Thirty-three books were published during the lifetime of Irving Wallace, an American writer whose works were subsequently translated into 31 languages. Born in Chicago in 1916 to parents of Russian heritage, he spent his formative years in Kenosha, Wisconsin, before establishing a diverse career that spanned Hollywood screenwriting, journalism, and the production of best-selling fiction and non-fiction works.
Military Service and Hollywood
During the Second World War, Wallace served in the Frank Capra unit at Fort Fox alongside Theodor Seuss Geisel. He also contributed to the war effort through service in the First Motion Picture Unit of the Army Air Force. Following his military service, Wallace transitioned to a career in Hollywood. His screenwriting credits included The West Point Story, released in 1950, as well as the 1953 films Split Second and Meet Me at the Fair. He later wrote for the television program Have Gun – Will Travel and received credit for the 1959 film The Big Circus.
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Wallace eventually abandoned his work in the motion picture industry to focus exclusively on literature. His first non-fiction book, The Fabulous Originals, appeared in 1955, followed by his debut novel, The Sins of Philip Fleming, in 1959. Although his early fiction received little critical attention, he achieved significant commercial success with his subsequent novel, The Chapman Report. Over the following decades, he maintained a high output of heavily researched novels often incorporating sexual themes, which Simon & Schuster editor Michael Korda characterized as stories blended with encyclopedic detail.
Collaborative Projects
Beyond his solo novels, Wallace engaged in extensive collaborative writing projects with his wife, Sylvia Wallace, and their children, David Wallechinsky and Amy Wallace. This partnership yielded several volumes of The People's Almanac and The Book of Lists, as well as the 1981 title The Intimate Sex Lives of Famous People. These collections frequently utilized the obscure research findings Wallace uncovered during his preparation for his novels. His later career remained prolific, with titles such as The Seventh Secret and The Guest of Honor appearing in the late 1980s.
Fast facts
- Born: 1916, Chicago
- Died: 1990, Los Angeles
- Primary Occupations: Novelist, screenwriter, journalist
- Total books published: 33
- Spouse: Sylvia Wallace
- Children: David Wallechinsky, Amy Wallace
- Burial site: Hillside Memorial Park
- Known for: Heavily researched fiction
Questions readers ask
What was the style of Irving Wallace's novels?
His novels were characterized by extensive research and frequently featured sexual themes combined with encyclopedic information.
Did Irving Wallace write only fiction?
No, he also published non-fiction, including The Fabulous Originals, The Sunday Gentleman, and collaborative reference works like The Book of Lists.
