Raymond Thornton Chandler (July 23, 1888 – March 26, 1959) was a British-American novelist and screenwriter, best known for his hardboiled detective novels and stories. In 1932, after losing his job as an oil company executive during the Great Depression, Chandler decided to become a detective fiction writer at the age of forty-four. His first short story, "Blackmailers Don't Shoot," was published in 1933 in Black Mask, a popular pulp magazine. His first novel, The Big Sleep, was published in 1939, and he went on to publish seven full novels during his lifetime, all of which have been adapted into motion pictures with the exception of Playback.
In addition to his work as a novelist, Chandler also wrote screenplays for American film noir classics such as "Strangers on A Train," "Double Indemnity," and "The Blue Dahlia." These screenplays were highly influential in the American film noir genre, and Chandler's work on "Double Indemnity" earned him one of two best original screenplay Oscar nominations.
Chandler's writing had a significant impact on American popular literature. He is considered by many to be a founder, along with Dashiell Hammett, James M. Cain, and other Black Mask writers, of the hard-boiled school of detective fiction. His protagonist, Philip Marlowe, is synonymous with the concept of a private detective, and has been played on screen by Humphrey Bogart, who is often considered to be the quintessential Marlowe. Some of Chandler's novels, including "Farewell, My Lovely," "The Little Sister," and "The Long Goodbye," are considered important literary works and masterpieces of the detective fiction genre.
Chandler's work has also had a significant influence on other authors and filmmakers. His writing has influenced authors such as Robert B. Parker, Robert Crais, Michael Connelly, Quentin Tarantino, and the Coen Brothers. Chandler's distinctive style and his creation of the Philip Marlowe character have left a lasting impact on the detective fiction genre and popular culture as a whole.