Welcome to a hard-boiled and not without noir blog with news and reviews, occasional outbursts of maniacal Autograph Hound activity, plus archival records from the forty-five year run of The Dashiell Hammett Tour. 
The Dashiell Hammett Tour
1977-2022
Arkham House Ephemera
The Classic Years 1937–1973
Death Lit
Essays and Reviews Selected from Fifty Years of Writing 1974–2024
Willeford
The Book
Tag Archives: Autographs
Sinister Cinema: Superman Live
Autograph Hound Super-Sunday once more, and from his extensive files of John Hancocks stacked on top of John Hancocks, Brian Leno sends in Kirk Alyn — the first actor to portray Superman in live action. Brian noted, “Am enjoying the … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Frisco
Tagged Autographs, Bo Derek, Brian Leno, Hugh Jackman, Kirk Alyn, Mr T, Patrick Warburton, Redd Foxx, Superman, Virginia O'Brien
Rediscovered: Derleth’s Last Book — Well, In His Lifetime
John D. Haefele — author of Lovecraft: The Great Tales, A Look Behind the Derleth Mythos, etc. — just popped up an article further investigating how many — or how few — copies may exist of the last of many, … Continue reading
Rediscovered: Mansfield
And Brian Leno wraps up today’s gallery of Ripperish autos, but you know, I bet he has lots more against the next time he notices an anniversary coming up: Richard Mansfield was a well respected actor during the time of … Continue reading
Rediscovered: Warren
Brian Leno offers another auto in the rogue’s gallery of Jack the Ripper: Charles Warren is not really a serious suspect for The Ripper, but in Stephen Knight’s very interesting Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution is presented as being … Continue reading
Rediscovered: Miles
And more “suspects,” courtesy the curiosity cabinets of Brian Leno: Frank Miles was an artist and shared a house with Oscar Wilde — at least they shared accommodations until they possibly got into a lover’s spat and Miles kicked Oscar … Continue reading
Rediscovered: Treves
Another Ripper suspect pool, per Brian Leno: Dr. Frederick Treves has only been lightly considered as a potential Ripper suspect, and even one of his patients has come under investigation. Joseph Merrick, the Elephant Man. Now, only a bonehead would … Continue reading
Rediscovered: Stephen
Brian Leno brings out some of the myriad suspects in the Ripper annals: The book that really got my interest going with The Ripper was Michael Harrison’s Clarence, which stated James Kenneth Stephen and the Duke of Clarence were lovers. … Continue reading
Posted in Lit, News
Tagged Autographs, Brian Leno, Jack the Ripper, James Kenneth Stephen, Virginia Wolfe
Rediscovered: Dr. Caligari
And for his final Halloween auto for the day Brian Leno evokes the past: Three years ago we showcased Conrad Veidt and Lil Dagover from The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. This time around we have the good doctor himself, Werner … Continue reading
Rediscovered: The Vampire
Brian Leno keeps the Halloween inbox hopping: Sharp photo with a signed card by John Beal. Poor guy better get a shave if he wants to have any chance at romance with the fainting beauty. Released in theatres as The … Continue reading
Rediscovered: Another Bride
Brian Leno pulls another auto from the cast of James Whale’s The Bride of Frankenstein: Valerie Hobson, also known as Baroness Frankenstein in Universal’s 1935 classic The Bride of Frankenstein. The signature is a little shaky, as it’s on a … Continue reading
