Pat Frank

Birth : 1907-06-15, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Death : 1964-10-12

History

An American newspaperman and information consultant for the U.S. government, Harry Hart Frank used the pseudonym Pat Frank for his fictional writing. Born in Chicago, he began his career in journalism in New York and moved on to Washington. He worked as a correspondent and for the Office of War Information during World War II in Italy, Germany, Austria and Turkey, and later Korea during the Korean War. After the war years, he wrote novels at his home in Florida. His short story, "The Girl Who Almost Got Away", was the basis for the Howard Hawks film Man's Favorite Sport? (1964) starring Rock Hudson and Paula Prentiss. Frank died in Jacksonville, Florida on October 12, 1964 from pancreatitis.

Movies

Man's Favorite Sport?
Story
Roger Willoughby is a renowned fishing expert, who, unbeknownst to his friends, co-workers, or boss, has never cast a line in his life. One day, he crosses paths with Abigail Paige, a sweetly annoying girl who has just badgered his boss into signing Roger up for an annual fishing tournament.
We Shall Return
Screenplay
A prominent Cuban landowner flees to Miami with his anti-Castro activist younger son, where he learns that his elder son is working to sabotage the Bay of Pigs invasion.
Hold Back The Night
Novel
A Marine officer (John Payne) goes through Korea with the bottle of Scotch that his wife (Mona Freeman) gave him in the last war.