James Harold Wallis, known as "Harold" to family and friends, was a politician, newspaper editor, and author. The class poet of Yale University (1906), Wallis was an alderman for six years (Fourth Ward) and mayor pro tem in Dubuque, Iowa. He became editor of two Dubuque newspapers: the Dubuque Times-Journal, and later, the Daily News, and inaugurated and successfully instituted a campaign to adopt the city manager plan for Dubuque. He was also instrumental in a campaign to modernize the public schools of Dubuque.
In 1921 Wallis went to work with Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover. Wallis was sent to eastern Europe and Russia with the American Relief Administration, and reported directly to Hoover on post-war conditions and American relief efforts. Next working in New York City for the American Relief Admistration in an editorial capacity, in 1923 he moved to Washington, D.C. to become Secretary Hoover's special assistant.
In 1927 the family moved to Scarsdale, New York, for Wallis to work in New York City as an editor for the Joint Committee of the National Utility Associations until 1932. Scarsdale is also where Wallis became an established author. He wrote books of poetry (including The Testament of William Windune and Other Poems, and The Laughter of Omnipotence) essays, and articles, but is best known for his eleven novels: "Once Off Guard," "Murder Mansion," "Cries in the Night," "The Capital City Mystery," "Murder by Formula," "The Servant of Death," "The Mystery of Vaucluse," "The Woman He Chose," "The Politician: His Habits, Outcries, and Protective Coloring," "The Synthetic Philanthropist," and "The Niece of Abraham Pein." His murder mystery, "Once Off Guard," was made into the movie, "The Woman in the Window" (1944) starring Edgar G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, and Raymond Massey, directed by Fritz Lang. The movie was the first "film noir" and established the genre. Another movie from Wallis' work, "Strange Bargain" (1949), starred Jeffrey Lynn, Martha Scott, and Henry Morgan, and was later used as the basis for a "Murder She Wrote" television episode (1987) with Angela Lansbury.
In 1921 Wallis went to work with Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover. Wallis was sent to eastern Europe and Russia with the American Relief Administration, and reported directly to Hoover on post-war conditions and American relief efforts. Next working in New York City for the American Relief Admistration in an editorial capacity, in 1923 he moved to Washington, D.C. to become Secretary Hoover's special assistant.
In 1927 the family moved to Scarsdale, New York, for Wallis to work in New York City as an editor for the Joint Committee of the National Utility Associations until 1932. Scarsdale is also where Wallis became an established author. He wrote books of poetry (including The Testament of William Windune and Other Poems, and The Laughter of Omnipotence) essays, and articles, but is best known for his eleven novels: "Once Off Guard," "Murder Mansion," "Cries in the Night," "The Capital City Mystery," "Murder by Formula," "The Servant of Death," "The Mystery of Vaucluse," "The Woman He Chose," "The Politician: His Habits, Outcries, and Protective Coloring," "The Synthetic Philanthropist," and "The Niece of Abraham Pein." His murder mystery, "Once Off Guard," was made into the movie, "The Woman in the Window" (1944) starring Edgar G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, and Raymond Massey, directed by Fritz Lang. The movie was the first "film noir" and established the genre. Another movie from Wallis' work, "Strange Bargain" (1949), starred Jeffrey Lynn, Martha Scott, and Henry Morgan, and was later used as the basis for a "Murder She Wrote" television episode (1987) with Angela Lansbury.
James Harold Wallis, known as "Harold" to family and friends, was a politician, newspaper editor, and author. The class poet of Yale University (1906), Wallis was an alderman for six years (Fourth Ward) and mayor pro tem in Dubuque, Iowa. He became editor of two Dubuque newspapers: the Dubuque Times-Journal, and later, the Daily News, and inaugurated and successfully instituted a campaign to adopt the city manager plan for Dubuque. He was also instrumental in a campaign to modernize the public schools of Dubuque.
In 1921 Wallis went to work with Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover. Wallis was sent to eastern Europe and Russia with the American Relief Administration, and reported directly to Hoover on post-war conditions and American relief efforts. Next working in New York City for the American Relief Admistration in an editorial capacity, in 1923 he moved to Washington, D.C. to become Secretary Hoover's special assistant.
In 1927 the family moved to Scarsdale, New York, for Wallis to work in New York City as an editor for the Joint Committee of the National Utility Associations until 1932. Scarsdale is also where Wallis became an established author. He wrote books of poetry (including The Testament of William Windune and Other Poems, and The Laughter of Omnipotence) essays, and articles, but is best known for his eleven novels: "Once Off Guard," "Murder Mansion," "Cries in the Night," "The Capital City Mystery," "Murder by Formula," "The Servant of Death," "The Mystery of Vaucluse," "The Woman He Chose," "The Politician: His Habits, Outcries, and Protective Coloring," "The Synthetic Philanthropist," and "The Niece of Abraham Pein." His murder mystery, "Once Off Guard," was made into the movie, "The Woman in the Window" (1944) starring Edgar G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, and Raymond Massey, directed by Fritz Lang. The movie was the first "film noir" and established the genre. Another movie from Wallis' work, "Strange Bargain" (1949), starred Jeffrey Lynn, Martha Scott, and Henry Morgan, and was later used as the basis for a "Murder She Wrote" television episode (1987) with Angela Lansbury.
In 1921 Wallis went to work with Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover. Wallis was sent to eastern Europe and Russia with the American Relief Administration, and reported directly to Hoover on post-war conditions and American relief efforts. Next working in New York City for the American Relief Admistration in an editorial capacity, in 1923 he moved to Washington, D.C. to become Secretary Hoover's special assistant.
In 1927 the family moved to Scarsdale, New York, for Wallis to work in New York City as an editor for the Joint Committee of the National Utility Associations until 1932. Scarsdale is also where Wallis became an established author. He wrote books of poetry (including The Testament of William Windune and Other Poems, and The Laughter of Omnipotence) essays, and articles, but is best known for his eleven novels: "Once Off Guard," "Murder Mansion," "Cries in the Night," "The Capital City Mystery," "Murder by Formula," "The Servant of Death," "The Mystery of Vaucluse," "The Woman He Chose," "The Politician: His Habits, Outcries, and Protective Coloring," "The Synthetic Philanthropist," and "The Niece of Abraham Pein." His murder mystery, "Once Off Guard," was made into the movie, "The Woman in the Window" (1944) starring Edgar G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, and Raymond Massey, directed by Fritz Lang. The movie was the first "film noir" and established the genre. Another movie from Wallis' work, "Strange Bargain" (1949), starred Jeffrey Lynn, Martha Scott, and Henry Morgan, and was later used as the basis for a "Murder She Wrote" television episode (1987) with Angela Lansbury.
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