Les Roberts (mystery novel writer)
Encyclopedia
Les Roberts is also the name of the primary author of two studies in the Lancet
reporting nearly 100,000 civilian casualties in the Iraq War in 2004 and 2006
Les Roberts (born Lester Roubert, July 18, 1937) to Lester Nathaniel and Eleanor (Bauch) Roubert in Chicago, Illinois, he changed his name to Roberts in 1968. Attended the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and Roosevelt University (1954–1956), served in the U.S. Army (1960–1962), and married Gail Medland in 1957; they divorced in 1980. Roberts has two children, Valerie Lynne and Darren Jon, one grandchild, Shea Holland Thompson.
Roberts began his career as a contemporary American
mystery novelist after twenty-four years in Hollywood, having written and/or produced more than 2,500 half-hour segments of network and syndicated television. He was the first producer and head writer of The Hollywood Squares, and has written for The Lucy Show
, The Andy Griffith Show
, The Jackie Gleason Show
and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
, among others.
In 1986 he won the very first "Best First Private Eye Novel Contest" for An Infinite Number of Monkeys. Roberts also won the 1992 Cleveland Arts Prize for Literature and has been voted "Cleveland's Favorite Author" by Cleveland.com. He is past president of the Private Eye Writers of America and the regular mystery book critic for The Plain Dealer. He has been a professional actor, singer, businessman, teacher and jazz
musician.
Roberts is primarily seen as a regional writer. Though his Saxon series is set in Los Angeles
, he is best known for his Milan Jacovich series (it's pronounced My-lan Yock-o-vitch) set in his adopted hometown of Cleveland, Ohio
. Jacovich, unlike many single, dashing private eyes of fiction, is a battered, Stroh's-drinking, polka-dancing Slovenian American Vietnam veteran, ex-cop, and former Kent State football star, with a Serbian
strong-willed ex-wife and two sons that he sees every other Sunday. Jacovich's working-guy attitude has endeared him to many Cleveland readers.
The Lancet
The Lancet is a weekly peer-reviewed general medical journal. It is one of the world's best known, oldest, and most respected general medical journals...
reporting nearly 100,000 civilian casualties in the Iraq War in 2004 and 2006
Les Roberts (born Lester Roubert, July 18, 1937) to Lester Nathaniel and Eleanor (Bauch) Roubert in Chicago, Illinois, he changed his name to Roberts in 1968. Attended the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and Roosevelt University (1954–1956), served in the U.S. Army (1960–1962), and married Gail Medland in 1957; they divorced in 1980. Roberts has two children, Valerie Lynne and Darren Jon, one grandchild, Shea Holland Thompson.
Roberts began his career as a contemporary American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
mystery novelist after twenty-four years in Hollywood, having written and/or produced more than 2,500 half-hour segments of network and syndicated television. He was the first producer and head writer of The Hollywood Squares, and has written for The Lucy Show
The Lucy Show
The Lucy Show is an American situation comedy that aired on CBS from 1962 until 1968. It was Lucille Ball's follow-up to I Love Lucy. A significant change in cast and premise for the 1965-66 season divides the program into two distinct eras; aside from Ball, only Gale Gordon, who joined the program...
, The Andy Griffith Show
The Andy Griffith Show
The Andy Griffith Show is an American sitcom first televised by CBS between October 3, 1960, and April 1, 1968. Andy Griffith portrays a widowed sheriff in the fictional small community of Mayberry, North Carolina...
, The Jackie Gleason Show
The Jackie Gleason Show
The Jackie Gleason Show is the name of a series of popular American network television shows that starred Jackie Gleason, which ran from 1952 to 1970.-Cavalcade of Stars:...
and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is an American television series that was broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1964, to January 15, 1968. It follows the exploits of two secret agents, played by Robert Vaughn and David McCallum, who work for a fictitious secret international espionage and law-enforcement...
, among others.
In 1986 he won the very first "Best First Private Eye Novel Contest" for An Infinite Number of Monkeys. Roberts also won the 1992 Cleveland Arts Prize for Literature and has been voted "Cleveland's Favorite Author" by Cleveland.com. He is past president of the Private Eye Writers of America and the regular mystery book critic for The Plain Dealer. He has been a professional actor, singer, businessman, teacher and jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
musician.
Roberts is primarily seen as a regional writer. Though his Saxon series is set in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, he is best known for his Milan Jacovich series (it's pronounced My-lan Yock-o-vitch) set in his adopted hometown of Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
. Jacovich, unlike many single, dashing private eyes of fiction, is a battered, Stroh's-drinking, polka-dancing Slovenian American Vietnam veteran, ex-cop, and former Kent State football star, with a Serbian
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
strong-willed ex-wife and two sons that he sees every other Sunday. Jacovich's working-guy attitude has endeared him to many Cleveland readers.