Jack Kost

Tuesday, May 20, 2025

Born on this day – Margery Allingham:

Margery Allingham

Writer

May 20, 1904 – June 30, 1966

Credits:

Books:

A Brief History of Witchcraft (1998); A Century of British Mystery and Suspense (2000); A Surprise for Christmas (2020); A Very Murderous Christmas (2018); Black Plumes (1940); Blackkerchief Dick (1923); Bodies from the Library 2 (2019); Bodies from the Library 6 (2023); Canine Crimes (1993); Capital Crimes (2015); Cargo of Eagles (1968); Christmas Crimes (1996); Classic Christmas Crime Stories (2023); Coroner's Pidgin / aka Pearls Before Swine (1945); Crime and Mr Campion (1959); Crimson Snow (2016); Dance of the Years / aka The Gallantrys (1943); Dancers in Mourning / aka Who Killed Chloe? (1937); Deadlier / 100 of the Best Crime Stories Written by Women (2017); Deadly Duo / aka Take Two at Bedtime (1949); Death of a Ghost (1934); Detective Duos (1997); Fifty Best Mysteries (2004); Flowers for the Judge (1936); Ghosts from the Library (2022); Hide my Eyes / aka Tether's End (1958); Look to the Lady / aka The Gyrth Chalice Mystery (1931); Miraculous Mysteries (2017); More Work for the Undertaker (1948); Mr Campion, Criminologist (1977); Mr. Campion and Others (1937); Mr. Campion's Clowns (1967); Mr. Campion's Falcon / aka Mr. Campion's Quarry (1969); Mr. Campion's Farthing (1969); Mr. Campion's Lady (1965); Murder at Christmas (2019); Murder at the Manor (2016); Murder in a Heatwave (2023); Murder In Midsummer (2019); Murder in Midwinter (2020); Murder on a Winter's Night (2021); Murder On Christmas Eve (2017); Murder Under the Christmas Tree (2016); Murder Under the Mistletoe (1992); My Friend Mr Campion (2011); Mysterious Pleasures (2003); Mystery for Christmas (1993); Mystery Mile (1930); Nine Detective Stories (1964); No Love Lost (1954); Police at the Funeral (1931); Rogues' Holiday (1935); Safer Than Love (1954); Serpents in Eden (2016); Silent Nights (2015); Six Against the Yard (1989); Sweet Danger / aka The Fear Sign (1933); The Allingham Case-Book (1969); The Allingham Minibus / aka Mr. Campion's Lucky Day and Other Short Stories (1973); The Beckoning Lady / aka The Estate of the Beckoning Lady (1955); The Black Lizard Big Book of Locked Room Mysteries (2014); The Case of the Late Pig (1937); The Casebook of Mr Campion (1947); The China Governess (1962); The Crime At Black Dudley / aka The Black Dudley Murder (1929); The Darings of the Red Rose (1995); The Devil and Her Son (1936); The Fashion in Shrouds (1938); The Man of Dangerous Secrets / aka Other Man's Danger (1933); The Margery Allingham Omnibus (1983); The Mind Readers (1965); The Mysterious Mr. Campion (1963); The Oxford Book of Detective Stories (2000); The Patient at Peacocks Hall (1954); The Return of Mr. Campion (1989); The Tiger in the Smoke (1952); The White Cottage Mystery (1928); Traitor's Purse (1941); Wanted: Someone Innocent (1946); Water in a Sieve (1925).

Movies and television:

Dancers in Mourning (1959); Death of a Ghost (1960); Detective (1968); Die Kriminalerzählung (1973); Kraft Theatre / The United States Steel Hour (1962); Lux Video Theatre (1957); Mystery!: Campion (1989–1990); Orson Welles Great Mysteries (1973); Panorama (1958); Room to Let (1950); The Unforeseen (1959); Tiger in the Smoke (1956).

Born on this day – Estelle Taylor:

Estelle Taylor

Actress

May 20, 1894 – April 15, 1958

Credits:

A Broadway Saint (1919); A California Romance (1922); A Fool There Was (1922); Bachelor Mother (1939); Bavu (1923); Blind Wives (1920); Call Her Savage (1932); Cimarron (1931); Desire (1923); Don Juan (1926); Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall (1924); Editor's Roundtable (1949–1952); Footfalls (1921); Forgive and Forget (1923); Forgotten Commandments (1932); Frisco Kid (1935); Hollywood (1923); Hollywood on Parade No. B-5 (1933); Honor Bound (1928); Kings of the Ring (1999); Kings of the Ring: Four Legends of Heavyweight Boxing (2000); Lady Raffles (1928); Liliom (1930); Manhattan Madness (1925); Mary of the Movies (1923); Monte Cristo (1922); New York (1927); Only a Shop Girl (1922); Passion's Pathway (1924); Phantom Justice (1924); Playthings of Desire (1924); Pusher-in-the-Face (1929); Rhythm Roundup (1937); Screen Snapshots (1926); Screen Snapshots Series 15, No. 12 (1936); Screen Snapshots Series 18, No. 12 (1939); Show People (1928); Some of the Greatest (1955); Street Scene (1931); Street Scene (1931); The Adventurer (1920); The Alaskan (1924); The Golden Shower (1919); The Lights of New York (1922); The Revenge of Tarzan (1920); The Singapore Mutiny (1928); The Southerner (1945); The Ten Commandments (1923); The Tower of Jewels (1919); The Unholy Garden (1931); The Voice of Hollywood No. 13 (1930); The Western Limited (1932); The Whip Woman (1928); Thorns and Orange Blossoms (1922); Tiger Love (1924); Twinkle Twinkle (1925); Wandering Footsteps (1925); Where East Is East (1929); While New York Sleeps (1920).

Born on this day – Honoré de Balzac:

Honoré de Balzac

Writer

May 20, 1799 – August 18, 1850

Credits:

Books:

Gobseck (1830); A Second Home (1830); Sarrasine (1830); An Episode Under The Terror (1830); The Elixir of Life (1830); Study of a Woman (1830); A Passion in the Desert (1830); The Red Inn (1831); The Recruit (1831); Maitre Cornelius (1831); The Hidden Masterpiece (1831); The Magic Skin (1831); Colonel Chabert (1832); The Vicar Of Tours (1832); History of the Thirteen (1833); The Old Maid, [and] the Cabinet of Antiquities (1833); The Girl with the Golden Eyes (1833); The Illustrious Gaudissart (1833); The Country Doctor (1833); A Drama on the Seashore (1834); Father Goriot (1835); The Commission In Lunacy (1836); A Daughter Of Eve (1838); Beatrix (1838); Scenes from a Courtesan's Life / A Harlot High and Low (1838); The Village Rector (1839); The Celibates (1840); The Physiology of Marriage (1841); Catherine De Medici (1841); A Start In Life (1842); The Two Brothers (1842); A Man of Business (1844); Modeste Mignon (1844); Unconscious Comedians (1846); The Chouans (1929); The Last Fay (1823); The Quest Of The Absolute (1834); Seraphita (1834); Melmoth réconcilié (1835); Father Goriot and M. Gobseck (1835); La Rabouilleuse (1840); Illusions perdues (1843); Le Cousin Pons (1847); The Country Parson (1896); About Catherine de Medici (1900); Eugénie Grandet (1914); Père Goriot (1950); Cousin Bette (1965); The Black Sheep (1976); Lost Illusions (1976); The Wild Ass's Skin (1977); The Unknown Masterpiece (1983); Old Goriot (1987); Rise and Fall of Cesar Birotteau (1989); The Lily of the Valley (1989); A Woman Of Thirty (2000); My Journey from Paris to Java (1832); After Dinner Stories from Balzac (1832); The King's Sweetheart, The Maid of Thilouse, and The Reproach (1832); Juana, and the Red Inn (1833); The Napolean of the People and El Verdugo (1833); Massimilla Doni and Le Chef D'Oeuvre Inconnu (1839); Tales of the Napoleonic Era (1841); A Tragedy by the Sea and Other Stories (1842); A Marriage Settlement, And, Modeste Mignon: And Other Stories (1844); The Member For Arcis, The Seamy Side Of History, And Other Stories Part 2 (1847); The Atheist's Mass, and Other Stories (1986); Ten Droll Tales (1987); Domestic Peace (1989); The Commission in Lunacy, and Pierre Grassou (2006); The Exiles, and Other Short Stories (2006); The Celibates And Other Stories (2008); At The Sign Of The Cat And Racket / The Ball At Sceaux / The Purse / Madame Firmiani / Pierrette (2009); Honore de Balzac, Vol. 8: Provincial Life (2015); The Magic Skin. the Hidden Masterpiece (2015); The Country Parson and Albert Savaron (2015); The Chouans; The Gondreville Mystery, and Other Stories (2018); Treatise on Elegant Living (1830); Two Poets. Lost illusions part 1 (1837); 65 Great Tales Of Horror (1981); 50 Classic Novellas (2011); The Dover Anthology of Cat Stories (2015); Writers: Their Lives and Works (2018); Classic Cat Stories (2020).

Movies and television:

1812, Gräfin Vandières (1926); A vörös vendégfogadó (1965); Adieu (1982); Albert Savarus (1993); Amore e la Maschera (1920); Ártatlan vagyok! (1916); Au siècle de Maupassant: Contes et nouvelles du XIXème siècle (2009); Au théâtre ce soir (1976–1978); Aus dem Bücherschrank geholt (1965); Balzac (2015); Balzac: Gobseck (1969); Béatrix (1967); Black Venus (1983); Bratranec Pons (1973); Caesar Birotteau (1911); Camera Three (1958); Camino de Sacramento (1946); Cesare Birotteau (1921); Chabert ezredes (1987); Chouans! (1988); Colonel Bridau (1917); Colonel Chabert (1994); Conrad Nagel Theater (1955); Cousin Bette (1971 / 1998); Cousin Pons (1914); Cross of Gold (1965); Das Geld der Restauds (1964); Das Landhaus (1965); Das Maskenfest des Lebens (1918); Das Spiel vom Tode (1918); Den hvide djævel (1916); Den underbara lögnen (1955); Der Bagnosträfling (1921); Der Bagnosträfling (1949); Der Fächer der Madame de Pompadour (1964); Der Galeerensträfling (1919); Der Macher oder Warten auf Godeau (1974); Der Schwur (1963); Der Spekulant (1978); Desire (1920); Die Dreizehn (1918); Die Geschäfte des Herrn Mercadet (1965); Die Herzogin von Langeais (1960); Die Marquise von Clermont (1922); Die unheimlichen Wünsche (1939); Die wäscherin von Portillon (1984 / 1986); Divertimento (1992); Druh z vojny (1967); El regreso (1976); El Verdugo (1920); El verdugo (1948); Erotikon (1994); Eugenia Grandet (1918 / 1953 / 1910 / 1946 / 1956 / 1965–1966 / 1968 / 1994 / 2021); Eversti Chabert (1964); Ferragus (1910 / 1920 / 1923); Ficciones (1973–1974); Fireside Theatre (1949); Glanz und Elend der Kurtisanen (1920); Gobseck (1924 / 1937 / 1985 / 1987); Graf Chargon (1924); Grande Teatro Tupi (1957); Himself as Herself (1967); Histoire de la grandeur et de la décadence de César Birotteau (1977); Honor of the Family (1931); Hora once (1970–1972); Human Comedy in Tokyo (2008); If Women Only Knew (1921); Il colonnello Chabert (1920); Il tuo piacere è il mio (1973); Illusions perdues (1966); Illusions Perdues (2015); Intimità proibita di una giovane sposa (1970); Invitation au voyage (2022); ITV Television Playhouse (1957); Karriere in Paris (1952); Kolonel Chabert (1961); Kraft Theatre / The Philco Television Playhouse (1951); Kuzen Pons (1978); La belle noiseuse (1991); La cousine Bette (1928); La Cousine Bette (1964); La donna di trent'anni (1920); La duchesse de Langeais (1995); La falsa amante (1920); La fausse maîtresse (1942); La femme abandonee (1992); La figlia dell'avaro (1913); La goccia di sangue (1910); La grande Bretèche (1960); La marâtre (1918); La peau de chagrin (1980); La piel de Zapa (1943 / 1964); La Rabouilleuse (1944); La rabouilleuse (1963); La reginetta Isotta (1918); La storia dei tredici (1917); L'auberge rouge (1910); L'avvoltoio (1920); Le bouton de rose (1971); Le club des Treize (1914); Le colonel Chabert (1911 / 1943); Le cousin Pons (1924 / 1976); Le curé de Tours (1980); Le curé de village (1969); Le faiseur (1965 / 1999); Le lys dans la vallée (1970); Le martyr calviniste (1913); Le père Goriot (1910 / 1921 / 1945 / 1972); Le réquisitionnaire (1968); Le roman du samedi (1981); Les amours romantiques (1983); Les arrivistes (1960); Les paysans (1909); Les secrets de la princesse de Cadignan (1960 / 1982 / 2023); Liebe (1927); L'interdiction (1993); Los libros (1977); Lost Illusions (2021); Luca Francesconi: Trompe la mort, Opéra en deux actes (2017); Magic Skin (2018); Man of the Sea (1920); Maskierte Liebe (1912); Matinee Theatre (1956); Mensch ohne Namen (1932); Mercadet (1936 / 1970); Mistr Kornelius (1988); Mr. Frenhofer and the Minotaur (1949); Narayana (1920); Novela (1969–1978); Nucingen House (2008); Oberst Chabert (1914 / 1956 / 1966); Old Goriot (2004); Orsola Mirouet (1914); Orson Welles Great Mysteries (1973); Out 1 (1971); Papà Goriot (1970); Paris at Midnight (1926); Passion in the Desert (1997); Per il passato (1920); Père Goriot (1915 / 1968); Piel de zapa (1978); Pierre Grassou (1965); Pierrette (1979); Plukovník Chabert (1976); Polkovnik Shaber (1978); Quando la primavera ritorno (1916); Rastignac ou les ambitieux (2001); Sagrénova koza (1972); Sagrenska koza (1960); Secrets of a Ballerina (1943); Shagrenevaya kozha (1975 / 1982); Slave of Desire (1923); Splendeurs et misères des courtisanes (1975–1976); Stimulantia (1967); Stolen Kisses (1968); Survival (1927); Ted l'invisibile (1922); Television Theater (1999–2000); The Clock (1950); The Conquering Power (1921); The Country Parson (1915); The Dream Cheater (1920); The Duchess of Langeais (1910 / 2007); The Errol Flynn Theatre (1957); The Eternal Flame (1922); The False Oath (1909); The Fear (2001); The Girl with the Golden Eyes (1961); The Great Breach (1909); The Lovable Cheat (1949); The Magic Skin (1915 / 2011); The Masked Lover (1940); The Red Inn (1923); The Rise and Fall of César Birotteau (1965); The Royalists (1947); The Sealed Room (1909); The Silversmith to King Louis XI (1910); The Skin of Sorrow (2010); The Test (1923); The Ultimate Sacrifice (1911); The Unforeseen (1959); The Wild Ass's Skin (1909); Trompe-la-Mort (1914); Tromp-la-Mort (1920); Um Homem de Recursos (1965); Un homme sans nom (1932); Une Dame de Coeur (2004); Une fille d'Ève (1989); (Une ballade à travers) Les ruines de Paris (2004); Une ténébreuse affaire (1975); Unser liebes Fräulein Grandet (1965); Ursule Mirouët (1912 / 1981); Vautrin (1919); Vautrin the Thief (1943); Wicked Duchess (1942); Your Favorite Story (1953–1954); Zakuro yashiki (2006).

Clean Break

By Lionel White.

Filmed as The Killing (1956), directed by Stanley Kubrick.

Published by Chosho Publishing.
First published 1955.
Paperback.
ISBN-10: 1958425516
ISBN-13: 978-1958425510

Description:

Johnny Clay, an ex-con determined to strike it rich, has worked out a fool-proof scheme to knock off a racetrack payroll. The two million bucks should be enough to last him a lifetime or two. But a two-faced dame has another idea: Let Johnny do the work, then she'll grab the swag for herself and her boyfriend.

Johnny Clay’s plan to rob the Long Island race track was daring and highly original. Johnny, an ex-convict, had spent his prison years thinking through every possible hitch to his scheme until he was sure it could go off like clockwork.

His four confederates were not known to the police for they were not professional criminals. They had been picked because they were ordinary nondescript men, all with money problems and a touch of larceny in their hearts. Mike Henty was a bartender at the track and George Peatty a cashier, both essential inside men. Martin Unger, a court stenographer, had put up the initial cash and Randy Kennan, a cop, was to get the money away from the track after Johnny had done the actual robbing.

There were in addition three others who were to do a specific jobs for a cash payment. To one of these men fell the assignment of shooting the favorite in the famous Canarsie Stakes. Once this was accomplished, the robbery was set into motion.

The crime in this story is a grand coup, fantastic yet completely possible if everything clicked. So too has Lionel White achieved a grand coup in the telling of the story as he concentrates first on one character then on another, picking up the individual threads and building them into a brilliantly integrated climax. Clean Break is a masterpiece of originality, a highly plotted and ingeniously executed story of suspense.

Never Cry Wolf

Amazing True Story of Life Among Arctic Wolves

by Farley Mowat.

First published in 1961.

Back cover blurb:

More than a half-century ago the naturalist Farley Mowat accepted an assignment to investigate why wolves were killing Arctic caribou. Mowat's account of the summer he lived in the frozen tundra alone – studying the wolf population and developing a deep affection for these wild creatures (who were of no threat to caribou or man) – is today celebrated as a classic of nature writing, at once a tale of remarkable adventure and an indelible record of the myths and magic of wolves.