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Joseph Wambaugh

ジョセフ・ウォンボー

Joseph Wambaugh

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1937-01-22 （East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.）
Died
2025-02-28 （Rancho Mirage, California, U.S.） age 88
Nationality
United States
Languages
English
Residence History
Fontana, California, U.S. → Rancho Mirage, California, U.S.

Career

Occupations
Writer, Police officer (former), Screenwriter
Active Years
1971-2012
Influenced
Creators/producers of police dramas such as Hill Street Blues, Contemporary police novelists (procedural writers)

Education

Chaffey College
Degree: AA
Country: United States
Earned an Associate of Arts (AA) degree
California State University, Los Angeles
Degree: BA, MA
Country: United States
Earned BA and MA degrees

Awards

Edgar Award
1974
Organization: Mystery Writers of America
Result: 受賞
Edgar Award
1981
Work: The Black Marble (screenplay)
Organization: Mystery Writers of America
Result: 受賞
Edgar Award (Best Crime Fact)
2003
Work: Fire Lover: A True Story
Category: ノンフィクション
Organization: Mystery Writers of America
Result: 受賞
Grand Master Award
2004
Organization: Mystery Writers of America
Result: 授与

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The New Centurions

1971 Mystery / Police procedural

A novel about the daily life and psychological toll on LAPD patrol officers, notable for its realism drawn from the author's police experience.

police realitycamaraderieoccupational trauma
Adaptations
  • [Film] The New Centurions (film) (1972)

The Onion Field

1973 Non-fiction / True crime

A detailed non-fiction account of a real kidnapping and murder case, examining investigation and the backgrounds of those involved.

legal processcriminal psychologyinvestigative work
Adaptations
  • [Film] The Onion Field (film) (1979)

Fire Lover: A True Story

2002 Non-fiction / True crime

A true account examining serial arson cases and the arsonist John Orr, detailing the events and subsequent legal proceedings.

arsonportrait of criminalsjustice and investigation
Adaptations
  • [TV drama / Miniseries] Smoke (2025 Apple TV+ miniseries, inspired by Fire Lover) (2025)

Hollywood Station

2006 Mystery / Police procedural

A novel set in summer 2006 focusing on the Hollywood police station night watch; a critical depiction of LAPD operations under a consent decree.

institutional critiquepolice daily lifedark humor

Bibliography

  • The New Centurions (1971)
  • The Blue Knight (1972)
  • The Onion Field (1973)
  • The Choirboys (1975)
  • The Black Marble (1978)
  • The Glitter Dome (1981)
  • The Delta Star (1983)
  • The Secrets of Harry Bright (1985)
  • The Golden Orange (1990)
  • Finnegan's Week (1993)
  • Floaters (1996)
  • Hollywood Station (2006)
  • Hollywood Crows (2008)
  • Hollywood Moon (2009)
  • Hollywood Hills (2010)
  • Harbor Nocturne (2012)
  • Fire Lover: A True Story (2002)
  • Lines and Shadows (1984)
  • Echoes in the Darkness (1984)
  • The Blooding (1989)

Adaptations

  • Many novels and non-fiction works were adapted to film and television (e.g. The New Centurions, The Onion Field, The Blue Knight, The Glitter Dome)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
realism grounded in field experiencedark humorsatirical observation
Recurring Motifs
characterization by nicknameswounded policemensatire of Southern California affluent lifestyle

Health

  • Esophageal cancer
    Died at home in 2025. Details of long-term illness are not fully public.

Legacy

Leveraging his experience as a former LAPD officer, he established a distinctive place in police fiction and true-crime non-fiction. His blend of realism and dark humor significantly influenced subsequent police dramas in film and television as well as later police novelists.

Academic Societies

  • Mystery Writers of America (as honoree/recognition)

In Popular Culture

  • Influenced realistic police dramas from the 1970s onward (e.g. Hill Street Blues)
  • Many works adapted for film and television, collaborating with notable actors and directors

Quotes

  • He once quipped that suspects would ask him for his autograph.
    Source: Interviews / recollections

Trivia

  • Joined the U.S. Marine Corps at age 17.
  • Joined the LAPD in 1960, rose from patrolman to detective sergeant.
  • One of his children died in a car crash in 1984.
  • Served as a guest lecturer in screenwriting at UC San Diego in the 2000s.