Robert Brown Parker was born on the seventeenth day of September during the Great Depression (1932), in Springfield Massachusetts. While growing up in Springfield, Joan and Robert Parker met for the first time as children, and both attended Colby College in Waterville, Maine. They married in 1956 and have had two children, both boys, named Daniel and David. In 1971 Robert finished his work towards a Ph.D. in English Literature from Boston University, and his dissertation focused on the private eye in literature. Robert eventually became a full professor at Northeastern University, and eventually published his first book in 1973 (
The Godwulf Manuscript, the first
Spenser book).
The Spenser book series was made into two television series, the 1985-1988
Spenser: For Hire ABC series that starred
Robert Urich as Spenser, and
Avery Brooks as Hawk, and the 1989 ABC spin-off
A Man Called Hawk that followed Brooks Hawke character to Washington, D.C. The Spenser series of books & the television series was also the basis for two separate tv movie series. The first series of tv movies starred Robert Urich as Spenser in
Spenser: Ceremony (1993),
Spenser: Pale Kings and Princes (1994),
Spenser: The Judas Goat (1994), and 1995's
Spenser: A Savage Place. The second series of tv movies starred
Joe Mantegna as Spenser in
Spenser: Small Vices (1999),
Thin Air (2000), and in 2001's
Walking Shadow.
The Jesse Stone book series has been made into a series of tv movies starring
Tom Selleck as Jesse Stone (2005's
Stone Cold and 2006's
Night Passage.
Robert B. Parker’s continuation of the Raymond Chandler Philip Marlowe novel
Poodle Springs, was made into a tv movie in 1998 with James Caan as Philip Marlowe.
Books:
First there was Spenser:
1.
The Godwulf Manuscript (1973)
2.
God Save the Child (1974)
3.
Mortal Stakes (1975)
4.
Promised Land (1976)
5.
The Judas Goat (1978) *
6.
Looking for Rachel Wallace (1980)
7.
Early Autumn (1981)
8.
A Savage Place (1981) *
9.
Ceremony (1982) *
10.
The Widening Gyre (1983)
11.
Valediction (1984)
12.
Catskill Eagle (1985)
13.
Taming a Sea Horse (1986)
14.
Pale Kings and Princes (1987) *
15.
Crimson Joy (1988)
16.
Playmates (1989)
17.
Stardust (1990)
18.
Pastime (1991)
19.
Double Deuce (1992)
20.
Paper Doll (1993)
21.
Walking Shadow (1994) *
22.
Thin Air (1995) *
23.
Chance (1996)
24.
Small Vices (1997) *
25.
Sudden Mischief (1998)
26.
Hush Money (1999)
27.
Hugger Mugger (2000)
28.
Potshot (2001)
29.
Widow's Walk (2002)
30.
Back Story (2003)
31.
Bad Business (2004)
32.
Cold Service (2005)
33.
School Days (2005)
34.
Dream Girl (2006)
* = basis for tv movies
While writing the Spenser series, Parker also wrote some none-series, stand-alone books:
Wilderness (1980)
Love and Glory (1980)
Three Weeks in Spring (with Joan H. Parker) (1982) breast cancer
All Our Yesterdays (1994)
Gunman's Rhapsody (2001) Western (Wyatt Earp)
Double Play (2004) Jackie Robinson book
Appaloosa (2005) Western (Marshalls)
And he found the time to write some other series:
A continuation of the Philip Marlowe private investigator series (started by Raymond Chandler):
1.
Poodle Springs (1990) * - continuation of an unfinished Chandler novel.
2.
Perchance to Dream (1991)
* = basis for a tv movie.
Police Chief Jesse Stone of Paradise Mass.:
1.
Night Passage (1997) *
2.
Trouble in Paradise (1998)
3.
Death In Paradise (2001)
4.
Stone Cold (2003) *
5.
Sea Change (2006)
* = basis for tv movie.
And the Boston PI Sunny Randall Novels:
1.
Family Honor (1999)
2.
Perish Twice (2000)
3.
Shrink Rap (2002)
4.
Melancholy Baby (2004)
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Robert Brown Parker was born on the seventeenth day of September during the Great Depression (1932), in Springfield Massachusetts. While growing up in Springfield, Joan and Robert Parker met for the first time as children, and both attended Colby College in Waterville, Maine. They married in 1956 and have had two children, both boys, named Daniel and David. In 1971 Robert finished his work towards a Ph.D. in English Literature from Boston University, and his dissertation focused on the private eye in literature. Robert eventually became a full professor at Northeastern University, and eventually published his first book in 1973 (
The Godwulf Manuscript, the first
Spenser book).
The Spenser book series was made into two television series, the 1985-1988
Spenser: For Hire ABC series that starred
Robert Urich as Spenser, and
Avery Brooks as Hawk, and the 1989 ABC spin-off
A Man Called Hawk that followed Brooks Hawke character to Washington, D.C. The Spenser series of books & the television series was also the basis for two separate tv movie)
[+] Show Full Biography
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