Luke Short (writer)
Encyclopedia
Luke Short was a popular Western writer.
Born in Kewanee, Illinois
Glidden attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
for two and a half years and then transferred to the University of Missouri
at Columbia to study journalism.
Following graduation in 1930 he worked for a number of newspapers before becoming a trapper in Canada then later moved to New Mexico to be an archeologist's assistant.
After reading Western pulp magazines and trying to escape unemployment he started writing Western fiction. He sold his first short story and novel in 1935 under the pen name of Luke Short (which was also the name of a famous gunslinger
in the Old West, though it's unclear if he was aware of that when he assumed the pen name.)
Short's apprenticeship in the pulps was comparatively brief. In 1938 he sold a short story, The Warning to Collier's and in 1941 he sold his novel Blood on the Moon aka Gunman's Chance to The Saturday Evening Post
.
After publishing over a dozen novels in the 1930s, he started writing for films in the 40s. In 1948 alone four Luke Short novels appeared as movies. Some of his memorable film credits includes Ramrod
(1947) and Blood on the Moon
(1948).
Short's novel The Whip aka Doom Cliff was serialized in both Collier's and The Saturday Evening Post
. The first two parts were published in Collier's in the December 21, 1956 and the January 4, 1957 issues. Collier's then ceased publication. The Saturday Evening Post
bought the rights to the remaining unpublished installment and published it on February 9, 1957.
He continued to write novels, despite increasing trouble with his eyes, until his death in 1975. His ashes are buried in Aspen, Colorado
, his home at the time of his death.
Born in Kewanee, Illinois
Kewanee, Illinois
Kewanee is a city in Henry County, Illinois, United States. "Kewanee" is the Winnebago word for prairie chicken, which lekked there. The population was 12,916 at the 2010 census, down from 12,944 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
Glidden attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
for two and a half years and then transferred to the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
at Columbia to study journalism.
Following graduation in 1930 he worked for a number of newspapers before becoming a trapper in Canada then later moved to New Mexico to be an archeologist's assistant.
After reading Western pulp magazines and trying to escape unemployment he started writing Western fiction. He sold his first short story and novel in 1935 under the pen name of Luke Short (which was also the name of a famous gunslinger
Gunslinger
Gunfighter, also gunslinger , is a 20th century word, used in cinema or literature, referring to men in the American Old West who had gained a reputation as being dangerous with a gun...
in the Old West, though it's unclear if he was aware of that when he assumed the pen name.)
Short's apprenticeship in the pulps was comparatively brief. In 1938 he sold a short story, The Warning to Collier's and in 1941 he sold his novel Blood on the Moon aka Gunman's Chance to The Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post is a bimonthly American magazine. It was published weekly under this title from 1897 until 1969, and quarterly and then bimonthly from 1971.-History:...
.
After publishing over a dozen novels in the 1930s, he started writing for films in the 40s. In 1948 alone four Luke Short novels appeared as movies. Some of his memorable film credits includes Ramrod
Ramrod (film)
Ramrod is a 1947 Western film directed by André De Toth.This cowboy drama from Hungarian director De Toth was the first of several films based on the stories of Western author Luke Short. De Toth's first Western is often compared to films noir movies released around the same time...
(1947) and Blood on the Moon
Blood on the Moon
Blood on the Moon is an RKO black-and-white "psychological" western directed by Robert Wise with cinematography by Nicholas Musuraca. The film, starring Robert Mitchum, Barbara Bel Geddes, and Robert Preston has many film noir elements. It was shot in California and some of the more scenic shots...
(1948).
Short's novel The Whip aka Doom Cliff was serialized in both Collier's and The Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post is a bimonthly American magazine. It was published weekly under this title from 1897 until 1969, and quarterly and then bimonthly from 1971.-History:...
. The first two parts were published in Collier's in the December 21, 1956 and the January 4, 1957 issues. Collier's then ceased publication. The Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post is a bimonthly American magazine. It was published weekly under this title from 1897 until 1969, and quarterly and then bimonthly from 1971.-History:...
bought the rights to the remaining unpublished installment and published it on February 9, 1957.
He continued to write novels, despite increasing trouble with his eyes, until his death in 1975. His ashes are buried in Aspen, Colorado
Aspen, Colorado
The City of Aspen is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the city population was 5,804 in 2005...
, his home at the time of his death.
Novels
- The Feud at Single Shot, 1935
- The Branded Man, 1936
- The Man on the Blue, 1936
- Marauders' Moon, 1937
- King Colt, 1937
- Brand of Empire, 1937
- Bold Rider, 1938
- Savage RangeSavage RangeSavage Range is a Western novel, written by Luke Short. The story is set in northern New Mexico, probably in the 19th century. Jim Wade is hired by Max Bonsell to drive away the landgrabbers from the ranch. His aim is to complete the job using as little force as possible...
, 1938 - Raiders of the Rimrock, 1938
- Hard Money, 1938
- Bounty Guns, 1939
- War on the Cimarron, 1939
- Dead Freight for Piute, 1939
- Bought with a Gun, 1940
- Barren Land Showdown, 1940
- Raw Land, 1940
- Gunman's Chance, 1941 — filmBlood on the MoonBlood on the Moon is an RKO black-and-white "psychological" western directed by Robert Wise with cinematography by Nicholas Musuraca. The film, starring Robert Mitchum, Barbara Bel Geddes, and Robert Preston has many film noir elements. It was shot in California and some of the more scenic shots...
, 1948 - Hardcase, 1941
- Ride the Man Down, 1942
- Sunset Graze, 1942
- And the Wind Blows Free, 1943--Told in the first person--Unique for Short
- Ramrod, 1943 — filmRamrod (film)Ramrod is a 1947 Western film directed by André De Toth.This cowboy drama from Hungarian director De Toth was the first of several films based on the stories of Western author Luke Short. De Toth's first Western is often compared to films noir movies released around the same time...
, 1947 - Coroner Creek, 1945 — filmCoroner CreekCoroner Creek is a 1948 western film starring Randolph Scott as a man who seeks vengeance for the death of his fiancée. It was based on the novel of the same name by Luke Short.-Cast:*Randolph Scott as Chris Denning*Marguerite Chapman as Kate Hardison...
, 1948 - Fiddlefoot, 1946
- Station West, 1946 — filmStation WestStation West is a black-and-white 1948 film based on a Western novel by Luke Short. The film, considered film noir as well as a Western, was directed by Sidney Lanfield, who was known for directing comedies such as The Lemon Drop Kid. Station Wests cinematographer was Harry J. Wild...
, 1948
- High Vermilion, 1947
- Vengeance Valley, 1949 — filmVengeance ValleyVengeance Valley is a Western film starring Burt Lancaster, based on the novel by Luke Short. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer failed to renew the copyright on this film in 1978, so it is now in the public domain in the United States.-Plot:...
, 1951 - Ambush, 1948 — filmAmbush (1950 film)Ambush is a 1950 western film directed by Sam Wood and starring Robert Taylor, John Hodiak and Arlene Dahl. This was the last film directed by Sam Wood.-Plot synopsis:...
, 1950 - Play a Lone Hand, 1950
- Saddle by Starlight, 1952
- Silver Rock, 1953
- Rimrock, 1955
- The Whip, 1956
- Summer of the Smoke, 1958
- First Claim, 1960
- Desert Crossing, 1961
- Last Hunt, 1962
- The Some-Day Country, 1963
- First Campaign, 1965
- Paper Sheriff, 1965
- The Primrose Try, 1966
- Debt of Honor, 1967
- The Guns of Hanging Lake, 1968
- Donovan's Gun, 1968
- The Deserters, 1969
- Three for the Money, 1970
- Man from the Desert, 1971
- The Outrider, 1972
- The Stalkers, 1973
- The Man from Two Rivers, 1974
- Trouble Country, 1976
Short Story Collections
- Luke Short's Best of the West, 1983 includes 12 short stories "Pull Your Freight!" -- "Gunslick Gold" -- "Lead Won’t Lie" -- "The Warning" -- "Bounty Hunter" -- "The Doctor Keeps a Promise" --"High Grade" -- "Trumpets West" -- "Court Day" -- "Payoff at Rain Peak" -- "Rough Shod" -- "Top Hand."
- The Marshal of Vengeance, 1986 includes six short stories "The Marshal of Vengeance" -- "The Ghost Deputy of Doubletree" -- "Death Cold-Decks a Tinhorn" -- "War Fires Light the Stage Trails" -- "Hideout" -- "Exile"