Lee Mortimer

"[4] In 1932, Mortimer began his long-term association with the New York Mirror, working for editor Jack Lait, with whom he later penned a series of bestselling crime books.

His association with Marcus Loew's theater publicist and nightclub impresario Nils Granlund led to introductions to speakeasy club owners of the Prohibition Era, as sources for his Broadway material.

[7] Mortimer served as a first lieutenant in the Signal Corps from 1942 to 1943, then returned to New York City and began a collaboration with Jack Lait that produced several bestselling crime books.

Following that success, Mortimer began lecturing on crime and communism, and at one point attempted to tie popular singer Frank Sinatra to the Mafia and the Communist Party.

[10] Mortimer wed five times, including marriages to Gerry Pascal, Patricia Whitney, Una Wyse, Ann Koga, and Mariko Harada.