| Birth Day | February 19, 1926 |
| Birth Place | Oklahoma City, OK |
| Age | 94 YEARS OLD |
| Died On | Dec 18, 1995 (age 69) |
| Birth Sign | Pisces |
Crime fiction Writer known for his witty, politically-themed works. Recognized for novels such as Singapore Wink and Voodoo, Ltd., he sometimes wrote under the pseudonym of Oliver Bleeck.
He served in the Philippines during World War II and also worked as a correspondent for the Armed Forces Network.
His first novel, The Cold War Swap, won him the 1967 Edgar Award.
His family lived in Oklahoma City at the time of his birth. He died of lung cancer in the Los Angeles area just weeks shy of his seventieth birthday.
He was the first posthumous recipient of the Gumshoe Lifetime Achievement Award; Ed McBain was the second.
