Charles Willeford was a remarkably talented and prolific writer who wrote a wide range of literary works, including poetry, crime fiction, and literary criticism, throughout his impressive and diverse career. His crime novels are notable for their narrative economy and lack of sentimentality.
Born as Charles Ray Willeford III on January 2, 1919, in Little Rock, Arkansas, Willeford's parents both died of tuberculosis when he was a young boy, and he subsequently lived with his grandmother or at boarding schools. Charles became a hobo in his early teens and enlisted in the Army Air Corps at the age of 16, serving as a tank commander in Europe during World War II. He was awarded several medals for his military service, including the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts, and the Luxembourg Croix de Guerre.
Charles retired from the army as a Master Sergeant and began his writing career, publishing his first novel, "High Priest of California," in 1953. This was followed by several other excellent novels, including "Pick-Up," "Wild Wives," "The Woman Chaser," "Cockfighter," and "The Burnt Orange Heresy." He achieved his greatest commercial and critical success with four outstanding novels about hapless Florida homicide detective Hoke Moseley: "Miami Blues," "New Hope for the Dead," "Sideswipe," and "The Way We Die Now."
In addition to his novels, Willeford also wrote a short story anthology, "The Machine in Ward Eleven," poetry collections, "The Outcast Poets" and "Proletarian Laughter," and a nonfiction book, "Something About a Soldier." He attended Palm Beach Junior College and the University of Miami, and taught courses in humanities, philosophy, and English at various institutions.
Willeford was married three times and was an associate editor for "Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine." Three of his novels have been adapted into movies, including "Cockfighter," "Miami Blues," and "The Woman Chaser." He also made a small appearance in the film "Thunder and Lightning."
Charles Willeford passed away on March 27, 1988, at the age of 69, due to a heart attack.
