Stories of Hollywood icon Eustace Cockrell published | Local
TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN – Eustace Cockrell gained notoriety as a contributing writer to several successful westerns in the early days of television, but it is his work that led to his television career that is at the center of the new version in double volume The Masterpieces of Eustace Cockrell, compiled by Cockrell’s son-in-law, Roger Coleman, a resident of Edenton.
Cockrell was a pioneering television writer who contributed to many of the early western shows including “Have Gun Will Travelâ€, “Maverick†and “Gunsmokeâ€. He has also written for high profile TV shows like “Alfred Hitchcock Presents”, “I Spy” and “Naked City”.
Ultimately, Cockrell was also a master of the short story ahead of his Hollywood career. For 25 years, starting in 1932, his works appeared regularly in pulp fiction magazines such as Blue Book and Argosy as well as in “slicks” such as Collier’s, Saturday Evening Post and Cosmopolitan.
Now, for the first time, these stories have been brought together in a two-volume set edited by Coleman – also a writer – who is married to Cockrell’s daughter, Elizabeth.
These two volumes are organized to reflect a division in Cockrell’s prolific writings. His early stories (1936-1945) portray the darkness of the Great Depression and the onset of World War II. Here, orphans, ex-cons and soldiers are often heroes and sources of inspiration. Her later accounts (1946-1957) express a greater awareness of social problems and a rebellion against restrictive attitudes, especially those that limit the role of women and minorities.
“Cockrell developed a style that set him apart from other great writers of his time,†Coleman said. “In addition to showcasing strong, independent women, Cockrell was one of the first to feature a black hero in the person of boxer Refugee Smith. Refugee Smith appeared in 13 of the Cockrell Stories.
Eustace Cockrell’s masterpieces further define Cockrell’s importance as an American writer – whether read on paper or viewed on the home screen – as much for the excellence of his writing as for the message conveyed.
“Eustace Cockrell’s masterpieces contain stories about second chances and the potential for all of us to make a difference in our lives and in the lives of others,†said Coleman. “These stories are reminiscent of what it means to be human in a world far removed from the time when Cockrell wrote. Times have changed, but the scenario remains the same. “
Published by Mission Point Press, Traverse City, Michigan, The Masterpieces of Eustace Cockrell is available in store and online. The retail price for each volume is $ 16.95. For more information, visit www.eustacecockrell.net.