Marvin H. Albert, 73, an Author Of Mysteries and Biographies (original) (raw)

March 31, 1996

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March 31, 1996

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Marvin H. Albert, the author of more than 100 westerns, mysteries, spy novels and works of history, died on March 24 in Menton, in the south of France. He was 73 and lived in Mont Segur-sur-Lauzon.

The cause was a heart attack, said his daughter, Jan.

Mr. Albert was born in Philadelphia and served as a radio officer in the Merchant Marine during World War II. After working as the director of a children's theater troupe in Philadelphia, he moved to New York in 1950 and began writing and editing for the magazines Quick and Look. He turned to writing full time after the success of his novel "The Law and Jake Wade" (1956).

In addition to popular westerns, mysteries and novelizations of Hollywood films, he wrote "The Long White Road," a biography of the Arctic explorer Ernest Shackleton, "Broadsides and Boarders," a history of great sea captains, and "The Divorce," about Henry VIII. He wrote novels under his own name and under the pseudonyms Albert Conroy, Al Conroy, Nick Quarry, Anthony Rome, Ian MacAlister and J. D. Christilian.

In 1965 he moved to Los Angeles, where he wrote screenplays and adapted nine of his novels for the screen, including "Apache Rising," which became "Duel at Diablo," with Sidney Poitier, and "Miami Mayhem," which became "Tony Rome," with Frank Sinatra.

He moved to Europe in 1976, settling in the south of France.

That year, the Mystery Writers of America named his "Gargoyle Conspiracy" the best mystery of the year. His other novels include "Hidden Lives," "Operation Lila," "The Dark Goddess" and the "Stone Angel" series, which followed the adventures of a French-American private eye in the south of France. His most recent novel, "Scarlet Woman" (Donald I. Fine Books), a mystery set in New York City at the turn of the century, was published in January.

In addition to his daughter, of Manhattan, he is survived by his wife, Xenia Klar; a son, David, of Manhattan, and a granddaughter.

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