George Pelecanos
George Pelecanos | |
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Born | Washington, D.C., U.S. | February 18, 1957
Occupation |
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Genre | Detective fiction |
Website | |
www |
George P. Pelecanos (born February 18, 1957) is an American author. Many of his 20 books are in the genre of
Early life
Pelecanos, a
Career
Novelist
Pelecanos acknowledged that Elmore Leonard was a prime influence on him as an author.[1] In addition to Leonard, he cited the works of Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, John D. MacDonald, Ross Macdonald, Mickey Spillane, and John le Carré for getting him hooked on crime fiction.[2]
Pelecanos's early novels were written in the first person voice of Nick Stefanos, a Greek D.C. resident and sometime private investigator.
After the success of his first four novels, the Stefanos-narrated
In The Big Blowdown, set a generation before Karras and Clay would appear (the 1950s), Pelecanos followed the lives of dozens of D.C. residents, tracking the challenges and changes that the second half of the twentieth century presented to Washingtonians. King Suckerman, set in the 1970s and generally regarded as the fans' favorite, introduced the recurring theme of basketball in Pelecanos' fiction. Typically, he employs the sport as a symbol of cooperation amongst the races, suggesting the dynamism of D.C. as reflective of the good will generated by multi-ethnic pick up games. However, he also indulges the reverse of the equation, wherein the basketball court becomes the site of unresolved hostilities. In such cases, violent criminal behavior typically emerges amongst the participants, usually escalating the mystery. The Sweet Forever (1980s) and Shame the Devil (1990s) closed the quartet and Pelecanos retired Stefanos and the other characters that populated the novels. (Stefanos and other characters do reappear in subsequent works).
In 2001, he introduced a new team of private detectives, Derek Strange and Terry Quinn, as the protagonists of
Perhaps sensing this, Pelecanos again switched his focus in his 2004 novel, Hard Revolution, taking one of his new detectives, Derek Strange, back in time to his early days on the D.C. police force. In another interesting move, Pelecanos attached a CD to the book itself, emulating Michael Connelly who included a CD with his 2003 Harry Bosch book Lost Light.
In 2005, Pelecanos saw another novel published, Drama City. This book revisited the examination of dogfighting begun in his book Hell To Pay. Pelecanos is a dog owner and has written about his views of dogfighting.[4]
In 2006 he published
The Turnaround was published in August 2008, reflecting a return to his roots, as the novel opens in the 70s in a Greek diner, and a continuation of his more modern style in the portion set in the present. The Turnaround won the 2008's Hammett Prize.
In 2011, Pelecanos published The Cut, introducing the character Spero Lucas, a young veteran of the Iraq war. The former Marine works part-time as a private investigator for a D.C. defense attorney as well as taking jobs finding stolen items for a 40% cut of the value of the returned item. In 2013, Pelecanos published The Double, the second Spero Lucas book.
Pelecanos has in turn influenced other novelists. They include Kristen Lepionka, who won the Shamus Award for Best First P.I. Novel in 2018. Lepionka cited his "lean, laconic prose."[5] The introduction to a 2018 interview with William Boyle pointed to Pelecanos's influence on Boyle, in particular as a "meticulous chronicler of process."[6]
Film and television
Pelecanos has written and produced for
Pelecanos joined the crew as a writer for the first season in 2002.
Pelecanos remained a writer for the fourth season in 2006. He wrote the teleplay for the penultimate episode "
Following the conclusion of The Wire Pelecanos joined the crew of the HBO World War II mini-series The Pacific as a co-producer and writer.[33] After a lengthy production process the series aired in 2010. He co-wrote "Part 3" of the series with fellow co-producer Michelle Ashford.[34] The episode focused on Marines on leave in Australia and featured a displaced Greek family in a prominent guest role.[34][35] Pelecanos saw the project as a chance to make a tribute to his father, Pete Pelecanos, who served as a Marine in the Philippines.[36]
Also in 2010 Pelecanos joined the crew of
Following the conclusion of Treme Pelecanos worked with Overmyer on his next series Bosch. The series was developed by Overmyer and is based on the series of novels by Michael Connelly. The series stars The Wire alumni Jamie Hector and Lance Reddick. Pelecanos and Michael Connelly co-wrote the show's fourth episode "Fugazi".
In 2017, HBO premiered The Deuce, a new series developed by Pelecanos and David Simon. The show focuses on the birth of the pornography industry in 1970s Times Square. George also co-authored several of the teleplays, including the pilot, with Simon, and co-authored episodes with Richard Price and Lisa Lutz.[39]
In 2019, Pelecanos' D.C. Noir anthology was made into a film featuring several short fictional crime stories which take place in Washington, D.C.[40] Pelecanos wrote the film and also served as a director and executive producer. The film was shot on location in Washington, D.C., and is reminiscent of HBO's The Wire.
He is currently developing a series based on his Derek Strange character for HBO. The first season will be based on the Derek Strange novel Hard Revolution.[41] More recently, he signed an overall deal with HBO.[42]
Personal life
As of 2006, Pelecanos lives in the Washington, D.C., suburb of Silver Spring, Maryland,[43] with his wife and three children.
Bibliography
Novels
Standalone novels
- Shoedog (1994). ISBN 0312110618
- Drama City (2005). ISBN 0316608211
- ISBN 978-0316156509
- The Turnaround (2008). ISBN 978-0316156479
- The Way Home (2009).ISBN 978-0316156493
- ISBN 978-0316479820
Nick Stefanos series
- ISBN 0312069707
- ISBN 0312088620
- ISBN 0312130562
D.C. Quartet series
- ISBN 0312142846
- King Suckerman (1997). ISBN 0316695904
- The Sweet Forever (1998). ISBN 0316691097
- ISBN 0316695238
Derek Strange and Terry Quinn series
- ISBN 0316695262
- ISBN 0316695068
- ISBN 0316608432
- ISBN 0316608971
- What It Was (2012). ISBN 978-0316209533
Spero Lucas series
- The Cut (2011).ISBN 978-0316078429
- The Double (2013).ISBN 978-0316078399
Short fiction
Collections
- The Martini Shot (2015). ISBN 978-0316284370
- Owning Up (2024). ISBN 978-0316570473
Edited anthologies
- D.C. Noir (2006). ISBN 978-1888451900
- D.C. Noir 2: The Classics (2008). ISBN 978-1933354583
- Best American Mystery Stories 2008, with Otto Penzler (2008). ISBN 978-0618812677
Essays, reporting and other contributions
- Pelecanos, George (June 10–17, 2013). "Twisted". True Crimes. The New Yorker. Vol. 89, no. 17. pp. 54–55.
Filmography
Production staff
Year | Show | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2022 | We Own This City | Executive Producer | Season 1 |
2019 | D.C. Noir | Writer, Director, Executive Producer | Anthology Film [47] |
2017 | The Deuce | Executive Producer | Season 1 |
2013 | Treme | Executive Producer | Season 4 |
2012 | Executive Producer | Season 3 | |
2011 | Consulting Producer | Season 2 | |
2010 | The Pacific
|
Co-Producer | Mini-series |
2004 | The Wire | Producer | Season 3
|
2003 | Writer | Season 1
|
Writer
Year | Show | Season | Episode title | Episode | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | We Own this City | 1 | "Part One" | 1 | co-written with David Simon |
"Part Five" | 5 | ||||
2017 | The Deuce | 1 | "Pilot" | 1 | co-written with David Simon |
"Show and Prove" | 2 | co-written with Richard Price | |||
"I See Money" | 4 | Teleplay by Lisa Lutz, story by Pelecanos and Lisa Lutz | |||
"My Name Is Ruby" | 8 | co-written with David Simon | |||
2011 | Treme | 2 | "What is New Orleans?"[48] | 9 | Teleplay by Pelecanos, story by Pelecanos and David Simon |
2010 | 1 | "At the Foot of Canal Street"[38][49] | 4 | Teleplay by Pelecanos, story by Pelecanos and Eric Overmyer | |
The Pacific
|
1 | Part 3[34] | 3 | Co-written with Michelle Ashford | |
2008 | The Wire | 5 | "Late Editions"[30][31] | 9 | Teleplay by Pelecanos, story by Pelecanos and David Simon |
2006 | 4 | "That's Got His Own"[26][27] | 12 | Teleplay by Pelecanos, story by Pelecanos and Ed Burns | |
2004 | 3 | " | 11 | Teleplay by Pelecanos, story by Pelecanos and David Simon | |
"Slapstick"[22][23] | 9 | Teleplay by David Simon, story by Pelecanos and David Simon | |||
" | 4 | Teleplay by Pelecanos, story by Pelecanos and David Simon | |||
2003 | 2 | " | 11 | Teleplay by Pelecanos, story by Pelecanos and David Simon | |
" | 8 | Teleplay by Pelecanos, story by Pelecanos and David Simon | |||
2002 | 1 | "Cleaning Up"[10][11] | 12 | Teleplay by Pelecanos, story by David Simon and Ed Burns |
Awards
Year | Award | Category | Result | Work | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2009 | Writers Guild of America Award
|
Outstanding Dramatic Series | Nominated[32] | season 5
|
Shared with |
2008 | Won[29] | The Wire season 4
|
Shared with Ed Burns, Chris Collins, Kia Corthron, Dennis Lehane, David Mills, Eric Overmyer, Richard Price, David Simon and William F. Zorzi | ||
2007 | Edgar Award
|
Best Television Feature/Mini-Series Teleplay | Won[28] | Shared with Ed Burns, Kia Corthron, Dennis Lehane, David Mills, Eric Overmyer, Richard Price, David Simon and William F. Zorzi | |
2005 | Emmy Award
|
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series | Nominated[24] | The Wire episode " Middle Ground "
|
Shared with co-writer David Simon |
1999 | Maltese Falcon Award , Japan
|
Best hardboiled mystery novel published in Japan | Won | The Big Blowdown |
References
- ^ McClurg, Jocelyn and Carol Memmott (August 20, 2013). "Author Elmore Leonard dies at 87". USA Today.
- ^ "By the Book: George Pelecanos". New York Times. August 23, 2018.
- ^ Robert Birnbaum (April 21, 2003). "Interview: George Pelecanos". Identity Theory. Retrieved September 17, 2007.
- ^ George Pelecanos. "Dogfighting's Poisonous Politics". New Republic. Archived from the original on October 10, 2007. Retrieved September 1, 2007.
- ^ Brissette, Karen (July 17, 2008). "A Certain Sly Intelligence". L.A. Review of Books.
- ^ Nelson, Elizabeth (October 12, 2018). "Noir Is All About Bad Decisions: The Millions Interviews William Boyle". The Millions.
- ^ Mary Alice Blackwell. "Fun comes down to 'The Wire'". Daily Progress. Archived from the original on November 24, 2007. Retrieved September 27, 2006.
- ^ a b c d e f Margaret Talbot (2007). "Stealing Life". The New Yorker. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
- ^ "Season 1 crew". HBO. 2007. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
- ^ a b "Episode guide - episode 12 The Hunt". HBO. 2004. Retrieved July 31, 2006.
- ^ The Wire. Season 1. Episode 12. HBO.
- ^ "Season 2 crew". HBO. 2007. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
- ^ a b "Episode guide - episode 21 duck and cover". HBO. 2004. Retrieved June 22, 2006.
- ^ a b David Simon, George P. Pelecanos (July 27, 2003). "Duck and Cover". The Wire. Season 2. Episode 8. HBO.
- ^ a b "Episode guide - episode 24 bad dreams". HBO. 2004. Retrieved June 22, 2006.
- ^ Bad Dreams". The Wire. Season 2. Episode 11. HBO.
- ^ "Season 3 crew". HBO. 2007. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
- ^ a b "Episode guide - episode 29 Amsterdam". HBO. 2004. Retrieved August 7, 2006.
- ^ Amsterdam". The Wire. Season 3. Episode 4. HBO.
- ^ a b "Episode guide - episode 36 middle ground". HBO. 2004. Retrieved August 9, 2006.
- ^ Middle Ground". The Wire. Season 3. Episode 11. HBO.
- ^ a b "Episode guide - episode 34 slapstick". HBO. 2004. Retrieved August 9, 2006.
- ^ a b David Simon, George P. Pelecanos (November 21, 2004). "Slapstick". The Wire. Season 3. Episode 9. HBO.
- ^ a b "Emmy award archives". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. 2007. Retrieved October 16, 2007.
- ^ a b c "Exclusive David Simon Q&A". AOL. 2007. Retrieved October 14, 2007.
- ^ a b "Episode guide - episode 49 That's Got His Own". HBO. 2006. Retrieved March 30, 2007.
- ^ That's Got His Own". The Wire. Season 4. Episode 12. HBO.
- ^ a b "Curtains Receives Edgar Award Nomination". Theatre Mania. Archived from the original on December 16, 2008.
- ^ a b "2008 Writers Guild Awards Television & Radio Nominees Announced". WGA. 2007. Archived from the original on December 19, 2007. Retrieved December 13, 2007.
- ^ a b Joe Chappelle (director), George Pelecanos (story and teleplay), David Simon (story) (March 2, 2008). "Late Editions". The Wire. Season 5. Episode 9. HBO.
- ^ a b "The Wire episode guide - episode 59 Late Editions". HBO. 2008. Retrieved March 10, 2008.
- ^ a b "2009 Writers Guild Awards Television, Radio, News, Promotional Writing, and Graphic Animation Nominees Announced". WGA. 2008. Archived from the original on December 12, 2008. Retrieved December 12, 2008.
- ^ "The Pacific Cast and Crew - George Pelecanos". HBO. 2010. Retrieved May 15, 2010.
- ^ a b c Jeremy Podeswa (director), George Pelecanos and Michelle Ashford (writers) (March 28, 2010). "Part 3". The Pacific. Season 1. Episode 3. HBO.
- ^ "The Pacific Part 3 - synopsis". HBO. 2010. Retrieved May 15, 2010.
- ^ George Pelecanos (2010). "George Pelecanos on Film - The Pacific". Hatchett Book Group USA. Retrieved May 15, 2010.
- ^ George Pelecanos (2010). "Pelcanos on Film - Treme". Hatchett Book Group USA. Retrieved May 15, 2010.
- ^ a b Anthony Hemingway (director), Eric Overmyer & George Pelecanos (story), George Pelecanos (teleplay) (May 2, 2010). "At The Foot of Canal Street". Treme. Season 1. Episode 4. HBO.
- ^ "The Deuce". HBO.
- ^ "DC Noir (2019) - IMDb". IMDb.
- ^ Heim, Joe (January 30, 2015). "Just Asking: Author George Pelecanos on the 'other' Washington's history". Retrieved May 31, 2018 – via www.washingtonpost.com.
- ^ Petski, Denise (August 25, 2021). "George Pelecanos Inks Overall Deal With HBO; Sets Series Adaptation Of John D. MacDonald's 'The Last One Left'". Deadline. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
- ^ Walker Lamond. "DC Confidential". Stop Smiling. Retrieved September 21, 2008.
- ^ Allman, Kevin (May 11, 2009). "WaPo review - The Way Home". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 3, 2010.
- ^ Ashman, Jud. "The Cut review". Book review. The Washington Independent Review of Books. Retrieved September 8, 2011.
- ^ Hewitt, Duncan (September 26, 2012). "'Treme' Writer and Detective Novelist George Pelecanos: How I Write". The Daily Beast. Retrieved October 22, 2012.
- ^ "DC Noir (2019) - IMDb". IMDb.
- ^ HBO. "Treme episode "What is New Orleans?" synopsis". Retrieved June 21, 2011.
- ^ HBO. "Treme episode "At the Foot of Canal Street" synopsis". Retrieved May 10, 2010.
External links
- Official website
- George Pelecanos at IMDb
- George P. Pelecanos at the Internet Book List