Friday the Rabbi Slept Late
Encyclopedia
Friday the Rabbi Slept Late is a mystery novel written by Harry Kemelman
in 1964, the first of the successful Rabbi Small series.
congregation in the fictional suburban Massachusetts
town of Barnard's Crossing. As the protagonist of a series of novels, Rabbi Small has wisdom, an unerring sense of Jewish tradition (which can at times put him at odds with the Jewish community when he believes that they are seriously deviating from Judaism
) and all the good qualities of a detective sharpened by his Talmud
ic training, which enables him to see the third side of a problem. He is a devoted husband to his wife and (later in the series) father to his two children Jonathan and Hepsibah. Small's logic, learned from the Talmud
, plays an important part in the plots. Usually Small is drawn into the events when they involve a member of his congregation or Barnard's Crossing's Jewish community in general. Among other characters is Hugh Lanigan, the Catholic local police chief, and the two friends often discuss religion over a cup of tea. He has many troubles with his congregation and he is constantly at odds with at least one of its powerful members, usually the Temple President at the time.
in 1965, from the Mystery Writers of America
, for Best First Novel.
A made-for-TV adaptation with the title, Lanigan's Rabbi
, was broadcast on NBC
in 1976, starring Art Carney
as Chief Paul Lanigan and Stuart Margolin
as Rabbi David Small. A short-lived TV series followed as part of the NBC Sunday Mystery Movie, with Carney reprising his role as Chief Lanigan, and Bruce Solomon taking over the role of Rabbi Small.
The novel has been released in unabridged audiobook format by arrangement with The Harry Kemelman
Estate by Recorded Books, Inc. (ISBN 0-7887-1300-0), 1997 and narrated by George Guidall.
Harry Kemelman
Harry Kemelman was an American mystery writer and a professor of English. He was the creator of one of the most famous religious sleuths, Rabbi David Small.- Early life:...
in 1964, the first of the successful Rabbi Small series.
Plot introduction
The fictional hero of the book, David Small, is the unconventional leader of the Conservative JewishConservative Judaism
Conservative Judaism is a modern stream of Judaism that arose out of intellectual currents in Germany in the mid-19th century and took institutional form in the United States in the early 1900s.Conservative Judaism has its roots in the school of thought known as Positive-Historical Judaism,...
congregation in the fictional suburban Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
town of Barnard's Crossing. As the protagonist of a series of novels, Rabbi Small has wisdom, an unerring sense of Jewish tradition (which can at times put him at odds with the Jewish community when he believes that they are seriously deviating from Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
) and all the good qualities of a detective sharpened by his Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
ic training, which enables him to see the third side of a problem. He is a devoted husband to his wife and (later in the series) father to his two children Jonathan and Hepsibah. Small's logic, learned from the Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
, plays an important part in the plots. Usually Small is drawn into the events when they involve a member of his congregation or Barnard's Crossing's Jewish community in general. Among other characters is Hugh Lanigan, the Catholic local police chief, and the two friends often discuss religion over a cup of tea. He has many troubles with his congregation and he is constantly at odds with at least one of its powerful members, usually the Temple President at the time.
Plot summary
The body of a young woman is found on the grounds of the Temple. The woman had been strangled and evidence points to Rabbi Small - her purse is found in his car, which had been left in the Temple parking lot the night before.Characters in "Friday the Rabbi Slept Late"
- David Small – the newly-hired Rabbi of the title, protagonist
- Hugh Lanigan – the local police chief
- Miriam Small – the Rabbi's wife
- Jacob Wasserman – the President of the Temple
- Al Becker – local car dealer, unfriendly towards Rabbi Small
- Elspeth Bleech – the murder victim, whose body is found on the Temple grounds
- Stanley Doble – the Temple custodian and handyman, later suspected in Elspeth's murder
Awards and nominations
The novel received an Edgar AwardEdgar Award
The Edgar Allan Poe Awards , named after Edgar Allan Poe, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America...
in 1965, from the Mystery Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America is an organization for mystery writers, based in New York.The organization was founded in 1945 by Clayton Rawson, Anthony Boucher, Lawrence Treat, and Brett Halliday....
, for Best First Novel.
Film adaptations
Kemelman received $35,000 for the movie rights to the novel.A made-for-TV adaptation with the title, Lanigan's Rabbi
Lanigan's Rabbi
Lanigan's Rabbi is a short-lived American crime drama series that aired on NBC during the first half of 1977.-Synopsis:Based upon a series of novels by Harry Kemelman, the series starred Art Carney as Police Chief Paul Lanigan, who fights crime in a small California town with the help of his best...
, was broadcast on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
in 1976, starring Art Carney
Art Carney
Arthur William Matthew “Art” Carney was an American actor in film, stage, television and radio. He is best known for playing Ed Norton, opposite Jackie Gleason's Ralph Kramden in the situation comedy The Honeymooners....
as Chief Paul Lanigan and Stuart Margolin
Stuart Margolin
Stuart Margolin is an American film and television actor and director.-Television:Margolin is best known for his role on the television show The Rockford Files, playing Evelyn "Angel" Martin, the shifty friend and former cellmate of Jim Rockford...
as Rabbi David Small. A short-lived TV series followed as part of the NBC Sunday Mystery Movie, with Carney reprising his role as Chief Lanigan, and Bruce Solomon taking over the role of Rabbi Small.
Release details
- 1964, U.S., Crown , publication date, 1964, hardback (First edition)
- 1965?, U.S., Fawcett Crest (ISBN 0-449-20851-6; ), paperback
- 1965, UK, Hutchinson (ISBN 0-7434-3487-0), publication date 30 July 2002, hardback
- 1979, U.S., Crown (ISBN 0-517-50691-2), publication date, October 1979, hardback
- 1983, U.S., GK Hall (ISBN 0-8161-3537-1), publication date, October 1983, hardback
- 1993, U.S., Fawcett Books (ISBN 0-449-45127-5), January 1993, paperback
- 2002, U.S., Simon & Schuster (ISBN 0-7434-3487-0), publication date 30 July 2002, paperback
The novel has been released in unabridged audiobook format by arrangement with The Harry Kemelman
Harry Kemelman
Harry Kemelman was an American mystery writer and a professor of English. He was the creator of one of the most famous religious sleuths, Rabbi David Small.- Early life:...
Estate by Recorded Books, Inc. (ISBN 0-7887-1300-0), 1997 and narrated by George Guidall.