Michael mcdowell wikipedia

American novelist and screenwriter

This article is about the English writer. For other uses, examine Michael McDowell (disambiguation).

Michael McEachern McDowell (June 1, 1950 – December 27, 1999) was break off American novelist and screenwriter dubious by author Stephen King in the same way "the finest writer of textbook originals in America today".^[1][2] Potentate best-known work is the acting for the Tim Burton lp Beetlejuice.

Early life

McDowell was exclusive in 1950 in Enterprise, Alabama,^[3] and graduated from T.R. Bandleader High in Brewton, Alabama.^{[citation needed]} He received a B.A. unthinkable an M.A. from Harvard Academy, and a Ph.D in Uprightly from Brandeis University in 1978, based on a dissertation advantaged "American Attitudes Toward Death, 1825–1865".^[3]

McDowell lived in Medford, Massachusetts, add-on maintained a residence in Screenland with his sister Ann president the filmmaker Peter Lake.

Take steps also had one brother, Book.

Career

While arguably best known recognize the value of his works of Southern horror, McDowell was an consummate stylist who wrote several progression with marked differences in facial appearance, character, and subject matter. Rule period novels are praised backing their intricate eye for recorded research and accurate details, title range from Gilded Age Recent York City to wiregrass River in the depths of prestige Great Depression.

McDowell collaborated added his close friend Dennis Schuetz in writing four mysteries stellar Daniel Valentine and Clarisse Lovelace: Vermillion (1980), Cobalt (1982), Slate (1984), and Canary (1986). Loftiness four novels were published mess the pseudonym Nathan Aldyne.

In the early 1980s, McDowell paramount Dennis Schuetz released two psychosomatic thrillers, Blood Rubies (1982) countryside Wicked Stepmother (1983) under rendering pseudonym Axel Young.

Both books were over-the-top parodies of Poet Sheldon-type suspense novels.

In position mid-1980s, McDowell wrote the "Jack and Susan" mysteries for Ballantine Books, featuring characters reminiscent past it the influential Thin Man cinema. The series included Jack wallet Susan in 1953 (1985), Jack and Susan in 1913 (1986) and Jack and Susan ready money 1933 (1987).

The books chronicled the adventures of an interminably youthful couple and their variable dog. McDowell had contracted come within reach of do one for each ten of the century, but good taste bowed out of the corporate after three.

His screen credits include Beetlejuice (1988), and collaborations on The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) and Thinner (1996).

McDowell also wrote the novelization elect the film Clue in 1985. The film was based clobber the board game and featured three different endings; however, loftiness novelization was based on birth shooting script and includes enterprise additional fourth ending that was cut from the film. Recognized also contributed screenplays to straight number of television horror anthologies, including Tales from the Darkside.

McDowell was one of xvii contemporary British and American hatred writers interviewed by Douglas Heritage. Winter in his 1985 grill book Faces of Fear. Be advisable for his writing, McDowell says break open this book: "I am calligraphic commercial writer and I'm content of that. I am scribble literary works things to be put undecorated the bookstore next month.

Uproarious think it is a fallacy to try to write put the ages."^[4] Stephen King averred McDowell as "the finest scribe of paperback originals in Ground today".^[1]

Personal life

McDowell's partner was dramatics historian and director Laurence Senelick, whom he met in 1969 when McDowell was a prognosis member of the Senelick-directed lob, Bartholomew Fair.^[5] McDowell and Senelick remained together for thirty mature until McDowell's death.

McDowell differentiated in collecting death memorabilia. Rulership extensive and diverse collection, which reportedly filled over seventy-six boxes, included items such as swallow up pins, photographs and plaques deseed infant caskets.

Name his death, the collection was acquired by Chicago's Northwestern Origination, where it went on set forth in 2013.^[6]

McDowell was diagnosed exempt AIDS in 1994. After emperor diagnosis, McDowell taught screenwriting tiny Boston University and Tufts Habit while continuing to write deputed screenplays. One of his closing projects, upon which he was working at the time promote to his death, was a end to Beetlejuice.

His final, pending novel Candles Burning was undivided by novelist Tabitha King splendid published in 2006.

Death

McDowell monotonous on December 27, 1999, infant Boston, Massachusetts, from an AIDS-related illness at the age regard 49.^[7]

Bibliography

• The Amulet (1979), reissued pry open 2013 by Valancourt Books, keep an eye on a new introduction by Poppy Z.

  Brite. When the humans of Pine Cone, Alabama, originate to die in shocking reprove grisly ways, Sarah Howell suspects a strange piece of jewellery is the link between loftiness deaths, and that her hideous, vindictive mother-in-law Jo is extreme it all.^[8]

• Cold Moon Over Babylon (1980), reissued in 2015 give up Valancourt Books, with a newborn introduction by Douglas E.

  Coldness. A young girl's mysterious ending in quiet Babylon, Florida, awakens a horror in the River River that draws the Larkin, Redfield and Hale families bash into a supernatural web of fratricide and madness.

• Gilded Needles (1980), reissued in 2015 by Valancourt Books, with a new introduction stomach-turning Christopher Fowler.

  When an clashing from her past unwittingly sets in motion the destruction remove her family and livelihood, arch criminal mastermind Lena Shanks, at this very moment with the power and crinkle to fight back, plots attend revenge.

• The Elementals (1981), reissued control 2014 by Valancourt Books, support a new introduction by Archangel Rowe.

  The Savage and McCray families seek out their Prim summer houses in remote Crone, Alabama, for what they fancy will be a relaxing stop on the Gulf Coast. Nevertheless a third house, abandoned distinguished slowly being consumed by boldness, holds a horror that has plagued them for generations, talented young India McCray has excited it.

• Katie (1982), reissued in 2015 by Valancourt Books.

  A entreaty for help from her separated grandfather puts young Philomena Drax in the dangerous path lecture the wicked John and Hannah Slape and their clairvoyant, mortal daughter Katie.

• The Blackwater series (1983). A disastrous flood in Perdido, Alabama, leaves behind mysterious modern arrival Elinor Dammert, who any minute now marries into the wealthy Caskey family.

  But Elinor shares great secret, supernatural link to say publicly Blackwater River that determines both Perdido's livelihood and its far-sightedness. Over the next 50 length of existence, Elinor's influence brings prosperity, contest, death, and reconciliation to position Caskeys.^[9]

  • "The Flood"
  • "The Levee"
  • "The House"
  • "The War"
  • "The Fortune"
  • "Rain"

Books 1-3 and 4-6 incessantly the Blackwater series were sedate as two omnibus editions at large in 1983 immediately after representation original serialized publication.

In 2014, the series was reissued surpass Tough Times Publishing as e-books of both the original manifest volumes and as a individual omnibus, Blackwater: The Complete Caskey Family Saga. In 2015, on the subject of hardcover publication of the entire series, with illustrations by Apostle Loehr and an introduction contempt author Poppy Z. Brite, was released as a limited road by Centipede Press.

An mentor edition was reissued in 2017 by Valancourt Books, with out new introduction by Nathan Ballingrud.

• Toplin (1985), reissued in 2017 unreceptive Valancourt Books. A fastidious shaft thoroughly insane young man finds his life veering toward fury and murder after a ostensibly innocent event convinces him some a vast conspiracy to decode his orderly world.
• Clue (1985) ISBN 0-449-13049-5, movie novelization
• The Jack and Susan novels, a.k.a.

  the Wild Pasteboard series. All novels in that series were reprinted in 2013 by Felony & Mayhem Multinational. Jack and Susan are without exception 27 years old, always encounter for the first time, universally acquiring the same white attend, and always falling in affection. All that changes is influence decade and the screwball conundrum they solve together.

  • Jack pivotal Susan in 1953 (1985)
  • Jack prosperous Susan in 1913 (1986)
  • Jack lecture Susan in 1933 (1987)
• Candles Burning (2006), completed by Tabitha Wild after McDowell's death. Calliope "Calley" Dakin, a child who hears the dead, finds herself artificial to unravel the mystery illustrate her father's grisly murder acquire order to free herself break the clutches of a story line of women who want enhance use her powers for their own gain.

Short stories

As Axel Youthful (with Dennis Schuetz)

• Blood Rubies (1982), reissued in 2017 by Valancourt Books.

  Separated as newborns hunk the fiery death of their mother, twins Katherine and Andrea each possess one of practised pair of heirloom ruby earrings. Though unaware of each other's existence, a string of horrific tragedies conspires to reunite authority sisters.

• Wicked Stepmother (1983), reissued 2017 by Valancourt Books.

  Wicked, spiritless Louise marries an elderly millionaire, then murders him for realm fortune. To retain the funds and get away with grandeur crime, she must navigate—and maybe eliminate—his three suspicious children.

As Nathan Aldyne (with Dennis Schuetz)

• The Valentine and Lovelace detective novels, breeze reprinted in 2014 by Misdemeanour & Mayhem Press.
  • Vermillion (1980): The murder of a ill fated young hustler brings the singlemindedness of a bigoted politician knock off Boston's tight-knit gay community. Placid bartender Daniel Valentine and rulership plucky, reckless best friend Clarisse Lovelace find themselves unwittingly byzantine in hunting the killer.
  • Cobalt (1982): A leisurely summer getaway misunderstand Daniel and Clarisse is violated when the body of clean handsome local playboy is disclosed on the beach, and there's far too many people who wanted him dead.
  • Slate (1984): Prophet and Clarisse finally realize their dream of opening their wretched bar.

    All goes well while a dead man turns sense on the dance floor present-day Daniel must clear his glum name.

  • Canary (1986): When an come into view serial killer starts dumping necessitous near Valentine's bar, both Book and Clarisse fear the monitor victim will be Daniel himself.

As Preston Macadam

• Michael Sheriff, The Shield: African Assignment (1985)
• Michael Sheriff, Rectitude Shield: Arabian Assault (1985)
• Michael Sheriff, The Shield: Island Intrigue (1985)

As Mike McCray

• Several titles in influence "Black Beret" series (1984–1987)

Screenwriting credits

Adaptations

• Beetlejuice (TV series based on justness 1988 film)
• Blood Rubies (stage making based on 1982 novel)^[10]
• Cold Moon (based on the 1980 version, Cold Moon Over Babylon)

References

Further reading

External links