Michael Lanyard, alias The Lone Wolf

This evening Turner Classic Movies is showing a number of The Lone Wolf movies, starring Warren William. One of the classics being shown is The Lone Wolf Strikes from 1940. These movies are based on a series of books by Louis Joseph Vance, and some have said that they were in part an inspiration to Leslie Charteris for his Saint books. Vance's books feature Michael Lanyard, alias The Lone Wolf, as a charming gentleman rogue who was trained to be a jewel thief by a mysterious Irishman named Bourke. As with The Saint, The Lone Wolf also has a weakness for robbing from the rich and giving to the damsel in distress, all the while keeping a percentage to maintain his fine lifestyle.

Another interesting tie-in between The Lone Wolf and The Saint is that Louis Hayward played The Lone Wolf in seven TV episodes between 1954 and 1955, just one year after he starred as Simon Templar in The Saint's Girl Friday aka The Saint's Return (RKO 1953). Louis Hayward also played the title role in The Saint In New York (RKO 1938)

The Lone Wolf TV show is currently playing on GoodLife TV, with the next show airing Saturday, March 10 at 3:30AM.

The Lone Wolf is an important part of the Gentleman Thief genre, and for further information about The Lone Wolf, visit Thrilling Detective or read the novel, Alias The Lone Wolf, online for free from Project Gutenburg.

The Lone Wolf books by Louis Joseph Vance:

1. The Lone Wolf (1914)
   
2. The False Faces (1918)
   
3. Alias The Lone Wolf (1921)
   
4. Red Maquerade (1921)
   
5. The Lone Wolf Returns (1923)
   
6. The Lone Wolf's Son (1931)
   
7. Encore The Lone Wolf (1933)
   
8. The Lone Wolf's Last Prowl (1934)

Labels: 2007, Gentleman Thief, Leslie Charteris, Louis Hayward, Return of The Saint

0 comments for Michael Lanyard, alias The Lone Wolf