Jerome Odlum

American writer and screenwriter

Jerome Odlum (August 6, 1905 – March 2, 1954) was an American writer.

Odlum was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[1]

He served a term in prison for forgery.[2] After his time in prison, he became a reporter and then managing editor of The Minneapolis News.[3]

Odlum was married in Minneapolis in 1937.[4] His wife filed for divorce in 1939.[5]

He published a novel, Each Dawn I Die, in 1938. It was adapted to a film of the same name in 1939. Odlum then became a screenwriter. He was under contract to Paramount at $2,500 per month in 1939.[5] He wrote several more novels as well as film screenplays.

In 1952, it was reported that he would be writing for television.[6]

Jerome Odlum died on March 2, 1954.[1][7]

## Works[edit]

### Books[edit]

* Each Dawn I Die. Indianapolis; New York: Bobbs-Merrill Co., 1938.[8][9][10]
* Nine Lives Are Not Enough. New York: Sheridan House, 1940.
* Lady Sourdough. New York: Macmillan Co, 1941. By Frances Ella Fitz; as told to Jerome Odlum.
* Night and No Moon. New York: Howell, Soskin, 1942.
* The Morgue Is Always Open. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1944.[11]
* The Mirabilis Diamond. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1945.
* Private Detective. Sydney: Invincible Press, 194-?

### Films[edit]

* The Oklahoma Kid (uncredited) (1939)
* Each Dawn I Die (from the novel by) (1939)
* Dust Be My Destiny (novel) (1939)
* Nine Lives Are Not Enough (from the novel by) (1941)
* I Was Framed (idea) (1942)
* Crime Doctor (adaptation) (1943)
* A Scream in the Dark (novel "The Morgue is Always Open") (1943)
* Marine Raiders (contributor to screenplay construction - uncredited) (1944)
* Strange Affair (screenplay) (1944)
* In Old Sacramento (original story) (1946)
* Last Frontier Uprising (story) (1947)
* Cover Up (original screenplay) (1949)
* Song of India (story) (1949)
* Never Trust a Gambler (screenplay) / (story) (1951)
* Highway Dragnet (screenplay) (1954)
* The Fast and the Furious (screenplay) (1954)
* The Strange Affair (uncredited) (1968)

### Television[edit]

* Lux Video Theatre (TV Series) (1 episode: Cover-Up (original screenplay) (1955)

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b "Rites Set Tomorrow for Jerome Odlum". The Los Angeles Times. 1954-03-04. p. 5. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
2. ^ "Pictures: Jerome Odlum Jammed." Variety. Los Angeles Vol. 146, Iss. 6, (Apr 15, 1942): 20. Via Proquest.
3. ^ "JEROME ODLUM, 48, NOVELIST, IS DEAD; Author of Each, Dawn I Die' Also a Film Writer -- Once Minneapolis News Chief". The New York Times. 1954-03-05. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
4. ^ "Jerome Odlum's Success Spoiled Him, Wife Says". The St. Louis Star and Times. 1939-12-12. p. 3. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
5. ^ a b "Pictures: Mrs. Jerome Odlum's $100 Alimony Demand." Variety. Vol. 137, Iss. 2, (Dec 20, 1939): 6. Via Proquest.
6. ^ "In This Corner with Cedric Adams". The Minneapolis Star. 1952-09-01. p. 52. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
7. ^ "Jerome Odlum Dies". The Owensboro Messenger. 1954-03-05. p. 18. Retrieved 2021-02-27.
8. ^ "Prison Novel". Star Tribune. 1938-04-10. p. 53. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
9. ^ "The Crime Sheet". The Province. 1938-05-14. p. 54. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
10. ^ "In This Corner with Cedric Adams". The Minneapolis Star. 1939-01-12. p. 11. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
11. ^ "Crime & Cowboys". Star Tribune. 1944-06-04. p. 13. Retrieved 2021-02-28.

## External links[edit]

* Works by Jerome Odlum at Faded Page (Canada)
* Jerome Odlum at IMDb