Biography
Elmore John Leonard Jr. (October 11, 1925 – August 20, 2013) was an American novelist, short story writer, and screenwriter. His earliest novels, published in the 1950s, were Westerns, but he went on to specialize in crime fiction and suspense thrillers, many of which have been adapted into motion pictures.
Known For
Complete Filmography

Elmore Leonard: "But Don't Try to Write"
2021
as Self (archive footage)
Elmore Leonard, author of more than 40 novels, is renowned in the literary community. From his westerns and early novels of crime based in Detroit and...
Quentin Tarantino: From a Movie Buff to a Hollywood Legend
2021
as Self (archive footage)
Who has ever compared Reservoir Dogs? What are “Open Road” and “New World Disorder”? Why is Harvey Keitel a fairy and how did we all almost become die...

Life of Crime
2013
Novel, Executive Producer
Two common criminals get more than they bargained for after kidnapping the wife of a corrupt real-estate developer who shows no interest in paying the...

Freaky Deaky
2012
Novel
Set in 1974, a pair of '60s radicals rely on their bomb-making skills on their way to becoming capitalists.

Killshot
2008
Executive Producer, Novel
Beautiful Carmen Colson and her ironworker husband Wayne are placed in the Federal Witness Protection program after witnessing an "incident". Thinking...

The Tonto Woman
2008
Story
A white woman is kidnapped from her home by Apache Indians. Traded to the Mojave Indians, she lives as a squaw for 11 years until she is found by her ...

3:10 to Yuma
2007
Short Story
In Arizona in the late 1800s, infamous outlaw Ben Wade and his vicious gang of thieves and murderers have plagued the Southern Railroad. When Wade is ...

Be Cool
2005
Novel, Executive Producer
Disenchanted with the movie industry, Chili Palmer tries the music industry, meeting and romancing a widow of a music executive along the way.

The Big Bounce
2004
Novel
A small-time con artist and a Hawaiian real estate developer's mischievous, enterprising mistress team up for a potential $200,000 score.

Jackie Brown: How It Went Down
2002
as Self
A making-of documentary for the 1997 film "Jackie Brown."

Out of Sight
1998
Novel
Meet Jack Foley, a smooth criminal who bends the law and is determined to make one last heist. Karen Sisco is a federal marshal who chooses all the ri...

Jackie Brown
1997
Novel, Executive Producer
Jackie Brown is a flight attendant who gets caught in the middle of smuggling cash into the country for her gunrunner boss. When the cops try to use J...

Gold Coast
1997
Novel
Karen stands to inherit millions from her dead husband on one condition: she must stay away from other men. Two of the deceased's former associates se...

Pronto
1997
Novel
Harry Arno is a Miami Beach bookie who finds himself in trouble with his mob bosses for reasons he can't quite figure out. When an assailant attempts ...

Touch
1997
Novel
At the discovery of his ability to work miracles, Juvenal becomes a media sensation, but now he's prone to those who want to exploit him.

Last Stand at Saber River
1997
Novel
As America recovers from the Civil War, one man tries to put the pieces of his life back together but finds himself fighting a new battle on the front...

Get Shorty
1995
Novel
Chili Palmer is a Miami mobster who gets sent to L.A. to collect a bad debt from Harry Zimm, a Hollywood producer who specializes in cheesy horror fil...

Split Images
1992
Novel
A journalist knows more about a grizzly murder than is good for her. All her evidence points toward a mysterious millionaire but no one will believe h...

Border Shootout
1989
Novel
Young rancher Kirby Frye is appointed deputy in a small town tyrannized by ruthless Phil Sundeen, the son of one of the founders of the town.

Desperado: Badlands Justice
1989
Characters
Alex McArthur returns as cowboy Duell McCall, who wanders the wide frontier in search of the one man who will clear him of a murder charge (What price...

Desperado: The Outlaw Wars
1989
Creator
Duell McCall visits his old girlfriend, Nora, and learns that she gave birth to his child. He wants to stay but he is still a wanted man. So, Sherif...

Cat Chaser
1989
Novel, Screenplay
A Miami hotel owner finds danger when he becomes romantically involved with the wife of a deposed general from the Dominican Republic where he fought ...

Glitz
1988
Novel
Vincent Marra is a Miami cop on medical leave in Puerto Rico, where he's being stalked by a sex offender he testified against.

Desperado: Avalanche at Devil's Ridge
1988
Creator
Duell McCall is an outlaw on the run for a crime he didn't commit. Captured by the law and coerced into helping rescue the daughter of the evil local ...
Desperado: Avalanche at Devil's Ridge
1988
Writer
A deputy catches Duell and is bringing him in and some men who want the reward try to get Duell from the deputy. There's a gunfight and Duell's the on...

The Return of Desperado
1988
Creator
Duell McCall is in New Mexico running afoul of local land baron. McCall pauses long enough in his escape flight to come to the aid of black homestead...

The Rosary Murders
1987
Screenplay
A priest is put in a dilemma when the serial killer who has been murdering priests and nuns confesses to him.

Desperado
1987
Writer
Cowboy Duell McCall wants to quickly deliver a herd of cattle to town, get paid and move on but romance with local girl Nora gets him involved in a fe...

52 Pick-Up
1986
Novel, Screenplay
Harry Mitchell is a successful Los Angeles manufacturer whose wife is running for city council. His life is turned upside down when three blackmailers...

Stick
1985
Novel, Screenplay
After getting out of jail, car thief Ernest "Stick" Stickley witnesses the murder of his friend Rainy during a drug deal. To avoid getting killed by t...

The Ambassador
1985
Novel
An American ambassador to Israel tries to bring peace to the Middle East conflict through unconventional methods, but his efforts are hampered at ever...

High Noon, Part II: The Return of Will Kane
1980
Writer
Former Marshal Will Kane and his Amish bride, Amy, return to Hadleyville a year after he resigned and find the town in the grip of a bounty-hunting ma...

Mr. Majestyk
1974
Writer
A melon farmer battles organized crime and a hit man who wants to kill him.

Joe Kidd
1972
Writer
A band of Mexicans find their U. S. land claims denied and all the records destroyed in a courthouse fire. Their leader, Louis Chama, encourages them ...

Valdez Is Coming
1971
Novel
Old Mexican-American sheriff Bob Valdez has always been a haven of sanity in a land of madmen when it came to defending law and order. But the weapon ...

The Moonshine War
1970
Screenplay
A federal agent attempts to make some real money before the alcohol ban is lifted so he sets his sights on the whiskey cache of an old army buddy.

The Big Bounce
1969
Novel
A Vietnam veteran and ex-con is persuaded by a shady woman to rob a $50,000 payroll account on a California produce farm. But who is playing who?

Hombre
1967
Novel
John Russell, disdained by his "respectable" fellow stagecoach passengers because he was raised by Indians, becomes their only hope for survival when ...

3:10 to Yuma
1957
Short Story
Dan Evans, a small time farmer, is hired to escort Ben Wade, a dangerous outlaw, to Yuma. As Evans and Wade wait for the 3:10 train to Yuma, Wade's ga...

The Tall T
1957
Story
An independent former ranch foreman and an heiress are kidnapped by a trio of ruthless outlaws.

Inside 'Out of Sight'
N/A
as Himself
A behind-the-scenes look at the making of the 1998 movie "Out of Sight".
Mr. Paradise
N/A
Book
Kelly, an aspiring model, witnesses a murder and gets caught in a web of intrigue.