World Literary Awards

← Back to Home

William Peter McGivern

ウィリアム・ピー・マクギヴァーン

Uiriamu Pī Makugivān

Aliases: Bill Peters

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1918-12-06 （Chicago, Illinois）
Died
1982-11-18 （Palm Desert, California） age 63
Nationality
American
Languages
English
Residence History
Chicago → Mobile, Alabama → Philadelphia → Los Angeles

Career

Occupations
novelist, television scriptwriter, police reporter
Active Years
1941-1984
Affiliations
Philadelphia Bulletin

Education

University of Birmingham
Country: United Kingdom

Awards

Edgar Award
1954
Work: The Big Heat
Category: Best Motion Picture
Organization: Mystery Writers of America
Result: Winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The Big Heat

1953 crime thriller

A cop fights corruption.

corruptionjustice
Adaptations
  • [film] The Big Heat / Fritz Lang (1953)

Shield for Murder

1951 crime thriller

An honest cop goes bad.

corrupt cop
Adaptations
  • [film] Shield for Murder (1954)

Rogue Cop

1954 film noir

A crooked cop tries to redeem himself.

redemptioncrime
Adaptations
  • [film] Rogue Cop / Roy Rowland (1954)

Odds Against Tomorrow

1957 crime thriller

A racially charged noir.

racismcrime
Adaptations
  • [film] Odds Against Tomorrow (1959)

Bibliography

  • But Death Runs Faster (1948)
  • Heaven Ran Last (1949)
  • Very Cold for May (1950)
  • Shield for Murder (1951)
  • The Big Heat (1953)
  • Rogue Cop (1954)
  • Odds Against Tomorrow (1957)
  • Night of the Juggler (1975)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
hardboilednoir
Recurring Motifs
corrupt copscrimejustice

Legacy

Known for crime thrillers, many adapted into films.

Trivia

  • Born to an Irish-American family.
  • Served as a sergeant in WWII and awarded the Soldier's Medal.