Trevanian was the pseudonym of Rodney William Whitaker, an acclaimed American author who was born in Granville, New York on June 21, 1931. Growing up in a poor family, Whitaker developed a love for stories at a young age. He spent several years of his youth in Albany, an experience that he later portrayed in one of his published works. Whitaker attended the University of Washington, where he earned his bachelor's and master's degrees. While there, he wrote and directed a three-act play called "Eve of Bursting," which he used as his thesis for his master's production. He later obtained his doctorate in films and communications at Northwestern University.
Trevanian wrote in a variety of genres and achieved bestseller status. He published five novels between 1972 and 1983, all of which sold over a million copies each worldwide. His works were so popular that he was compared to renowned authors such as Ian Fleming, Chaucer, and Zola. In addition to writing under the name Trevanian, he also published works under the pen names Benat Le Cagot, Edoard Moran, and Nicholas Seare. He kept his real name a secret until 1998, when it was revealed by a reporter from the Austin American Statesman.
Whitaker also wrote and published non-fiction works under his real name, including "The Language of Film." He taught at Dana College in Blair, Nebraska, where he was the chairman of the communications division. He served in the US Navy during the Korean War and was awarded a Fulbright scholarship for study in England. Whitaker was also the chairman of the Department of Radio, TV and Film at the University of Texas, Austin, where he continued to teach for many years. He married the former Diane Brandon, and they had four children together. Whitaker died on December 14, 2005, in the English West Country, survived by his wife and four grown children.