William Ard was a renowned author who excelled in portraying the darker side of the city and entertainment business through his writing. Under the pseudonym of Jonas Ward, Ard created one of the most enduring characters in the western genre: Thomas Buchanan, also known as "Buchanan." Buchanan was depicted as a drifter, a likable yet deadly character who first appeared in Ard's novel, "The Name's Buchanan," published in 1956.
Ard's initial six books in the Buchanan series were penned by him, with the last one, "Buchanan on the Prod," completed by Robert Silverberg following Ard's death in 1960. After Ard's passing, the pseudonym "Jonas Ward" transformed into a house name, with Brian Garfield contributing one book and William R. Cox taking over the series, which continued until 1986. Ard's unique storytelling abilities and his creation of the memorable character, Buchanan, have left a lasting impact on the western genre.