Stout, Rex (1886-1975), was an American detective-story writer. He created the fat, beer-drinking, orchid-loving detective Nero Wolfe. Wolfe stays in his New York City brownstone residence and sends his able assistant Archie Goodwin out for clues. Later, while sitting with a glass of beer, Wolfe solves the mystery. Wolfe first appeared in Fer-de-Lance (1934). Other Nero Wolfe mysteries include Too Many Cooks (1938), Some Buried Caesar (1939), And Be a Villain (1948), and A Family Affair (1975).
Rex Todhunter Stout was born on Dec. 1, 1886, in Noblesville, Indiana. He devised a school banking system which he set up in about 400 cities and towns between 1917 and 1927. Profits from the system made him wealthy and enabled him to devote his time to writing. Stout died on Oct. 27, 1975.
