George Harmon Coxe [1901-84] Page at BlackHat Mystery Bookstore

         George Harmon Coxe, Jr. was born on 23 April 1901 in Olean, New York. He spent a year at Purdue and a year at Cornell, and then worked as a newspaper reporter for five years in California (for the Santa Monica Outlook, L.A. Express & others), Florida & New York. He then did advertising for a New York printer for five years.
         His writing career began in 1922, with sales to the pulp magazines. Black Mask Magazine's legendary editor Joe Shaw purchased Coxe's first Jack 'Flashgun' Casey crime story in 1934 and tried to discourage sequels; but Coxe wrote them anyway, and Casey became a radio show from 1943 to 1955, and a C.B.S. television series starring Daren McGavin in 1951-52.
         Coxe wrote on contract for M.G.M. from 1936 to 1938, but preferred writing novels and moved Back East and lived at Deerledge in Old Lyme, Connecticut.
         Coxe won the Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America in 1964, and continued writing until 1974. He died 30 January 1984 at his residence in Hilton Head, SC; he was survived by his wife Elizabeth and daughter Janet; there was also another child.
         George Harmon Coxe wrote 63 novels, of which 21 were about Kent Murdoch and six were about 'Flash' Casey, plus many short stories & several TV scripts.

"Murder With Pictures" [1935] also Jack Fenner
1936 movie starring Lew Ayres, Gail Patrick & Joyce Compton; DVD avail 2009
back cover of paperback 'Murder With Pictures' by George Hatmon Coxe showing a map of the apartment

back cover of paperback 'Murder With Pictures' by George Hatmon Coxe showing a map of the apartment

"Triple Exposure: A George Harmon Coxe Omnibus" [1959]
"The Glass Triangle", "The Jade Venus", and "The Fifth Key" B000PH46FS/

"Flash Casey, Detective" [1946]
reprints of four Black Mask tales: "Casey – Detective" [1935], "Once Around The Clock" [1941],
"Too Many Women" [1936], and "Women Are Trouble"

"Crime Photographer" [C.B.S. 1951-52 TV series]

early publicity still from 'Crime Photographer' tv show [1951-52]

Two-fisted, jazz-loving Casey, photographer for the big-city Morning Express newspaper, hangs out at the Blue Note nightclub and tells bartender Ethelbert of his exploits as partner with a female reporter (who is also Casey's girlfriend). Directed by Sidney Lumet & others; starring Richard Carlyle, then Darren McGavin {as Casey}, and John Gibson, then Cliff Hall {as bartender Ethelbert} & Jan Miner
video/DVD not available; series credits at IMDb

"Death At The Isthmus" [1954]
atty Jim Russell to Panama; murder of ex-GI pal Max Darrow

"Inland Passage" [book #25; Knopf 1949]
ad-man Knox Randall takes boat from FL to NY, several murders on way

"One Hour To Kill"
(#50=based on novelette "The Fatal Hour" in The American mag 1951?; Knopf 1963]
painter Dave Wallace in Trinidad; wife strangled

"Venturous Lady" [Knopf 1948]
Bill Raeburn at summer theater, gal Pat Trumbull, cop Baldwin

"Women Are Trouble" [M.G.M. July 1936]

A female small town reporter wants a job at the big town newspaper where photographer 'Flashgun' Casey works. When mobsters kill a member of the Liquor Commission, she is one step ahead of Casey – walking straight into danger. Co-produced & adapted by Michael Fessier; directed by Errol Taggart; starring Stuart Erwin, Florence Rice, Paul Kelly, Margaret Irving, Cy Kendall, John Harrington, Harold Huber, Kitty McHugh & Raymond Hatton;
video/DVD not available • full credits at IMDb

"Murder With Pictures" [Paramount Sept 1936]

Crime boss Nate Girard hosts a party attended by photographer Kent Murdoch and other local newsmen. A beautiful mystery woman asks Murdoch to take her away, and he does – not knowing that the guest of honor has been killed and that she is the prime suspect. Directed by Charles Barton; script by Jack Moffitt & Sidney Salkow; starring Lew Ayres, Gail Patrick, Onslow Stevens, Paul Kelly, Benny Baker, Ernest Cossart, Joyce Compton, Anthony Nace & Joe Sawyer • full credits at IMDb
Synergy Ent. b&w DVD-R [5/2007] for $9.99
DVD available also as part of "Mystery Classics 50-Movie Pack" [2004]
Mill Creek Ent. [1/2004] 12 disks for $11.99

"Here's Flash Casey" [Grand National Jan 1938]

screen shot of actor Eric Linden from 1938 movie "Here's Flash Casey"

Fresh out of college, Casey has a tough time finding a newspaper photographer job until he gets a lucky shot of the Globe-Press's publisher's son kissing a floozy; the city editor agrees to suppress the photo in trade for a job. Casey's assignment to the society beat leads to romance, doctored photos, blackmail, and murder. Directed by Lynn Shores; script by John W. Krafft; starring Eric Linden, Boots Mallory, Cully Richards, Holmes Herbert, Joseph Crehan, Howard Lang, Victor Adams, Harry Harvey, Matty Kemp & Suzanne Kaaren
video/DVD not available • full credits at IMDb

"Arsène Lupin Returns" [Loew's/M.G.M. Feb 1938]

Arsène Lupin Returns movie starring Melvyn Douglas & Virginia Bruce

A notorious jewel thief, thought dead and using a false name, vies against an American detective for the affection of an alluring society beauty. Someone attempts to steal an emerald necklace from the woman's uncle, and Lupin's new identity is the prime suspect. Directed by George Fitzmaurice; co-written by James Kevin McGuinness, Howard Emmett Rogers & George Harmon Coxe; starring Melvyn Douglas, Virginia Bruce, Warren William, John Halliday, Nat Pendleton & Monty Woolley
11"x17" white poster from Amazon for $5.29
27"x40" white poster from Amazon for $5.29
video/DVD not available • full credits at IMDb

"The Hidden Eye" [M.G.M. Aug 1945]

The Hidden Eye movie poster directed by Richard Whorf, starring Edward Arnold

A young lady asks a blind detective (and his guide dog Friday) for help when her fiancé is accused of murdering her father, who stood in the way of the marriage. Directed by Richard Whorf; co-written by George Harmon Coxe & Harry Ruskin; starring Edward Arnold, Frances Rafferty, Ray Collins, Paul Langton, William 'Bill' Phillips, Thomas E. Jackson & Raymond Largay
video/DVD not available • full credits at IMDb

"The Category Is Murder"

[Nov 1957 TV episode of "Kraft Television Theatre"]
Written by George Harmon Coxe; starring Gene Lyons
& Betsy Palmer • bare credits at IMDb

BlackHat Mystery BookstoreGeorge Harmon Coxe[1901-1984]

BlackHat Mystery Bookstore
George Harmon Coxe
[1901-1984]