Something to Shout About

Speaking of Mystery*File ... Its editor, Steve Lewis, today quotes a note he received from Michael Braham, the son of American pulp writer Harold “Hal” Braham (whose work The Rap Sheet mentioned a few months ago in association with paperback cover artist Walter Popp). In it, the younger Braham--who says he has “followed my father into the writing profession,” working as a journalist for central California’s Fresno Bee newspaper--writes fondly of his dad and his published works:

My father wrote extensively in the 1950s, and published a great deal in the old pulp detective magazines (of which I have a collection). He supported us by working as a technical writer by day. The rhythmic sound of his typing on his old Underwood upright lulled me to sleep many a night during my childhood. He also worked as a private investigator and took police science courses. He captures the color and character of Los Angeles and San Pedro of the post-war years extremely well in Call Me Deadly [1957]. He also co-wrote a screenplay, Tramp, Tramp, Tramp, which starred Jackie Gleason. It was one of Gleason’s earliest films. ...

You might add that my father had a passion for writing, and it was a passion of joy. He never agonized; he wrote with pure enjoyment and when he talked about the process of writing there was a twinkle in his eyes. I’ve never been comfortable writing fiction because I can’t be as good as he was. I feel he is looking over my shoulder. He never did, of course. He always encouraged and supported me, and was never critical. But I held him in such high esteem that all my efforts seemed to fall short.

Given how little material is available on the Web about Hal Braham, it’s good to see his son contributing more to our knowledge of that author. Even better, since Michael Braham is a writer himself, would be to see a longer feature from him about his father’s life and career. Hint, hint ...