Don Herron began leading The Dashiell Hammett Tour, now the longest-running literary tour in the nation. On this site you’ll find information on current walks — dates, where to meet, arranging tours by appointment — plus a hard-boiled blog with news, reviews of books and film, and a dash of noir.
The latest and greatest edition to self-guide you up and down the mean streets.
Willeford: The Book
Includes the first “Mr. Hunt” story, “Knives in the Dark.”
Category Archives: Willeford
Sinister Cinema: Patrick Warburton
Onscreen in The Woman Chaser, Patrick Warburton plays one of the most unlikable characters you’ll ever meet — before and after the movie, though, you’re talking to one of the friendliest people you’ll find in the bar of the Alamo … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Frisco, Willeford
Tagged Alamo Drafthouse, Dragonard, Lemony Snicket, Oliver Reed, Patrick Warburton, Peter Serafinowicz, The Woman Chaser
Sinister Cinema: The Producer
Willeford said he sent his 1960 novel in under the title The Director, before Newsstand Library changed it to The Woman Chaser. The director for the movie didn’t make it to this screening (I heard it may have been an … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Willeford
Tagged Beto O'Rourke, Joe McSpadden, Patrick Warburton, Sonny Carl Davis, The Woman Chaser, Willie Nelson
Rediscovered: For the Q&A
Toward the Q&A following the screening of The Woman Chaser with Patrick Warburton in the role of Richard Hudson, I poked around in my book Willeford for any tidbits of info on the novel — a Paperback Original released by … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Lit, News, Willeford
Tagged Alamo Drafthouse, Book Collecting, Patrick Warburton, The Woman Chaser
Sinister Cinema: Q&A
For the Alamo Drafthouse special screening of The Woman Chaser on December 7, they followed the film with a Q&A featuring — left to right, above — me, Joe McSpadden, Patrick Warburton (panelists) and Jake Isgar (moderator). Don’t think I’d … Continue reading
Posted in Film, News, Willeford
Tagged Alamo Drafthouse, Jake Isgar, Joe McSpadden, Patrick Warburton, The Woman Chaser
Sinister Cinema: The Woman Chaser
Joe McSpadden, producer for 1999’s The Woman Chaser, mentioned that the December 7 showing in the Alamo Drafthouse put the movie on the largest screen ever — swell deal for cineastes. Above, a still frame of star Patrick Warburton as … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Frisco, Lit, News, Willeford
Tagged Alamo Drafthouse, Jake Isgar, Joe McSpadden, Pacific Film Archive, Patrick Warburton, The Woman Chaser
Mort: Fred Ward
After the fact, word drifted in that Fred Ward died on Sunday May 9 at the age of 79. Got to note it here since — as pictured above — Fred was the first to essay the role of Charles … Continue reading
Rediscovered: At NoirCon (2012)
At least I presume the image above connects to NoirCon. That’s how I read the clews. I only attended the very first NoirCon, in 2008, where I was amazed that for the Charles Willeford “panel” they had some academic talking … Continue reading
Sinister Cinema: Sam Invades Manchette Territory
Terry Zobeck pops along the news from The Rap Sheet that unbeknownst to us Sam Spade moved to France and is about to get into some 1960s colonial action, as in a Jean-Patrick Manchette novel! Well, hell, I wasn’t expecting … Continue reading
Posted in Dash, Film, Willeford
Tagged Burnt Orange Heresy, Clive Owen, Manchette, Rap Sheet, Terry Zobeck
Frisco Beat: A Slice of Life 1979-90
Our man on the street, Nathan Ward — keeping his eye on the New York scene — sends along his latest find: “I liked this evocation of San Francisco from 79-90 by the novelist Rachel Kushner in the current New … Continue reading
Rediscovered: Padgett Powell Book Posts Willeford
Aha. Another guy has just discovered the late great Charles Willeford and covers the waterfront on the direct-to-your-inbox service Book Post. If interested, hop to the link fast — I have no idea what the archiving is like. My book … Continue reading