Richard Jessup
Encyclopedia
Richard Jessup was a prolific American author and screenwriter. He also wrote under the name of Richard Telfair.
s in Georgia until he left at 16 to join the United States Merchant Marine
. He was a merchant seaman and junior officer for 11 years during which time he said he read a book every day. He learned to be a writer by copying War and Peace on a typewriter whilst afloat, corrected all the errors, then threw the work over the side.
. The novel was filmed as The Young Don't Cry in 1957 with Jessup writing the screenplay for the film with Sal Mineo
as the lead.
He began writing Westerns in 1957 with Cheyenne Saturday and finishing with Chuka where he wrote the screenplay for the film of the same name
for actor and producer Rod Taylor. Jessup wrote a series of five Westerns featuring Wyoming Jones under the name Richard Telfair. With his Western series ending, in the same year he wrote again as Telfair for a series of spy novels featuring Montgomery Nash. He used the name Telfair for an original novel based on the TV series Danger Man
(the half-hour precursor to "Secret Agent
", as it was known in the US) called Target for Tonight in 1962.
Inspired by The Hustler
, Jessup wrote a novel of poker playing called The Cincinnati Kid that was filmed
with Steve McQueen. Another of his novels The Deadly Duo was also filmed.
In 1969 he wrote Sailor based on his experiences as a merchant seaman.
Otto Preminger
bought the rights to his novel Foxway for filming, but the movie was never made.
His final work was Threat published in 1981.
He died of cancer.
Biography
Jessup was raised in a series of orphanageOrphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
s in Georgia until he left at 16 to join the United States Merchant Marine
United States Merchant Marine
The United States Merchant Marine refers to the fleet of U.S. civilian-owned merchant vessels, operated by either the government or the private sector, that engage in commerce or transportation of goods and services in and out of the navigable waters of the United States. The Merchant Marine is...
. He was a merchant seaman and junior officer for 11 years during which time he said he read a book every day. He learned to be a writer by copying War and Peace on a typewriter whilst afloat, corrected all the errors, then threw the work over the side.
Printed works
His first published novel was The Cunning and the Haunted published in 1954 based on his experiences in orphanages. In the same year Jessup wrote a teleplay for Tom Corbett, Space CadetTom Corbett, Space Cadet
Tom Corbett is the main character in a series of Tom Corbett — Space Cadet stories that were depicted in television, radio, books, comic books, comic strips, coloring books, punch-out books and View-Master reels in the 1950s....
. The novel was filmed as The Young Don't Cry in 1957 with Jessup writing the screenplay for the film with Sal Mineo
Sal Mineo
Salvatore "Sal" Mineo, Jr. , was an American film and theatre actor, best known for his performance as John "Plato" Crawford opposite James Dean in the film Rebel Without a Cause...
as the lead.
He began writing Westerns in 1957 with Cheyenne Saturday and finishing with Chuka where he wrote the screenplay for the film of the same name
Chuka (film)
Chuka is a 1967 American western film starring Rod Taylor who also produced and worked on the screenplay. The film began a series of tough guy roles for Taylor. A story of honor, debt, and personal redemption, it was directed by Gordon Douglas and is based on 1961 novel by Richard Jessup, who...
for actor and producer Rod Taylor. Jessup wrote a series of five Westerns featuring Wyoming Jones under the name Richard Telfair. With his Western series ending, in the same year he wrote again as Telfair for a series of spy novels featuring Montgomery Nash. He used the name Telfair for an original novel based on the TV series Danger Man
Danger Man
Danger Man is a British television series that was broadcast between 1960 and 1962, and again between 1964 and 1968. The series featured Patrick McGoohan as secret agent John Drake. Ralph Smart created the program and wrote many of the scripts...
(the half-hour precursor to "Secret Agent
Danger Man
Danger Man is a British television series that was broadcast between 1960 and 1962, and again between 1964 and 1968. The series featured Patrick McGoohan as secret agent John Drake. Ralph Smart created the program and wrote many of the scripts...
", as it was known in the US) called Target for Tonight in 1962.
Inspired by The Hustler
The Hustler (film)
The Hustler is a 1961 American drama film directed by Robert Rossen from the 1959 novel of the same name he and Sidney Carroll adapted for the screen...
, Jessup wrote a novel of poker playing called The Cincinnati Kid that was filmed
The Cincinnati Kid
The Cincinnati Kid is a 1965 American drama film. It tells the story of Eric "The Kid" Stoner, a young Depression-era poker player, as he seeks to establish his reputation as the best...
with Steve McQueen. Another of his novels The Deadly Duo was also filmed.
In 1969 he wrote Sailor based on his experiences as a merchant seaman.
Otto Preminger
Otto Preminger
Otto Ludwig Preminger was an Austro–Hungarian-American theatre and film director.After moving from the theatre to Hollywood, he directed over 35 feature films in a five-decade career. He rose to prominence for stylish film noir mysteries such as Laura and Fallen Angel...
bought the rights to his novel Foxway for filming, but the movie was never made.
His final work was Threat published in 1981.
He died of cancer.