The Wolf's Predecessors
RAFFLES
A.J. Raffles, the gentleman thief, was created by E.W. Hornung and first appeared in print in 1898. Hornung, brother-in-law of Arthur Conan Doyle, meant his stories to be a tribute to Doyle, and his charismatic and somewhat amoral rogue was, according to Doyle, "an inversion of Sherlock Holmes." Hornung wrote one novel and twenty-six short stories featuring Raffles, who, with his "Watson", a struggling journalist named Harry "Bunny" Manders, pulled off some truly ingenious burglaries. The character first appeared on Broadway in a 1903 play and again in 1905, in a play by Langdon McCormick which pitted Raffles against Sherlock Holmes. There have been seven film,s with John Barrymore, Ronald Colman and David Niven, among others, playing the "Amateur Cracksman." Barry Perowne wrote more Raffles stories in the 1930s (as well as the 1950s and 1970s). In 2011 and 2012 Richard Foreman produced six new stories collected inRaffles: The Complete Innings.
A.J. Raffles, the gentleman thief, was created by E.W. Hornung and first appeared in print in 1898. Hornung, brother-in-law of Arthur Conan Doyle, meant his stories to be a tribute to Doyle, and his charismatic and somewhat amoral rogue was, according to Doyle, "an inversion of Sherlock Holmes." Hornung wrote one novel and twenty-six short stories featuring Raffles, who, with his "Watson", a struggling journalist named Harry "Bunny" Manders, pulled off some truly ingenious burglaries. The character first appeared on Broadway in a 1903 play and again in 1905, in a play by Langdon McCormick which pitted Raffles against Sherlock Holmes. There have been seven film,s with John Barrymore, Ronald Colman and David Niven, among others, playing the "Amateur Cracksman." Barry Perowne wrote more Raffles stories in the 1930s (as well as the 1950s and 1970s). In 2011 and 2012 Richard Foreman produced six new stories collected inRaffles: The Complete Innings.
ALLAN QUATERMAIN
Allan Quatermain, the protagonist of H. Rider Haggard's classic King Solomon;s Mines and twelve other novels and one story collection, written between 1885 and 1927. Quatermain was a big game hunter and trader in Africa, where he grew up the son of a Christian missionary. Haggard was inspired by the exploits of the real-life Frederick C. Selous, hunter and explorer. The Quatermain character appeared in a number of films, played by the likes of Sean Connery, Richard Chamberlain and Stewart Granger. In 2005 Thos. Kent Miller wrote three novels featuring Quatermain, expanding on his life and adventures. The character was also used by Alan Moore, writer of the graphic novel The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, which was made into a film in 2003. It is widely accepted that Quatermain is one of the inspirations for the character Indiana Jones.
Allan Quatermain, the protagonist of H. Rider Haggard's classic King Solomon;s Mines and twelve other novels and one story collection, written between 1885 and 1927. Quatermain was a big game hunter and trader in Africa, where he grew up the son of a Christian missionary. Haggard was inspired by the exploits of the real-life Frederick C. Selous, hunter and explorer. The Quatermain character appeared in a number of films, played by the likes of Sean Connery, Richard Chamberlain and Stewart Granger. In 2005 Thos. Kent Miller wrote three novels featuring Quatermain, expanding on his life and adventures. The character was also used by Alan Moore, writer of the graphic novel The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, which was made into a film in 2003. It is widely accepted that Quatermain is one of the inspirations for the character Indiana Jones.
BULLDOG DRUMMOND
Drummond was a gentleman adventurer who debuted in a 1920 novel written by Sapper (the pen name for H.C. McNeile, who wrote ten Bulldog Drummond novels along with a few shorts stories, four stage plays, and a screenplay during his lifetime. After McNeile's death in 1937 his friend Gerard Fairlie continued to produce Drummond stories. A decorated hero of World War I, Hugh "Bulldog" Drummond's thirst for adventure led him into conflict with Carl Peterson and other criminals. Peterson became Drummond's arch-enemy in the first four novels, dying in the fourth; Drummond also clashed with Peterson;s wife, the femme fatale Irma. Drummond himself takes a wife, Phyllis Benton, in the first novel. Phyllis became the damsel in distress in several stories. The Bulldog Drummond stories were quite popular in the two decades between the world wars. McNeile was the highest paid short story writer in the world in the Twenties. There were 23 Bulldog Drummond films released between 1922 and 1969, with actors such as John Howard, Ronald Colman, Ray Milland and Richard Johnson playing the gentleman adventurer. A radio program ran throughout the Forties.
Drummond was a gentleman adventurer who debuted in a 1920 novel written by Sapper (the pen name for H.C. McNeile, who wrote ten Bulldog Drummond novels along with a few shorts stories, four stage plays, and a screenplay during his lifetime. After McNeile's death in 1937 his friend Gerard Fairlie continued to produce Drummond stories. A decorated hero of World War I, Hugh "Bulldog" Drummond's thirst for adventure led him into conflict with Carl Peterson and other criminals. Peterson became Drummond's arch-enemy in the first four novels, dying in the fourth; Drummond also clashed with Peterson;s wife, the femme fatale Irma. Drummond himself takes a wife, Phyllis Benton, in the first novel. Phyllis became the damsel in distress in several stories. The Bulldog Drummond stories were quite popular in the two decades between the world wars. McNeile was the highest paid short story writer in the world in the Twenties. There were 23 Bulldog Drummond films released between 1922 and 1969, with actors such as John Howard, Ronald Colman, Ray Milland and Richard Johnson playing the gentleman adventurer. A radio program ran throughout the Forties.
THE TOFF
The Honourable Richard Rollison, a.k.a. The Toff, was an upper-class amateur crime solver created by the prolific John Creasey, appearing in over fifty novels beginning with 1938's Introducing the Toff and published through the Seventies. (A "toff" is British slang for an idle, ne'er-do-well young man of means.). A bachelor, Rollison lived in Mayfair, and maintained a trophy wall which contained a memento from every case he solved. He was aided by his butler, Jolly, and tolerated by Superintendent Bill Grice, even though Rollison sometimes resorted to bending the law. There were two film adaptations of Toff novels in the 1950's.
The Honourable Richard Rollison, a.k.a. The Toff, was an upper-class amateur crime solver created by the prolific John Creasey, appearing in over fifty novels beginning with 1938's Introducing the Toff and published through the Seventies. (A "toff" is British slang for an idle, ne'er-do-well young man of means.). A bachelor, Rollison lived in Mayfair, and maintained a trophy wall which contained a memento from every case he solved. He was aided by his butler, Jolly, and tolerated by Superintendent Bill Grice, even though Rollison sometimes resorted to bending the law. There were two film adaptations of Toff novels in the 1950's.
THE BARON
The prolific writer John Creasey (1908-1973) wrote over 600 novels, creating such characters as The Toff, The Baron and -- his most famous -- Commander George Gideon of Scotland Yard (writing as J.J. Marric). John Mannering -- the Baron -- was a London antiques dealer, a reformed thief who often used his criminal contacts to help him solve jewel/art-related crimes. There were 47 Baron novels published between 1937 and 1979, and a television series produced by ITC Entertainment (The Saint, Danger Man) and starring American actor Steve Forrest which consisted of thirty episodes airing between 1966-1967.
The prolific writer John Creasey (1908-1973) wrote over 600 novels, creating such characters as The Toff, The Baron and -- his most famous -- Commander George Gideon of Scotland Yard (writing as J.J. Marric). John Mannering -- the Baron -- was a London antiques dealer, a reformed thief who often used his criminal contacts to help him solve jewel/art-related crimes. There were 47 Baron novels published between 1937 and 1979, and a television series produced by ITC Entertainment (The Saint, Danger Man) and starring American actor Steve Forrest which consisted of thirty episodes airing between 1966-1967.
THE SAINT
JOHN & EMMA (THE AVENGERS)
THE PERSUADERS