Jayne Says

The Film Forum in NYC is throwing a three-week heist film festival this October, and tucked away in the middle is an an unofficial David Goodis Heist Novel Mini-Fest: a double feature of both Nightfall and The Burglar (starring Jayne Mansfield and Dan Duryea, above). Both are new 35mm prints. God, I wish Bouchercon weren't the same week.

Bogie's Hiding Out

And so am I.

I'm finally back home from my six week trek to California, and there photos and stories and general fits of insanity to share. But there are also deadlines to meet, so I'll post here and on Twitter (twitter.com/swierczy) whenever I need a break from the action.

But man, do I have stories.

In the meantime, you should definitely visit the brand-spankin' new Mulholland Books site, because John Schoenfelder and Miriam Parker and the crew have been posting one hardboiled/noir goodie after another. Don Winslow! Lawrence Block! Joe R. Lansdale! I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am to be part of this outfit. (If you dig around the site, you'll find a few words about my forthcoming trilogy for Mulholland.) So follow 'em, friend 'em, cut your palms and become blood brothers with 'em. You won't regret it.

(Photo: A third-floor apartment in the Malloch Building on Telegraph Hill in San Francisco, a main setting for the 1947 noir, Dark Passage, based on the novel by David Goodis.)

David Goodis, Like You've Never Seen Him Before

That is to say, in a documentary. Larry Withers' long-awaited David Goodis... To a Pulp will make its screen debut in a little more than a month, and you're invited. You can find more details (and a segment from the documentary) over at Lou Boxer's NoirCon site.

Goodis-4-Life

Above, Philly native Dan Wolkow (that's Professor Wolkow to some of you) at the intersection of 10th and Loudon in Philly's Logan neighborhood, where noir writing legend David Goodis grew up. Two decidedly un-thuggish things about this photo: the cigarette in Dan's mouth is fake. And behind the stone barriers are two mini-vans. Still, there was much fun at yesterday's Goodis Tour and Memorial 2010, and I've uploaded some photos to Flickr. I shot some video at the Goodis grave, but it came out ultra-shaky, and the sound was crap. So sorry; no HD footage this year. Maybe next time.

Goodisville: The Tenderloin

"They spotted him on Race Street between Ninth and Tenth. It was Chinatown in the tenderloin of Philadelphia and he stood gazing into the window of the Wong Ho restaurant and wishing he had the cash to buy himself some egg-foo-yung. The menu in the window priced egg-foo-yung at eighty cents an order and he had exactly thirty-one cents in his pocket. He shrugged and started to turn away from the window and just then he heard them coming."

From: "Black Pudding" by David Goodis (Originally published in Manhunt, December 1953; reprinted in Black Friday & Selected Stories, Serpent's Tail, 2006)

Photo: Race Street, between 9th and 10th streets, February 21, 1950.

About this series: Adrian Wootton, CEO of Film London, wrote that Philadelphia is "the hometown [David] Goodis celebrates, described with almost maniacal attention to topographical detail and re-imagined in almost all his writing." So I thought it would be fun to tour the Quaker City through Goodis's eyes, pairing selections from his novels with photos of the city as Goodis saw it. Hence, "Goodisville," which will be updated throughout the coming year.

(Photo courtesy PhillyHistory.org, a project of the Philadelphia Department of Records.)

Goodisville: Northwood

"The house was a bungalow on the outskirts of Frankford, where Philadelphia gives way to the Roosevelt Boulevard. It was a neighborhood of new homes, low-priced but solidly constructed. The bungalows were detached and each had a reasonably wide skirting of lawn, a small garage, an open porch, and an altogether attractive appearance. They were nice little bungalows and it was a clean and pretty little neighborhood. But the fact remained that it was lower-middle-class, and Alvin Darby told himself it wouldn't sum up as the usual target of a burglar."

From: Of Tender Sin (1952) by David Goodis

Photo: Adams and Castor Avenues, Northwood, June 2, 1950

About this series: Adrian Wootton, CEO of Film London, wrote that Philadelphia is "the hometown [David] Goodis celebrates, described with almost maniacal attention to topographical detail and re-imagined in almost all his writing." So I thought it would be fun to tour the Quaker City through Goodis's eyes, pairing selections from his novels with photos of the city as Goodis saw it. Hence, "Goodisville," which will be updated throughout the coming year.

(Photo courtesy PhillyHistory.org, a project of the Philadelphia Department of Records.)

Goodisville: Germantown

"He wondered if there was a lot of crime in Germantown. If things hadn't changed there wouldn't be much police activity there, because long ago when he was at the University he saw Germantown as a collection of dignity, just a bit smug and perhaps unconsciously snobbish against the historical background and the old colonial flavor. It might still be quiet and dignified up there. He wished he had cab fare. The dime for beer left him eighty-three cents, and he knew a cab to Germantown would cost much more."

From: Black Friday (1954) by David Goodis

Photo: 6358 Germantown Avenue, June 20, 1957

About this series: Adrian Wootton, CEO of Film London, wrote that Philadelphia is "the hometown [David] Goodis celebrates, described with almost maniacal attention to topographical detail and re-imagined in almost all his writing." So I thought it would be fun to tour the Quaker City through Goodis's eyes, pairing selections from his novels with photos of the city as Goodis saw it. Hence, "Goodisville," which will be updated throughout the coming year.

(Photo courtesy PhillyHistory.org, a project of the Philadelphia Department of Records.)

Welome Home, Davey Boy

I've long known that noir legend David Goodis was born in Philly's Logan neighborhood. But until Lou Boxer and Aaron Finestone sent me the above photo, I never knew it was that part of Logan. And by "that part" I mean the notorious sinking homes of Logan. Seems that 80-plus years ago, some developer decided it would be okay to build a neighborhood on top of old creekbeds filled in with ash and garbage. Nice homes, mind you. Stately brick townhouses with green lawns. But over the years, the foundations began to collapse. Walls cracked. Gas pipes leaked. By the turn of this century, over 900 homes had been razed. And today, Logan is left with a 17-block preview of what the apocalypse will look like.

I wonder what David Goodis would have thought, had you plucked him out of the 1950s and dropped him at 10th and Loudon (the intersection near his birthplace) today, at the edge of 2010. He probably might have thought the H-bombs had finally been dropped. Or that someone had dropped a bomb on Logan specifically. Then he'd probably go off and write about it. Goodis was a genius when it came to capturing these dark, little slices of the city in his novels.

Anyway... this is but one of many fun, happy, bright tour stops on this year's Tour of Goodis's Philadelphia, a new part of the annual Goodis Graveside ceremony. I'll be there, along with organizers Boxer and Finestone and other noir-heads. We're meeting up at the Oak Lane Diner, 6528 Broad Street, at 11 a.m. on Sunday, January 10. If you can't make it, no worries. I'll be taking some photos and video of the tour stops. You know. Just in case you need a little pick-me-up.

(Photo: Lou Boxer)

Another Goodis Gathering

We're less than a month away from the second annual graveside ceremony honoring Philadelphia noir legend David Goodis (above left). You can read my coverage from last year's event here; I'll definitely be headed back this year. The details are in from Aaron Finestone and Lou Boxer:

"From the nearby Delaware a cold wind came lancing in, telling all alley cats they'd better find a heated cellar"

Shoot the Piano Player (Down There)

Sunday, January 10, 2010 is the 43rd anniversary of the funeral of David Goodis, the Prince of Noir. In his memory, the Noir Coalition of Philadelphia will re-enact his funeral and tour the slums, dives and streets-of-the-lost which he frequented. His characters will retreat from oblivion, as we learn what made David Goodis the brilliant writer who he was. Details will follow.

At 11 a.m., Hardcore Goodisheads will convene at the Oak Lane Diner, Broad Street and 66th Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19126, 215-424-1026, for a bleak, chilling, depressing tour of the hardboiled underbelly of David Goodis' Philadelphia.

At 2 p.m., we will gather at Roosevelt Memorial Park, 2701 Old Lincoln Highway, Trevose, PA 19053 (215-673-7500), just over the Bucks County line from Philadelphia. The grave is located at Section B-3, Lot 324, Grave 3 near the mausoleum.

At graveside, we will read excerpts from David Goodis' coldest, most gripping work. Bring your favorite, darkest passages from Goodis' novels and short stories.

After David's funeral, friends gathered at the Toddle House to remember David's outrageous humor and recount his devoted friendship. The Toddle House---at Broad and Belfield Streets in Logan---is now a vacant lot.

We will re-live the apres-funeral with lunch at the Club House Diner, 2495 Street Road (between Knights and Mechanicsville Road, 215-639-4287) in Bensalem, a few minutes from Roosevelt cemetery. Lunch (liquid and otherwise) begins at 3 p.m. We will adjourn at nightfall.

If you would be interested in tour or the luncheon or want more information, please email Louis Boxer at lboxer1@gmail.com or Aaron Finestone at aaron@microbrewjournalism.com . Your email is not binding. We just need estimates for the bus and the restaurant.

Join us for this Day with Dave. What better way to spend a cold day in January, alley cats and all.

Relics of a Noir Writer

Above is a photo of a thank-you note from David Goodis sent to Dutch Silver back in the mid-1960s. We passed it around the table and joked about taking some DNA from the back of the stamp and creating a Goodis clone who would be promptly chained to a typewriter and made to write more novels. (Hand model: Ed Pettit.)

And finally, the 10 video clips I shot have been posted to YouTube. Not kidding about the "finally" part... sons of bitches seemed to take forever to upload. The sound is kind of on the sucky side, thanks to the icy wind whipping through the cemetery. For optimum viewing pleasure (and if your connection speed is up to it) definitely hit the "Watch in HD" tab. You'll be able to fully enjoy my Cloverfield-style shakycam footage in crisp high definition.

Here's a sample: Mr. Pettit reading from Down There. (You don't know how tempted I was to call the clip "Ed Pettit Goes Down.")

The Goodis Graveside Memorial

I returned a short while ago from the David Goodis memorial service, and a noir time was had by all. About a dozen of us braved the bitter January cold to read from the man's work, share pieces of Goodis biography/trivia with each other, and relive a little bit of GoodisCon, held a little more than two years ago this month.

After Goodis's funeral in 1967, a small group of friends gathered at the Toddle House in Logan. That bar is long gone, so we ventured to the nearby Clubhouse Diner in Bensalem, PA, where we sipped beer, ate salad and burgers, and talked Goodis. Here's a shot of the Goodis Crew '09. From left to right: Peter Rozovsky, Stacy Shreffler, Eric Rice, Lou Boxer, Aaron Finestone, Dutch Silver, Thomas Whitehead, Ed "Philly Poe Guy" Pettit, Andrew Kevorkian. Holding the camera: me.

I'm in the process of uploading about seven video clips to YouTube; I'll post links/embed them when they're ready later tonight. And check back for the next entry, which includes a nice little Goodis relic (courtesy Dutch Silver).

Sunday With David Goodis

... or, at least, his mortal remains. Tomorrow brings the graveside memorial service for noir legend David Goodis (above center). I'll be there along with the Philly Poe Guy, my digital camera and my HD Flip recorder to capture as much of the event as possible. Check back tomorrow night for photos and (hopefully) some actual HD footage.

A Goodis Gathering

Aaron Finestone asked me to pass this along: an invitation to a graveside memorial service for Philly noir legend David Goodis. (I'll definitely be there.)

"January cold came in from two rivers, formed four walls around Hart and closed in on him." —Black Friday

The night of January 25 is the anniversary of the death of David Loeb Goodis according to the Hebrew Calendar. In honor of the Great Philadelphia Noir Writer, Louis Boxer and Aaron Finestone are staging a gathering to remember David Goodis on the afternoon of January 25 at Roosevelt Memorial Park, 2701 Old Lincoln Highway, Trevose, PA 19053 (215-673-7500), just over the Bucks County line from Philadelphia. The grave is located at Section B-3, Lot 324, Grave 3.

After David's funeral, friends gathered at the Toddle House to remember David's outrageous humor and recount his devoted friendship. The Toddle House---at Broad and Belfield Streets in Logan---is now a vacant lot. We will re-enact the apres-funeral lunch at the Club House Diner, 2495 Street Road (between Knights and Mechanicsville Road, 215-639-4287) in Bensalem, a few minutes from Roosevelt Cemetery.

The memorial begins at 2 p.m. The luncheon begins at 3 p.m. At graveside we will read excerpts from David Goodis' coldest, most gripping works.

If you would be interested in attending, would you please email us (lboxer1@gmail.com and microbrewjournalism@gmail.com). Your email would not be binding. We just want to give an estimate to the restaurant.

What better way to spend a cold January afternoon.

Looking forward to seeing you January 25.

You Know You Can't Control Yourself Any Longer

Lou Boxer has posted a new treasure trove of David Goodis photos. (Goodis, of course, is the patron saint of Philadelphia noir writing.) Everybody party!

Bacall, Bogie and Goodis

Aaron Finestone unearths another great, rare David Goodis photo, and interviews cousin April Feld Sandor, who received some career advice from Goodis when she was a just a teenager. Essential reading for you Goodis freaks out there.

Opening Shots: Somebody's Done For

There was no land in sight.

Some seventy feet above the water a famished seagull circled slowly, somewhat warily. It had spotted this thing that seemed to be bobbing listlessly on the surface and was evidently too weary to resist assault. The thing looked like meat, and the bird's empty belly sent an urgent directive to the white wings, something along the lines of let's go down there and grab a fast bite. But the gull's brain counseled in terms of caution. The only feasible move was to take a closer look.

Somebody's Done For
by David Goodis
(Banner, 1967)

This book, available for 60 cents, was on the racks right around the time my dad was preparing to go to Vietnam. Goodis would be dead a few months later.

David Goodis Goes to the Beach

Aaron Finestone emailed to tell me that he's posted this photo album of ultra-rare David Goodis photos, provided by Lou "NoirCon" Boxer. Goodis, of course, is Philadelphia's king of noir fiction, and above, he's seen goofing off on the beach at Atlantic City. I've seen some of these photos before (Lou showed 'em to me a while back), but some are completely new... and mesmerizing. You definitely need to check them out.

And in honor of the end of summer, and Goodis, and the Jersey Shore, I think I'll post the opening to Somebody's Done For, Goodis's last novel, and as far as I knew, one of his few Jersey Shore-based noirs.

Two Reasons to Hit a Comic Shop Today

1. Chances are, your local comic shop is giving away a sweet little bit of Marvel swag: an April calendar featuring the big "Secret Invasion" event. But on the back (or the front, depending on how it's folded) is a March calendar featuring Cable. I grabbed a bunch yesterday, and forced my kids to hang one in their room. Hey, promotion knows no bounds. And if the big mutant with the glowing eye gives them nightmares... well, that's just part of the joy of childhood. (Remind to tell you sometime about the evil clown my father painted on my bedroom wall... one with real seatbelts for arms, that came out of the freakin' wall...)

2. Ed Brubaker's Criminal Vol. 2 #1 hit the racks yesterday. If you're a fan of Hard Case Crime and Gold Medal paperbacks and Cain and Thompson and Goodis and the gang, you can't afford to miss this hardboiled pulp noir comic. And if you're a newbie, this issue is the perfect place to dive in: "Second Chance in Hell" is a self-contained story, packed with more pages than the usual Criminal installment. I'm also proud to report that my short essay about David Goodis, "Knock Me Over," is included in the back, along with an amazing Sean Phillips illustration. This essay won't appear anywhere else, and the extras aren't reprinted in the trades.

So to recap: walk into a comic shop with $3.50, and walk out with a cool poster, a killer noir story, and a little noir essay by your friendly neighborhood Pole. Tell me a better deal than that and I'll buy you a hot dog.

An Inspirational Message from David Goodis

"I do not hold to the premise that a writer must live his own story. If I did, I would be writing about a fourth-rate football player, a frustrated racing driver, an unsuccessful landscape gardener and an unhappy automobile mechanic."

—David Goodis, in an author bio accompanying his short story, "Caravan to Tarim," in Collier's Weekly, October 1946

An Inspirational Message from David Goodis

"I'm 49, and my first novel was published when I was 22. It was nothing, and the same applies to most of the 16 others published since then."


David Goodis, in a letter to William David Sherman, August 16, 1966.

(From the Yale Collection of American Literature, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, by way of Lou Boxer.)