American author and screen writer who came to prominence with the publication of the first of a trilogy of mysteries beginning with The Brass Bowl in 1907, which became a best-seller. In 1908, he published the second, The Black Bag and followed in 1909 with The Bronze Bell. Vance is best remembered as the creator of the jewel-thief turned detective, Michael Lanyard, who made his debut in The Lone Wolf (1914). The character Lanyard was a cross between Raffles and Lupin and was popularized further in films and radio during the 1920's through the 1940's. Vance's other works included Pool of Flame (1909), No Man's Land (1910), Fortune Hunter (1910), Bandbox (1912), Day of Days (1913), Sheep's Clothing (1915), Nobody (1915), The False Faces (1918), Dark Mirror (1920), Alias The Lone Wolf (1921), The Lone Wolf Returns (1923), Road to En-Dor (1924), Woman in the Shadow (1930), Trembling Flame (1931), Lone Wolf's Son (1931) and Encore the Lone Wolf (1933). |