Ross Thomas
Ross Thomas was a critically acclaimed political crime/thriller novelist who, before writing 25 books in 29 years, worked as a newspaper journalist, PR director for the National Farmers Union, a diplomatic consultant for the Armed Forces Network in West Germany, and a political consultant, among other things. Much of that experience, especially his work overseas as a diplomatic consultant, would make it into his books, giving his thrillers a sense of authenticity mixed in with suspenseful entertainment. His work was often praised for its witty dialogue and, not surprisingly, often compared to that of two giants of crime literature, Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. Although he didn't work extensively in Hollywood, his contributions are worthwhile. In 1982, the film "Hammett" was released, directed by Wim Wenders, produced by Francis Ford Coppola, and co-scripted by Thomas. The film plunged the legendary mystery novelist Dashiell Hammett into a real crime tale, but one very much influenced by his own work. Thirteen years later, the crime picture "Bad Company" was released, written by Thomas and starring Laurence Fishburne, Ellen Barkin, and Frank Langella. Cynical, complex, politically minded, and surprisingly unconventional, it was a film that could have easily come from one of his own books. His other notable screen credits include writing several episodes of the suspense show "Tales of the Unexpected," which had originally been based on stories by Roald Dahl. Thomas died in 1995.