Louis Joseph Vance

Louis Joseph Vance (September 19, 1879 – December 16, 1933) was an American novelist, screenwriter and film producer. He created the popular character Michael Lanyard, a criminal-turned-detective known as The Lone Wolf.

Louis Joseph Vance
Born(1879-09-19)September 19, 1879
Washington, D.C., U.S.
DiedDecember 16, 1933(1933-12-16) (aged 54)
New York City, U.S.
Occupations
  • Novelist
  • screenwriter
  • film producer
Notable workThe Lone Wolf stories

Biography

Louis Joseph Vance was born September 19, 1879, in Washington, D. C., the only child of Wilson J. Vance, a Medal of Honor recipient, and Lillian Beall Vance. He was educated at the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute. Vance was married to Anne Elizabeth Hodges on February 19, 1898. Their son, Wilson Beall Vance, was born in 1900.[1]

He wrote short stories and verse after 1901, then composed many popular novels. His character Michael Lanyard, known as The Lone Wolf, was featured in eight books and 24 films between 1914 and 1949 and also appeared in radio and television series.

Vance moved to Los Angeles to work with Universal Pictures on films based on his work, including The Trey o' Hearts (1914) and a serial and film series (1914–1916) based on his Terence O'Rourke stories.[2] In 1915, he founded Fiction Pictures, Inc., a motion picture production company whose films were distributed by Paramount Pictures. Its first release was The Spanish Jade (1915), with a screenplay by Vance based on his stage adaptation of a novel by Maurice Hewlett. Vance was president and general manager of the company; other principals were Wilfred Lucas (director-general), Gilbert Warrenton (cinematographer) and Bess Meredyth (scenario editor). Fiction Pictures operated in Glendale until a new studio in Hollywood was completed in April 1915. The studio was sold to Famous Players in June, when Fiction Pictures went out of business.[3]

Vance died alone in his New York City apartment on December 16, 1933, in a fire that resulted from his falling asleep with a lighted cigarette.[4] His death was ruled accidental.[1][5] A simple funeral took place December 20, 1933, at St. George's Protestant Episcopal Church in Brooklyn, with honorary pallbearers including Marc Connelly, Will Irwin and Samuel Merwin.[5] Vance's widow received an estate of less than $10,000.[6]

Bibliography

Filmography

Film adaptations
Ad for Patria (1917), starring Irene Castle
Ad for The Lone Wolf (1917)
Ad for The Bandbox (1919)

In addition to adaptations of his novels, the following films, while not straight adaptations, were based on the characters from Vance's Lone Wolf series:

Screenwriter

See also

References
  1. "MS 1184 - Vance Family Papers". Finding Aids. Bowling Green State University Libraries. September 17, 2014. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
  2. Wlaschin, Ken (2009). Silent Mystery and Detective Movies: A Comprehensive Filmography. McFarland & Co. p. 216. ISBN 9780786454297.
  3. Slide, Anthony (1998). The New Historical Dictionary of the American Film Industry. Scarecrow Press. p. 71. ISBN 0-8108-3426-X.
  4. "Louis Joseph Vance is Victim of Blaze". Eugene Register-Guard. December 16, 1933. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
  5. "Simple Rites Held for Louis J. Vance". The New York Times. December 21, 1933. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
  6. "Widow Gets Vance Residue". The New York Times. January 24, 1934. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
  7. Vineyard, David L. (March 1, 2010). "Terence O'Rourke, Gentleman Adventurer". Mystery*File. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
  8. "The Day of Days". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  9. Wlaschin, Ken (2009). Silent Mystery and Detective Movies: A Comprehensive Filmography. McFarland & Co. p. 163. ISBN 9780786454297.
  10. Wlaschin, Ken (2009). Silent Mystery and Detective Movies: A Comprehensive Filmography. McFarland & Co. p. 90. ISBN 9780786454297.
  11. "The Spanish Jade". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. American Film Institute. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  12. "The Destroying Angel". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  13. "The Footlights of Fate". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  14. "The Pool of Flame". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  15. "Patria". Silent Era. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
  16. "The Lone Wolf". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  17. "The Mainspring". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  18. "The Outsider". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  19. "No Man's Land". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  20. "The False Faces". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  21. "The Bandbox". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  22. "The Dark Mirror". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  23. "Cynthia-of-the-Minute". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  24. "The Bronze Bell". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  25. "The Black Bag". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  26. "The Spanish Jade". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  27. "The Brass Bowl". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  28. "The Destroying Angel". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  29. "Greater Than Marriage". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  30. "The Lone Wolf". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  31. "Married Flirts". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  32. "The Lone Wolf Returns". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  33. "Lost at Sea". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  34. "Alias the Lone Wolf". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  35. "Masquerade". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  36. "The Last of the Lone Wolf". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  37. "Cheaters at Play". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  38. "Cheaters at Play". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  39. "The Lone Wolf's Daughter". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  40. "The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  41. "The Lone Wolf Keeps a Date". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  42. "The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  43. "The Lone Wolf Strikes". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  44. "The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  45. "Secrets of the Lone Wolf". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  46. "Counter-Espionage". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  47. "One Dangerous Night". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  48. "Passport to Suez". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  49. "The Notorious Lone Wolf". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  50. "The Lone Wolf in London". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  51. "The Lone Wolf in Mexico". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  52. "The Lone Wolf and His Lady". American Film Institute. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
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