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Richard Lockridge

March 20, 2024

Richard Orson Lockridge (September 26, 1898 in St. Joseph, Missouri – June 19, 1982 in Tryon, North Carolina) was an American writer of detective fiction. Richard Lockridge with his wife Frances created one of the most famous American mystery series, Mr. and Mrs. North.

Early life edit

Lockridge was born in St. Joseph, Missouri, and was educated at the University of Missouri. After serving in the United States Navy, he returned to Missouri, working as a reporter on the Kansas City Kansan and the Kansas City Star. In 1922, he married fellow reporter Frances Louise Davis. The couple soon moved to New York, where Lockridge joined the old New York Sun. In 1932, Lockridge published his first book, Darling of Misfortune: Edwin Booth: 1833–1893.

Mr. and Mrs. North series edit

In 1937, Frances Lockridge conceived the plot for a detective novel, but had problems with her characters. Richard Lockridge collaborated with his wife, using her plot and the characters he had created earlier for a series of comic sketches in The New Yorker, Mr. and Mrs. North (named for the "stupid people who played the north hand in bridge problems," according to Lockridge). The book was published in 1940 as The Norths Meet Murder, launching a series of twenty-six novels, which was adapted for the stage, film, radio, and television.

Lt. Heimrich series edit

In the second Mr. and Mrs. North novel, Murder Out of Turn (1941), the couple and their New York City homicide detective friend, Lt. Bill Weigand, encounter murder out of town, near Brewster, New York. There they meet an officer of the New York State Bureau of Criminal Identification (referred to in some later books as the Bureau of Criminal Investigation), Lt. Heimrich (in later books given the first name Merton, and achieving promotion to Captain). Heimrich also guest-starred in a 1946 Mr. and Mrs. North book, Death of a Tall Man, before becoming the star of his own series of twenty-two novels, beginning with Think of Death (1947).

Nathan Shapiro series edit

Richard and Frances Lockridge began a third detective series with The Faceless Adversary (1956), featuring New York City Police detective, Nathan Shapiro. Shapiro was a sad-sack of a detective, who always assumed some other detective would be more skilful or more insightful. He always thinks that the promotions he receives are undeserved. People he encounters wonder what makes him appear to be so depressed. Eventually, the Shapiro series ran to ten books, including the last novel Lockridge published, The Old Die Young (1980); Shapiro also appeared in one Heimrich novel, Murder Can't Wait (1964).

Paul Lane series edit

Richard and Frances Lockridge began a fourth detective series with Night of the Shadows (1962), a police procedural featuring a New York City Police detective, Paul Lane. Lane was the main character in Quest for the Bogeyman (1964), and then he and partner Sgt., then later Lt., John Stein, were prominently featured in the six novels focused on New York County assistant district attorney Bernard Simmons that followed that character's first appearance, in And Left for Dead (1961). (The novels featuring the interplay and occasional conflicts between ADA Bernie Simmons and Lane and Stein prefigures the Law & Order television series.)

Lockridge's various series books take place in a shared universe. The Lt. Heimrich series was a spin-off of the Mr. and Mrs. North series. A retired college professor who first assists Heimrich with a case in Accent on Murder (1958) and again in Murder Can't Wait (1964)—a book that also features the meeting of Nathan Shapiro and Merton Heimrich—shows up to help ADA Bernie Simmons in Twice Retired (1970). Bill Weigand, who as a homicide lieutenant was the police friend of Mr. and Mrs. North throughout their series, is referred to occasionally as the division captain in the Paul Lane book. Lane's partner, Johnny Stein, is presumably the Sgt. Stein (no first name) who assisted Bill Weigand in the Mr. and Mrs. North novels. All the books make frequent use of real New York landmarks, such as the Charles French Restaurant in Greenwich Village, as well as share several fictional landmarks, such as "Dyckman University."

Personal and professional life edit

In 1960, Richard and Frances Lockridge were co-presidents of the Mystery Writers of America. They received a special Edgar Award in 1962. Richard Lockridge had received an Edgar in 1945 for best radio play.

Frances Lockridge, born 10th January 1896, died on 19th February 1963. In 1965, Richard Lockridge married Hildegarde Dolson, a New York freelance writer. Richard Lockridge continued to write Lt. Heimrich, Nathan Shapiro, and Paul Lane novels, as well as non-series mystery novels, but he wrote no Mr. and Mrs. North novels after Frances's death. Lockridge also wrote an espionage novel with George Hoben Estabrooks, Death in the Mind (1945), and two non-mystery novels, The Empty Day (1965) and Encounter in Key West (1966). He co-authored Michael J. McKeogh's memoir of World War II, Sgt. Mickey and General Ike (1946). With his first wife, Lockridge wrote three short non-fiction books about cats. He wrote a memoir of his courtship of his second wife, Hildegarde Dolson, in One Lady, Two Cats (1967).

He died in 1982 after a series of strokes.

Richard Lockridge once described his and Frances Lockridge's collaboration: "We had story conferences, and wrote a summary. As we both insisted, the writing was entirely mine." William DeAndrea notes, "The contribution made by Frances, he said in the same interview, might amount to five pages of plot, which he would then turn into a 200-page manuscript." The Lockridges by-lined their Mr. and Mrs. North books as "Frances and Richard Lockridge"; the Lt. Heimrich books were by-lined as "Richard and Frances Lockridge."

References edit

  • William L. DeAndrea (1994). Encyclopedia Mysteriosa. Prentice Hall ISBN 0028616782

External links edit

  • Finding aid to Richard Lockridge papers at Columbia University. Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

March 20, 2024
richard, lockridge, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, includes, list, references, related, reading, external, links, sources, remain, uncle. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article includes a list of references related reading or external links but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations March 2015 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article relies largely or entirely on a single source Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources Find sources Richard Lockridge news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2015 Learn how and when to remove this template message Richard Orson Lockridge September 26 1898 in St Joseph Missouri June 19 1982 in Tryon North Carolina was an American writer of detective fiction Richard Lockridge with his wife Frances created one of the most famous American mystery series Mr and Mrs North Contents 1 Early life 2 Mr and Mrs North series 3 Lt Heimrich series 4 Nathan Shapiro series 5 Paul Lane series 6 Personal and professional life 7 References 8 External linksEarly life editLockridge was born in St Joseph Missouri and was educated at the University of Missouri After serving in the United States Navy he returned to Missouri working as a reporter on the Kansas City Kansan and the Kansas City Star In 1922 he married fellow reporter Frances Louise Davis The couple soon moved to New York where Lockridge joined the old New York Sun In 1932 Lockridge published his first book Darling of Misfortune Edwin Booth 1833 1893 Mr and Mrs North series editIn 1937 Frances Lockridge conceived the plot for a detective novel but had problems with her characters Richard Lockridge collaborated with his wife using her plot and the characters he had created earlier for a series of comic sketches in The New Yorker Mr and Mrs North named for the stupid people who played the north hand in bridge problems according to Lockridge The book was published in 1940 as The Norths Meet Murder launching a series of twenty six novels which was adapted for the stage film radio and television Mr and Mrs North 1936 The Norths Meet Murder 1940 Murder Out of Turn 1941 A Pinch of Poison 1941 Death on the Aisle 1942 Death Takes a Bow 1943 Hanged for a Sheep 1944 Killing the Goose 1944 Payoff for the Banker 1945 Death of a Tall Man 1946 Murder Within Murder 1946 Untidy Murder 1947 Murder Is Served 1948 The Dishonest Murderer 1949 Murder in a Hurry 1950 Murder Comes First 1951 Dead as a Dinosaur 1952 Death Has a Small Voice 1953 Curtain for a Jester 1953 A Key for Death 1954 Death of an Angel 1955 Voyage into Violence 1956 The Long Skeleton 1958 Murder is Suggested 1959 The Judge is Reversed 1960 Murder Has Its Points 1961 Murder by the Book 1963 Lt Heimrich series editIn the second Mr and Mrs North novel Murder Out of Turn 1941 the couple and their New York City homicide detective friend Lt Bill Weigand encounter murder out of town near Brewster New York There they meet an officer of the New York State Bureau of Criminal Identification referred to in some later books as the Bureau of Criminal Investigation Lt Heimrich in later books given the first name Merton and achieving promotion to Captain Heimrich also guest starred in a 1946 Mr and Mrs North book Death of a Tall Man before becoming the star of his own series of twenty two novels beginning with Think of Death 1947 I Want to Go Home 1948 Spin Your Web Lady 1949 Foggy Foggy Death 1950 A Client is Cancelled 1951 Death by Association 1952 Stand Up and Die 1953 Death and the Gentle Bull 1954 Burnt Offering 1955 Let Dead Enough Alone 1956 Practice to Deceive 1957 Accent on Murder 1958 Show Red for Danger 1960 With One Stone 1961 First Come First Kill 1962 The Distant Clue 1963 Murder Can t Wait 1964 Murder Roundabout 1966 With Option to Die 1967 A Risky Way to Kill 1969 Inspector s Holiday 1971 Not I Said the Sparrow 1973 Dead Run 1976 The Tenth Life 1977 Nathan Shapiro series editRichard and Frances Lockridge began a third detective series with The Faceless Adversary 1956 featuring New York City Police detective Nathan Shapiro Shapiro was a sad sack of a detective who always assumed some other detective would be more skilful or more insightful He always thinks that the promotions he receives are undeserved People he encounters wonder what makes him appear to be so depressed Eventually the Shapiro series ran to ten books including the last novel Lockridge published The Old Die Young 1980 Shapiro also appeared in one Heimrich novel Murder Can t Wait 1964 The Faceless Adversary 1956 Murder and Blueberry Pie 1959 The Tangled Cord 1960 The Drill Is Death 1961 Murder for Art s Sake 1967 Die Laughing 1969 Preach No More 1971 Write Murder Down 1972 Or Was He Pushed 1975 A Streak of Light 1976 The Old Die Young 1980 Paul Lane series editRichard and Frances Lockridge began a fourth detective series with Night of the Shadows 1962 a police procedural featuring a New York City Police detective Paul Lane Lane was the main character in Quest for the Bogeyman 1964 and then he and partner Sgt then later Lt John Stein were prominently featured in the six novels focused on New York County assistant district attorney Bernard Simmons that followed that character s first appearance in And Left for Dead 1961 The novels featuring the interplay and occasional conflicts between ADA Bernie Simmons and Lane and Stein prefigures the Law amp Order television series Lockridge s various series books take place in a shared universe The Lt Heimrich series was a spin off of the Mr and Mrs North series A retired college professor who first assists Heimrich with a case in Accent on Murder 1958 and again in Murder Can t Wait 1964 a book that also features the meeting of Nathan Shapiro and Merton Heimrich shows up to help ADA Bernie Simmons in Twice Retired 1970 Bill Weigand who as a homicide lieutenant was the police friend of Mr and Mrs North throughout their series is referred to occasionally as the division captain in the Paul Lane book Lane s partner Johnny Stein is presumably the Sgt Stein no first name who assisted Bill Weigand in the Mr and Mrs North novels All the books make frequent use of real New York landmarks such as the Charles French Restaurant in Greenwich Village as well as share several fictional landmarks such as Dyckman University Personal and professional life editIn 1960 Richard and Frances Lockridge were co presidents of the Mystery Writers of America They received a special Edgar Award in 1962 Richard Lockridge had received an Edgar in 1945 for best radio play Frances Lockridge born 10th January 1896 died on 19th February 1963 In 1965 Richard Lockridge married Hildegarde Dolson a New York freelance writer Richard Lockridge continued to write Lt Heimrich Nathan Shapiro and Paul Lane novels as well as non series mystery novels but he wrote no Mr and Mrs North novels after Frances s death Lockridge also wrote an espionage novel with George Hoben Estabrooks Death in the Mind 1945 and two non mystery novels The Empty Day 1965 and Encounter in Key West 1966 He co authored Michael J McKeogh s memoir of World War II Sgt Mickey and General Ike 1946 With his first wife Lockridge wrote three short non fiction books about cats He wrote a memoir of his courtship of his second wife Hildegarde Dolson in One Lady Two Cats 1967 He died in 1982 after a series of strokes Richard Lockridge once described his and Frances Lockridge s collaboration We had story conferences and wrote a summary As we both insisted the writing was entirely mine William DeAndrea notes The contribution made by Frances he said in the same interview might amount to five pages of plot which he would then turn into a 200 page manuscript The Lockridges by lined their Mr and Mrs North books as Frances and Richard Lockridge the Lt Heimrich books were by lined as Richard and Frances Lockridge References editWilliam L DeAndrea 1994 Encyclopedia Mysteriosa Prentice Hall ISBN 0028616782External links editFinding aid to Richard Lockridge papers at Columbia University Rare Book amp Manuscript Library Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Richard Lockridge amp oldid 1196840792, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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