Author. He is best known for his penning of more than thirty humor and adventure-themed books for children. Born Albert Sidney Fleischman to Jewish parents who immigrated to the United States, he was raised in San Diego where he developed an interest for magic at an early age. He formed an act called Mirthful Conjurers with a childhood friend and worked the Vaudeville circuit which resulted in the writing of his first book; a collection of magic tricks titled "Between Cocktails" in 1939. Following service in the United States Naval Reserve during World War II, he attended San Diego State University and later worked as a journalist for a San Diego newspaper. He experienced his first taste of Hollywood in 1955, when his novel "Blood Alley" was made into a motion picture adaptation (for which he also wrote the screenplay) starring John Wayne. This was followed by his other works that later evolved into picture adaptations; which include "By the Great Horn Spoon!" (1963), film titled "The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin" (1967), and "Ghost in the Noonday Sun" (1966) filmed in 1973 starring Peter Sellers. In 1987, he was recipient of the Newbery Medal for Best Novel for "The Whipping Boy." His nonfiction works include his autobiography "Abracadabra Kid: A Writer's Life" (1996) and "Escape!: The Story of the Great Houdini" (2006). His son Paul Fleischman became a renown writer and was recipient of the Newbery Medal in 1989 for Best Collection for "Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices." He died from cancer one day after his 90th birthday.
Author. He is best known for his penning of more than thirty humor and adventure-themed books for children. Born Albert Sidney Fleischman to Jewish parents who immigrated to the United States, he was raised in San Diego where he developed an interest for magic at an early age. He formed an act called Mirthful Conjurers with a childhood friend and worked the Vaudeville circuit which resulted in the writing of his first book; a collection of magic tricks titled "Between Cocktails" in 1939. Following service in the United States Naval Reserve during World War II, he attended San Diego State University and later worked as a journalist for a San Diego newspaper. He experienced his first taste of Hollywood in 1955, when his novel "Blood Alley" was made into a motion picture adaptation (for which he also wrote the screenplay) starring John Wayne. This was followed by his other works that later evolved into picture adaptations; which include "By the Great Horn Spoon!" (1963), film titled "The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin" (1967), and "Ghost in the Noonday Sun" (1966) filmed in 1973 starring Peter Sellers. In 1987, he was recipient of the Newbery Medal for Best Novel for "The Whipping Boy." His nonfiction works include his autobiography "Abracadabra Kid: A Writer's Life" (1996) and "Escape!: The Story of the Great Houdini" (2006). His son Paul Fleischman became a renown writer and was recipient of the Newbery Medal in 1989 for Best Collection for "Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices." He died from cancer one day after his 90th birthday.
Bio by: C.S.
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