Joseph Wambaugh Dead At 88

Every cop over the age of 40 knows Joseph Wambaugh. Most didn’t know him personally but they felt like they knew him. For those of you that don’t recognize former LAPD Officer Wambaugh turned famed novelist of gritty police themed books and movies such as “The Choir Boys” and “The Onion Field,” you missed out but fortunately, Wambaugh’s work will live on for generations.

Wambaugh started his law enforcement career in 1960 with the Los Angeles Police Department. He was on the job through three best selling books but fame took over and began to disrupt the job that he loved.  False calls were continually being called in to the department with specific instructions for Sergeant Wambaugh to investigate them.  After 14 years, Wambaugh left the department but thankfully his writing and care for the profession never stopped.

His writing was often based on real-life experiences, and those experiences brought a realism to crime drama that the world had not yet seen. Andy Griffith and Dragnet took a back seat to what Wambaugh brought to the table.

In 1973, his fame reached a high with the acclaimed nonfiction book, “The Onion Field,” a true account of a police kidnapping and murder. In 1979, Wambaugh wrote the screenplay for the movie with Wambaugh reportedly supervising the production of the film to ensure realism.

Wambaugh, who reshaped the portrayal of police officers in fiction, blending dark humor, tragedy, and psychological depth into his narratives, will be missed but his legacy lives on.

Books by Joseph Wambaugh

Fiction

1. The New Centurions (1971)
2. The Blue Knight (1972)
3. The Choirboys (1975)
4. The Black Marble (1978)
5. The Glitter Dome (1981)
6. The Delta Star (1983)
7. Lines and Shadows (1984) (Based on real events but written in a narrative style)
8. The Secrets of Harry Bright (1985)
9. The Golden Orange (1990)
10. Finnegan’s Week (1993)
11. Floaters (1996)
12. Fire Lover (2002) (True crime but written in a novelistic style)
13. Hollywood Station (2006)
14. Hollywood Crows (2008)
15. Hollywood Moon (2009)
16. Hollywood Hills (2010)

Non-Fiction (True Crime)

1. The Onion Field (1973)
2. Echoes in the Darkness (1987)
3. The Blooding (1989)

Movies & TV Adaptations

Movies

1. The New Centurions (1972) – Starring George C. Scott and Stacy Keach
2. The Blue Knight (1973) – TV movie starring William Holden (later became a TV series)
3. The Onion Field (1979) – Starring John Savage and James Woods
4. The Black Marble (1980) – Starring Robert Foxworth and Paula Prentiss
5. The Choirboys (1977) – Starring Charles Durning and Louis Gossett Jr.
6. The Glitter Dome (1984) – TV movie starring James Garner

TV Adaptations

1. The Blue Knight (TV Series, 1975-1976) – Starring George Kennedy
2. Echoes in the Darkness (1987) – TV miniseries
3. Murder One: Diary of a Serial Killer (1997) – TV movie based on The Blooding