Hi, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab...
Uncapie’s taken the unpleasant task upon himself today of writing up the passing of one of the great names of tough guy fiction.
A sad bit of news here, legendary mystery writer, Mickey Spillane, author of the hard-boiled "Mike Hammer" stories and "Mike Danger" graphic novels as died at the age of 87.
Born Frank Morrison Spillane on March 9, 1918 in Brooklyn, New York, he started out writing articles for magazines graduating to comic books having scribed for "Batman" and the "Sub-Mariner" until World War II broke out.
After serving in the military, he wanted to purchase some land for $1,000.00 and needed some quick money. Working in a circus as a performer who was shot out of a cannon just wouldn't be able to cut it. Thus, the first Mike Hammer story, "I, the Jury," was written in three weeks creating a literary franchise.
The character of Mike Hammer was viewed as a forerunner to Clint Eastwood's loner cop, "Dirty Harry." A man who understood justice avenging the wronged in order to restore balance to an unfair world.
I had met Mr. Spillane in 1997 and kept in contact with him over the years. He still typed on his old Smith-Corona and was always working on new stories. I had asked him, "Who was the actor you saw portraying Mike Hammer to his fullest?" A good question as there were quite a few, included Mr. Spillane himself, who starred in the "Girl Hunters" in 1963 next to future Bond girl, Shirley Eaton.
"It would have to be Ralph Meeker from "Kiss Me Deadly," though, Darren McGavin, was great in the role in the tv series in the fifties."
Mr. Spillane's other central characters, "Detective Pat Chambers," Hammer's friend and part-time conscious and Hammer's beautiful secretary, "Velda" who always and the hots for Hammer and once-in-awhile, he'd give her the benefit of the doubt, though Hammer was always involving himself in adventures with other women with shady reputations.
Violent stories written for the paperback market with dialogue such as: "I smashed him hard with the butt of my gun as he gurgled his words through broken teeth. Blood spewed from his mouth. I hit him again. He stopped gurgling." always kept the reader wanting more through Hammer's world of escapist fantasies.
Hammer's escapades led us into a dark world of evil doers and that Hammer was the only man to right their wrongs. Mike Danger was the same way. Both heroes fought evil doers that believed in justice and the difference between good and evil, though there were times they had to break the law in order to protect it.
An action-packed, adventure-thrilled, escapist fantasy writer. That was Mr. Mickey Spillane. One of the best there ever will be. Thanks for the ride.
Uncapie
Just recently, Paramount released RING OF FEAR on DVD, a film in which Spillane appears as himself solving a crime with the help of Ralph Meeker playing Mike Hammer, although they never actually call him Mike Hammer in the film. It’s a vaguely crappy film, but it’s fascinating in a way, and a big part of that is watching Spillane and his creation interact as buddies working together to solve something. Spillane was one of the greats, and the best way to celebrate right now is to go pick up some of his work and enjoy the words that live on. Thanks to you, Uncapie, for doing the deed today and writing this up.
"Moriarty" out.
