Wambaugh, Joseph (1937-…), an American author, gained recognition for his gritty and complex novels and nonfiction works that portray the lives of police officers. Wambaugh’s books reflect his experience as a member of the Los Angeles police force for 14 years. Critics have praised him for exploring how the stresses, temptations, and dangers of police work influence the personalities and behavior of his characters.
Joseph Aloysius Wambaugh, Jr., was born on Jan. 22, 1937, in East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He received a degree from California State College (now California State University) in Los Angeles in 1960. Wambaugh joined the Los Angeles police force in 1960 as a patrolman and eventually became a detective sergeant. He wrote his first two novels, The New Centurions (1971) and The Blue Knight (1972), while on the force. He resigned in 1974 to pursue writing full time. Wambaugh then wrote The Choirboys (1975) and The Black Marble (1978). The authentic realism of his first four novels revolutionized the way police officers and police work were portrayed in fiction.
Wambaugh also wrote several nonfiction books dealing with law enforcement. Perhaps the best known is The Onion Field (1973), an account of the murder of a Los Angeles policeman and its long-term effects on his partner and the convicted killers. Wambaugh created and served as consultant for a critically praised television dramatic series called “Police Story” (1973-1977).
Wambaugh’s other novels include The Glitter Dome (1981), The Delta Star (1983), The Secrets of Harry Bright (1985), The Golden Orange (1990), Fugitive Nights (1992), Finnegan’s Week (1993), and Floaters (1996). Wambaugh wrote a series of novels about a team of detectives assigned to a Los Angeles police station. The novels include Hollywood Station (2006), Hollywood Crows (2008), Hollywood Moon (2009), Hollywood Hills (2010), and Hollywood Nocturne (2012). His other nonfiction works include Lines and Shadows (1984), Echoes in the Darkness (1987), The Blooding (1989), and Fire Lover: A True Story (2002). Wambaugh also wrote the screenplays for the motion-picture adaptations of The Onion Field (1979) and The Black Marble (1980).
