Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Donald Edwin Westlake (July 12, 1933 – December 31, 2008) was an American writer, with over a hundred novels and non-fiction books to his credit. He specialized in crime fiction, especially comic capers, with an occasional foray into science fiction or other genres. He was a three-time Edgar Award winner, one of only two writers (the other is Joe Gores) to win Edgars in three different categories (1968, Best Novel, God Save the Mark; 1990, Best Short Story,...
Known For
Complete Filmography

No Other Choice
2026
Novel
After being unemployed for several years, a man devises a unique plan to secure a new job: eliminate his competition.

The Actor
2025
Novel
Paul Cole finds himself stranded in a mysterious small town with no memory of who he is or how he got here. As bits and pieces of his past slowly emer...

Parker
2013
Novel
A thief with a unique code of professional ethics is double-crossed by his crew and left for dead. Assuming a new disguise and forming an unlikely all...

The Stepfather
2009
Story, Original Film Writer
Michael Harding returns home from military school to find his mother happily in love and living with her new boyfriend, David. As the two men get to k...

Ripley Under Ground
2005
Screenplay
After his friend, a hot young artist, is killed, a resourceful American man living in London covers up the crime and tries to keep the friend's name a...

The Ax
2005
Novel
A chemist loses his job to outsourcing. Two years later and still jobless, he hits on a solution: to genuinely eliminate his competition.

Ordo
2004
Novel
Ordo Tupikos, a french sailor with greek origins, discover that his first wife, Estelle, with whom he had remained married a few months only 16 years ...

What's the Worst That Could Happen?
2001
Novel
Thief Kevin Caffery attempts to rob from the home of rich businessman Max Fairbanks. But Fairbanks catches him and steals his cherished ring that his ...

A Slight Case of Murder
1999
Novel
In the midst of a spat, film critic Terry Thorpe accidentally kills his lover. Though Thorpe covers his tracks, he raises the suspicions of a private ...

Payback
1999
Novel
With friends like these, who needs enemies? That's the question bad guy Porter is left asking after his wife and partner steal his heist money and lea...

Mike Hammer's Mickey Spillane
1998
as Self
Documentary about the life and work of mystery writer Mickey Spillane.

The Gods Must Be Daring
1997
Novel
A priceless statuette "Dancing God" is transfered from Africa to France. Scoundrels of all stripes are dreaming of steeling it. The most clever of the...

Two Much
1995
Novel
Art Dodge is a painter-turned-gallerist drowning in debt. He gets in over his head when a con job leads to an engagement with a rich divorcee. He gets...

Stepfather 3
1992
Characters
After escaping a Puget Sound institution, "Stepfather" Gene Clifford alters his appearance with plastic surgery and takes on another new identity: Kei...

The Grifters
1990
Screenplay
A small-time conman has his loyalties torn between his estranged mother and his new girlfriend, both of whom are high-stakes grifters with their own a...

Why Me?
1990
Novel
A jewel thief steals a sacred ruby which sets off a chase by the police, the Turkish government, nutty American terrorists, and the CIA.

Stepfather 2
1989
Characters
"Stepfather" Jerry Blake escapes an insane asylum and winds up in another town, this time impersonating a marriage counselor. With a future wife and n...

Fatal Confession: A Father Dowling Mystery
1987
Writer
Frank Dowling has to solve the mystery of a young man who is obsessed with finding his natural parents.

The Stepfather
1987
Story, Screenplay
Seemingly mild-mannered Henry Morrison — who has just murdered his entire family — quickly adopts a new identity and leaves town. After building a new...

The Twin
1984
Novel
Matthias Duval is in love, but he can't choose between the two twin sisters Betty and Liz Kerner. To pick up the two sisters, he invents his own twin ...

Slayground
1983
Novel
After thieves botch an armored truck robbery that leads to the death of an innocent young girl, her father vows revenge by recruiting a sociopathic hi...

Jimmy the Kid
1982
Novel
Gang of bumbling crooks kidnap a bratty little kid, find out they got more than they bargained for.

Hot Stuff
1979
Writer
When a police department's burglary task force is facing the possibility of being shut down because of their low conviction rate decides to try a new ...

Express to Terror
1979
Creator, Story
A gambling addict, mobsters, movie producers and others are plagued with murder while aboard a high-speed rail train. This pilot episode for the short...

Come ti rapisco il pupo
1976
Novel

The Bank Shot
1974
Novel
A bank temporarily housed in a mobile home while a new building is built, looks like an easy target to break into. On the other hand, why not steal th...

The Outfit
1973
Novel
A two-bit criminal takes on the Mafia to avenge his brother's death. Earl Macklin is a small time criminal who is released from prison after an unsucc...

Cops and Robbers
1973
Writer
Two disillusioned New York policemen plan a $10 million robbery to fuel their low pensions, only to run into one debacle after another in the process.

The Hot Rock
1972
Novel
Dortmunder and his pals plan to steal a huge diamond from a museum. But this turns out to be only the first time they have to steal it...

The Split
1968
Novel
A group of thieves attempt a daring robbery of a football stadium.

Pillaged
1967
Novel
Over the course of one night, a gang of twelve criminals carry out a commando-like raid on a small town.

Point Blank
1967
Novel
After being double-crossed and left for dead, a mysterious man named Walker single-mindedly tries to retrieve the rather inconsequential sum of money ...

The Busy Body
1967
Novel
Sid Caesar is a bumbling gopher to a mob boss who must recover a fortune in cash stowed in the suit of a corpse.

Made in U.S.A
1967
Novel
Paula Nelson goes to Atlantic City to meet her lover, Richard Politzer, but finds him dead and decides to investigate his death. In her hotel room, s...

Le commissaire mène l’enquête
1965
Writer

Una cara para escapar
1963
Novel
Play Dirty
N/A
Characters
Based on the professional thief character Parker, created by Donald E. Westlake. Premise TBA.