Jacques Futrelle
Encyclopedia
Jacques Heath Futrelle was an American
journalist and mystery writer
. He is best known for writing short detective stories
featuring Professor Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen
, also known as "The Thinking Machine" for his application of logic to any and all situations.
, worked for the Atlanta Journal, where he began their sports section; the New York Herald
; the Boston Post
; and the Boston American
, where, in 1905, his Thinking Machine character first appeared in a serialized version of "The Problem of Cell 13". In 1895, he married fellow writer Lily May Peel, with whom he had two children, Virginia and Jacques "John" Jr.
Futrelle left the Boston American in 1906 to focus his attention on writing novel
s. He had a house built in Scituate, Massachusetts
, which he called "Stepping Stones", and spent most of his time there until his death in 1912.
Returning from Europe aboard the RMS Titanic, Futrelle, a first-cabin passenger, refused to board a lifeboat insisting his wife board instead until the point of forcing her in. His wife remembered the last she saw of him, he was smoking a cigarette with John J. Astor
. He perished in the Atlantic. Futrelle's last work, "My Lady's Garter", was published posthumously later in 1912. His wife inscribed in the book, "To the heroes of the Titanic, I dedicate this my husband's book" under a photo of her late husband. On 29 July 1912 his mother, Linnie Futrelle, died in her Georgia home; her death was attributed to grief over her son's death.
Futrelle is used as the protagonist in The Titanic Murders, a novel about two murders aboard the Titanic, by Max Allan Collins
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist and mystery writer
Mystery fiction
Mystery fiction is a loosely-defined term.1.It is often used as a synonym for detective fiction or crime fiction— in other words a novel or short story in which a detective investigates and solves a crime mystery. Sometimes mystery books are nonfiction...
. He is best known for writing short detective stories
Detective fiction
Detective fiction is a sub-genre of crime fiction and mystery fiction in which an investigator , either professional or amateur, investigates a crime, often murder.-In ancient literature:...
featuring Professor Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen
Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen
Professor Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen, Ph.D., LL.D., F.R.S., M.D., M.D.S. is a fictional character in a series of detective short stories and two novels by Jacques Futrelle...
, also known as "The Thinking Machine" for his application of logic to any and all situations.
Career
Futrelle, who was born in Pike County, GeorgiaPike County, Georgia
Pike County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 9, 1822. As of 2000, the population was 13,688. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 17,204...
, worked for the Atlanta Journal, where he began their sports section; the New York Herald
New York Herald
The New York Herald was a large distribution newspaper based in New York City that existed between May 6, 1835, and 1924.-History:The first issue of the paper was published by James Gordon Bennett, Sr., on May 6, 1835. By 1845 it was the most popular and profitable daily newspaper in the UnitedStates...
; the Boston Post
Boston Post
The Boston Post was the most popular daily newspaper in New England for over a hundred years before it folded in 1956. The Post was founded in November 1831 by two prominent Boston businessmen, Charles G...
; and the Boston American
Boston American
The Boston American was a daily tabloid newspaper published in Boston, Massachusetts from March 21, 1904 until September 30, 1961. The newspaper was part of William Randolph Hearst's chain, and thus was also known as Hearst's Boston American....
, where, in 1905, his Thinking Machine character first appeared in a serialized version of "The Problem of Cell 13". In 1895, he married fellow writer Lily May Peel, with whom he had two children, Virginia and Jacques "John" Jr.
Futrelle left the Boston American in 1906 to focus his attention on writing novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
s. He had a house built in Scituate, Massachusetts
Scituate, Massachusetts
Scituate is a seacoast town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, on the South Shore, midway between Boston and Plymouth. The population was 18,133 at the 2010 census....
, which he called "Stepping Stones", and spent most of his time there until his death in 1912.
Returning from Europe aboard the RMS Titanic, Futrelle, a first-cabin passenger, refused to board a lifeboat insisting his wife board instead until the point of forcing her in. His wife remembered the last she saw of him, he was smoking a cigarette with John J. Astor
John Jacob Astor IV
John Jacob Astor IV was an American businessman, real estate builder, investor, inventor, writer, lieutenant colonel in the Spanish-American War and a member of the prominent Astor family...
. He perished in the Atlantic. Futrelle's last work, "My Lady's Garter", was published posthumously later in 1912. His wife inscribed in the book, "To the heroes of the Titanic, I dedicate this my husband's book" under a photo of her late husband. On 29 July 1912 his mother, Linnie Futrelle, died in her Georgia home; her death was attributed to grief over her son's death.
Futrelle is used as the protagonist in The Titanic Murders, a novel about two murders aboard the Titanic, by Max Allan Collins
Max Allan Collins
Max Allan Collins is an American mystery writer. He has written novels, screenplays, comic books, comic strips, trading cards, short stories, movie novelizations and historical fiction. He wrote the graphic novel Road to Perdition , created the comic book private eye Ms...
.
Novels
- The Chase of the Golden Plate (19061906 in literatureThe year 1906 in literature involved some significant new books.-Events:* December 24 - Reginald Fessenden transmits the first radio program, a poetry reading, a violin solo, and a speech, broadcasts....
) - The Simple Case of Susan (19081908 in literatureThe year 1908 in literature involved some significant new books.-New books:*Afawarq Gabra Iyasus - Libb Wolled Tārīk , the first novel in Amharic*Leonid Andreyev - The Seven Who Were Hanged...
) - The Diamond Master (19091909 in literatureThe year 1909 in literature involved some significant new books.-New books:*L. Frank Baum - The Road to Oz** - Aunt Jane's Nieces at Work *André Billy - La Derive*René Boylesve - La Jeune Fille bien élevée...
- later adapted into the film serials The Diamond QueenThe Diamond QueenThe Diamond Queen is a 1921 adventure film serial directed by Edward A. Kull. The film is considered to be lost.-Cast:* Eileen Sedgwick - Doris Harvey* George Chesebro - Bruce Weston* Frank Clark - Julius Zeidt * Burton S...
and The Diamond MasterThe Diamond MasterThe Diamond Master is a 1929 film serial directed by Jack Nelson. The film is considered to be lost.-Cast:* Hayden Stevenson - Mark Van Cortland Wynne* Louise Lorraine - Doris Killner* Al Hart - Randolph Latham* Monte Montague - Van's Manservant...
) - Elusive IsabelElusive IsabelElusive Isabel is a novel by Jacques Futrelle first published in 1909. Set in Washington, D.C., it is a spy novel about an international conspiracy of the "Latin" countries against the English-speaking world with the aim to take over world control....
(19091909 in literatureThe year 1909 in literature involved some significant new books.-New books:*L. Frank Baum - The Road to Oz** - Aunt Jane's Nieces at Work *André Billy - La Derive*René Boylesve - La Jeune Fille bien élevée...
) - The High Hand (19111911 in literatureThe year 1911 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*George Moore publishes the first of his three-volume Hail and Farewell .*Gallimard publishing house founded in Paris by Gaston Gallimard...
) - My Lady's Garter (19121912 in literatureThe year 1912 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Virginia Stephen marries Leonard Woolf.*Frieda von Richthofen meets D. H. Lawrence.-New books:*Mary Antin - The Promised Land*L...
) - Blind Man's Bluff (19141914 in literatureThe year 1914 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*The literature of World War I makes its first appearance.*November 7 - The first issue of The New Republic magazine is published....
)
Short story collections
- The Thinking Machine (19071907 in literatureThe year 1907 in literature involved some significant new books.-Events:* June 26 - Mark Twain receives an honorary doctorate of laws degree from Oxford University.*James Joyce meets Ettore Schmitz for the first time....
), reprinted as The Problem of Cell 13 (1918)- The Flaming Phantom
- The Great Auto Mystery
- The Man Who Was Lost
- The Mystery of a Studio
- The Problem of Cell 13
- The Ralston Bank Burglary
- The Scarlet Thread
- The Thinking Machine on the Case (19081908 in literatureThe year 1908 in literature involved some significant new books.-New books:*Afawarq Gabra Iyasus - Libb Wolled Tārīk , the first novel in Amharic*Leonid Andreyev - The Seven Who Were Hanged...
), UK title The Professor on the Case - The Stolen Ruebens
Stories
- "The Problem of Cell 13The Problem of Cell 13"The Problem of Cell 13" is a short story by Jacques Futrelle first published in 1905 and later collected in The Thinking Machine , which was featured in crime writer H. R. F. Keating's list of the 100 best crime and mystery books ever published...
" (19051905 in literatureThe year 1905 in literature involved some significant new books.-Events:*L. Frank Baum's Animal Fairy Tales are published in The Delineator magazine from January to September....
) - "The House That Was" (a literary experiment with his wife, in the which The Thinking Machine provided a rational solution to the seemingly impossible and supernatural events of a ghost story written by May)
- "The Phantom Motor"
- Various other short stories (see Augustus S. F. X. Van DusenAugustus S. F. X. Van DusenProfessor Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen, Ph.D., LL.D., F.R.S., M.D., M.D.S. is a fictional character in a series of detective short stories and two novels by Jacques Futrelle...
for more)
External links
- Jacques Futrelle Official Homepage
- http://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-biography/jacques-futrelle.htmlEntry at Encyclopedia TitanicaEncyclopedia TitanicaEncyclopedia Titanica is an online reference work containing extensive and constantly-updated information on the . The website, a nonprofit endeavor, is a database of passenger and crew biographies, deck plans, and articles submitted by historians or Titanic enthusiasts...
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