Gregory Mcdonald
Encyclopedia
Gregory Mcdonald was an American
mystery writer best known for his character Irwin Maurice Fletcher, an investigative reporter otherwise known as "Fletch." Fletch was later played by Chevy Chase
in the movie of the same name
. The Fletch series, consisting of nine novels, also spawned the 'Flynn' series, as well as the 'Son of Fletch' series.
Two of the Fletch books have earned Edgar Award
s from the Mystery Writers of America
: Fletch
was named Best First Novel in 1975, and Confess, Fletch won for Best Paperback Original in 1977. This is the only time a novel and its sequel won back-to-back Edgars.
In Confess, Fletch, Mcdonald introduced another character, Inspector Francis Xavier Flynn, a brilliant but eccentric police detective who serves as a foil for Fletch. Flynn would go on to appear in four of his own spin-off
novels: Flynn, The Buck Passes Flynn, Flynn's In and Flynn's World.
In the novel Son of Fletch, Mcdonald introduced the character of Jack Faoni, who is said to be the illegitimate son of Irwin Maurice Fletcher.
He has also written two novels in the Skylar series, as well as a number of non-series (and non-mystery) novels.
Mcdonald was born in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts
. He was educated at Harvard, paying his own way by operating yachts, and worked as a teacher before becoming a journalist for the Boston Globe in the late 1960s. He finally left his newspaper position to become a novelist full-time with the publication of Fletch. In the mid-1980s, he moved to Tennessee, buying and operating an antebellum farm and getting involved in the local politics. He died in Giles County, Tennessee in 2008.
also...
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
mystery writer best known for his character Irwin Maurice Fletcher, an investigative reporter otherwise known as "Fletch." Fletch was later played by Chevy Chase
Chevy Chase
Cornelius Crane "Chevy" Chase is an American comedian, writer, and television and film actor, born into a prominent entertainment industry family. Chase worked a plethora of odd jobs before moving into comedy acting with National Lampoon...
in the movie of the same name
Fletch (film)
Fletch is a 1985 comedy film about a wisecracking investigative newspaper reporter, Irwin M. Fletcher , who writes under the name of Jane Doe...
. The Fletch series, consisting of nine novels, also spawned the 'Flynn' series, as well as the 'Son of Fletch' series.
Two of the Fletch books have earned Edgar Award
Edgar Award
The Edgar Allan Poe Awards , named after Edgar Allan Poe, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America...
s from the Mystery Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America is an organization for mystery writers, based in New York.The organization was founded in 1945 by Clayton Rawson, Anthony Boucher, Lawrence Treat, and Brett Halliday....
: Fletch
Fletch (novel)
Fletch is a 1974 mystery novel by Gregory Mcdonald, the first in a series featuring the character Irwin Maurice Fletcher.-Plot introduction:...
was named Best First Novel in 1975, and Confess, Fletch won for Best Paperback Original in 1977. This is the only time a novel and its sequel won back-to-back Edgars.
In Confess, Fletch, Mcdonald introduced another character, Inspector Francis Xavier Flynn, a brilliant but eccentric police detective who serves as a foil for Fletch. Flynn would go on to appear in four of his own spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
novels: Flynn, The Buck Passes Flynn, Flynn's In and Flynn's World.
In the novel Son of Fletch, Mcdonald introduced the character of Jack Faoni, who is said to be the illegitimate son of Irwin Maurice Fletcher.
He has also written two novels in the Skylar series, as well as a number of non-series (and non-mystery) novels.
Mcdonald was born in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts
Shrewsbury, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 31,640 people, 12,366 households, and 8,693 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 12,696 housing units at an average density of...
. He was educated at Harvard, paying his own way by operating yachts, and worked as a teacher before becoming a journalist for the Boston Globe in the late 1960s. He finally left his newspaper position to become a novelist full-time with the publication of Fletch. In the mid-1980s, he moved to Tennessee, buying and operating an antebellum farm and getting involved in the local politics. He died in Giles County, Tennessee in 2008.
Novels
- Running ScaredRunning Scared (1972 film)Running Scared is a 1972 film written and directed by David Hemmings. This was the only film written by Hemmings, and his first time directing. It was based on a novel of the same name written by Gregory McDonald....
(1964) - FletchFletch (novel)Fletch is a 1974 mystery novel by Gregory Mcdonald, the first in a series featuring the character Irwin Maurice Fletcher.-Plot introduction:...
(1974) - Confess, Fletch (1976)
- Flynn (1977)
- Fletch's Fortune (1978)
- Love Among the Mashed Potatoes apa Dear M.E. (1978)
- Who Took Toby Rinaldi? (US title)/Snatched (UK title) (1978)
- The Buck Passes Flynn (1981)
- Fletch and the Widow Bradley (1981)
- Fletch's Moxie (1982)
- Fletch and the Man Who (1983)
- Flynn's In (1984)
- Carioca Fletch (1984)
- Safekeeping (1985)
- Fletch WonFletch WonFletch Won is the eighth book in the Fletch series of mystery/comedy novels written by Gregory Mcdonald, and was published in 1985. The story is set before the first seven books in the series, and follows the early days of the title character's journalism career. Fletch scores his first big...
(1985) - Fletch, Too (1986)
- A World Too Wide (1987)
- Exits and Entrances (1988)
- Merely PlayersMerely PlayersMerely Players was a one man stage show written and performed by Barry Morse. It examined the lives of a series of actors and others from Elizabethan times up to present day...
(1988) - The BraveThe BraveThe Brave is a film adapted from the Gregory McDonald novel of the same title directed by and starring Johnny Depp.This film was Depp's directorial debut. He co-wrote the screenplay with his brother, directed and acted in it. The film was first shown at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival where it...
(1991) - Son of Fletch (1993)
- Fletch Reflected (1994)
- Skylar (1995)
- Skylar in Yankeeland (1997)
- Flynn's World (1999 as e-book; 2003 on paper)
also...
- Wise Saws (Unpublished)
Other
- The Education of Gregory Mcdonald: Sketches from the Sixties. Writings About America, 1966-1973 (1985)
- Souvenirs of a Blown World: Sketches from the Sixties: Writings About America, 1966-1973, Seven Stories PressSeven Stories PressSeven Stories Press is an independent publishing company. Located in New York City, the company was founded by editor Dan Simon in 1995 after he parted company with Four Walls Eight Windows. The company was named for its seven founding authors: Annie Ernaux, Gary Null, the estate of Nelson Algren,...
, 2009- A collection of his writings for the Boston Globe.