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Alistair MacLean
FactsAKA: Ian Stuart Occupation: Screenwriter Also: Writer Birthname: Alistair George Gilach MacLean Birthdate: April 28, 1922 Birthplace: Diviot, Scotland Education: Glasgow university Died: February 2, 1987(Munich, Germany) Biography When Alistair MacLean passed away on the 2nd of February 1987 he had written more than 30 adventure novels and quite a few descriptive ones. He died as one ofthe most famous and beloved writers of our time and maybe the best inintelligent thriller writing ever. His books have been read by millionsof people all over the world and are translated into most languages. Most of his adventure novels have also been filmed, and are regarded asclassics, among others The Guns of Navarone (starring Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn and David Niven), Where Eagles Dare (starring Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood) and Ice Station Zebra (starring Rock Hudson). But behind the gloriousand praised author hid the less glorious incarnation of a true coward, an alcoholic and a wife maltreator. The Young Alistair MacLean Alistair MacLean was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1923, as the thefourth child of Alistair and Mary MacLean. As a little boy, hismajor interest was reading books, his favorite authors being CharlesDickens and Alexandre Dumas. At the age of 17 he dropped out of school, and signed on amerchant vessel. One year later - in 1941 - he was enlisted to theBritish navy where he became torpedo launcher For 18 months he worked on the British naval basein the northern parts of Scotland. He came to use his memories andexperiences from that time in many of his novels, among others in hisdebut book; HMS Ulysses. The Writer It was a set of circumstances rather than an idea that made Alistair MacLean a writer. He was working as a teacher when he 1955 waspersuaded to take part in a novel-writing competition arranged by Scottish newspaper The Glasgow Herald. The first price was 1000 pounds. Hemanaged to win the competition, and that was the start of a long andsuccessful writing career. Although a succesfull author, Alistair MacLean didn't really like writing novels. Despite this, he wrote over 30 of them. He wasabout to give up several times. One time he told his publisher that hewas so tired of writing books that he had decided to quit withimmediate action. But after two bottles of Glen Morange he signed the contract and promised to write a new book that autumn. The Alcoholic Maybe due to the dislike of his profession, Alistair MacLean became analcoholic early on. His large consumption of whiskey gradually causedhis death. The alcohol made MacLean very jealous and aggressive. Themain victim for this was his wife Marcy Macelle, and during theirmarriage she got one broken jaw, a handful of knocked-out teeth and akick smashed knee-cap (it was so much injured that it had to bereplaced with an artificial knee-cap). She said once: "Most people has never meet a genius. I have spent my life together with one and that was far from a fairy-tale". Selected Novels HMS Ulysses - 1955 South by Java Head - 1958 Night without End - 1960 Dark Crusader, The (Under pseudonym Ian Stuart) - 1961 Captain Cook - 1972 Circus - 1974 Golden Gate, The - 1976 Sea Witch - 1977 Goodbye California! - 1978 Athabasca - 1980 Air Force One Is Down (Compiled by John Denis) - 1981 Six Complete Novels - 1983 Partisans - 1983 Floodgate - 1984 San Andreas - 1985 Lonely Sea, The - 1985 Santorini - 1987 Red Alert (Compiled by Alastair MacNeill) - 1990 Time of the Assasins (Compiled by Alastair MacNeill) - 1991 Golden Girl (Compiled by Simon Gandolfi) - 1992 Dead Halt (Compiled by Alastair MacNeill) - 1992 Golden Web (Compiled by Simon Gandolfi) - 1993 Code Breaker (Compiled by Alastair MacNeill) - 1993 Golden Vengeance (Compiled by Simon Gandolfi) - 1994 Rendezvous (Rewritten by Alastair MacNeill) - 1995 Borrowed Time (written by Hugh Miller, based on MacLean's UNACO-novels) - 1997 Prime Target (written by Hugh Miller, based on MacLean's UNACO-novels) - 1997 Selected Films Guns of Navarone, The - 1961 Secret Ways, The - 1961 Satan Bug, The - 1965 Ice Station Zebra - 1968 Where Eagles Dare - 1969 Puppet on a Chain - 1970 When Eight Bells Toll - 1971 Fear Is the Key - 1973 Caravan to VaccarŽs - 1974 Breakheart Pass - 1975 Golden Rendezvous - 1977 Force 10 from Navarone - 1978 Bear Island - 1980 Hostage Tower - 1980 River of Death - 1989 Death Train - 1993 Way to Dusty Death, The - 1995 Night Watch - 1995 User Comments: DOROTEO ESPIRITU III (2005-03-15)
YOURE OTHER MOVIES ARE DIFFICULT TO FIND
adam larusic (2006-01-14)
This comment is aimed more to parlundquist's biography of sir alistair maclean,I beleave it to be incorrect and it's likely parlundquist hasn't spent a great deal of efford in his research.This reminds me of girlish child's tale,not taking into account of where he got his facts from????because we all know how ex's are so truthful and of course lacking drama.By the way what is the story on the poorRR little drama queen's past and the last few years of her life??
Srini (2006-10-11)
The negatives in his biography not withstanding, I have enjoyed many of books and movies many times over. His writing was inspiring and the style of writing was very detailed and the use of the English language was like a master painter given total freedom with his favourite brush all shades of colors he wants and canvas that pure and clean. The suspense in his tales was always edge of the seat stuff
Ernest (2006-12-28)
Where is one single fact about true cowardice?
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