James Holding’s Followers (4)

James Holding

Born

in Ben Avon, Pennsylvania, The United States

April 27, 1907

Died

March 28, 1997

Genre

Mystery & Thrillers, Children's Books

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aka Ellery Queen Jr., Freeric Dannay, Manfred B. Lee, Clark Carlisle.

James Clark Carlisle Holding was born April 27, 1907, in Ben Avon, Pennsylvania. His parents were James Clark Carlisle, an engineer, and Laura May (Krepps) Holding. In 1931, he married Janet Spice, with whom he had two children.

Holding attended Yale University and was a member of Alpha Chi Rho. He graduated with an A.B. in 1928. Holding then took the next year to travel throughout Europe. When he returned, he took a job in Pittsburgh with Harbison Walker Co. as a firebrick salesman. After a short stay at Harbison Walker Co., he began as a junior copywriter at Batte, Barton, Durstine & Osborne in Pittsburgh. He was a copywriter from 1930 to 1944. In 1944, he moved to copy c aka Ellery Queen Jr., Freeric Dannay, Manfred B. Lee, Clark Carlisle.

James Clark Carlisle Holding was born April 27, 1907, in Ben Avon, Pennsylvania. His parents were James Clark Carlisle, an engineer, and Laura May (Krepps) Holding. In 1931, he married Janet Spice, with whom he had two children.

Holding attended Yale University and was a member of Alpha Chi Rho. He graduated with an A.B. in 1928. Holding then took the next year to travel throughout Europe. When he returned, he took a job in Pittsburgh with Harbison Walker Co. as a firebrick salesman. After a short stay at Harbison Walker Co., he began as a junior copywriter at Batte, Barton, Durstine & Osborne in Pittsburgh. He was a copywriter from 1930 to 1944. In 1944, he moved to copy chief. During this time he created the advertising slogan for Fort Pitt beer: “Fort Pitt, That’s It.” He became vice-president after eight years and he remained in this position until 1958. While holding this high position in the company, Holding suffered the traumatic loss of his son, which eventually drove him to retire from the firm. At this point, though, Holding became a consultant, where he remained for the next ten years. Then, in 1959, he began freelance writing, which he continued until his death. Holding’s first juvenile book, The Lazy Little Zulu, was published in 1962, a few years after he began his freelance writing career.

Holding’s writing has established him in the field of mystery, as well as in children’s literature. He wrote 17 juvenile books. He was also the author of more than 160 mystery stories under the pseudonym of Ellery Queen and edited many other stories. Holding wrote short mystery stories for Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, and Mike Shayne’s Mystery Magazine, along with other similar periodicals. One of the more famous villains he created in his mysteries was Manuel Andradas, a Brazilian hitman who disguised himself as a photographer. He was also a contributor to travel magazines such as Clipper and Signature.

Holding won the John Masefield Poetry Prize and the John Hubbard Curtis Poetry Prize twice.

James and Janet Holding moved to Sarasota, Florida, in 1971, but returned in 1991 when their health began to fail. Holding spent his last years living with his wife Janet at the Sherwood Oaks Retirement Home in Cranberry. Holding died March 29, 1997, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

- This biography was prepared by Anastasia Cortez and Alicia Bott, Spring 2002. ...more

Combine Editions
James Holding’s books

Average rating: 3.9 · 1,352 ratings · 176 reviews · 134 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Library Fuzz MEGAPACK ®: The Complete Hal Johnson Series by James Holding, Shawn M. Garrett (Editor) 3.86 avg rating — 105 ratings — published 2015 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Third Mystery MEGAPACK®: 26 Modern and Classic Mysteries by James Holding, Earl Derr Biggers, George Harmon Coxe 3.90 avg rating — 72 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	James Holding’s Conmen & Cutthroats MEGAPACK ™: 25 Classic Mystery Stories 4.36 avg rating — 22 ratings — published 2015	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	James Holding’s Murder & Mayhem MEGAPACK ™: 24 Classic Mystery Stories and a Poem 4.05 avg rating — 22 ratings — published 2015	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The ugliest dog in the world 4.33 avg rating — 9 ratings — published 1979 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Second Adventure MEGAPACK®: 23 Classic Adventure Stories by James Holding, Frank Belknap Long, Johnston McCulley 3.88 avg rating — 8 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Watchcat 3.71 avg rating — 7 ratings — published 1975 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Zanzibar Shirt Mystery and Other Stories by James Holding, Jeffrey Marks (Goodreads Author) (Editor) 4.33 avg rating — 6 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Mystery of Dolphin Inlet 4.17 avg rating — 6 ratings — published 1968 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Mystery of the False Fingertips 4.75 avg rating — 4 ratings — published 1964 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by James Holding…

Series by James Holding

The Photographer (3 books)
by

James Holding

3.33 avg rating — 3 ratings

Quotes by James Holding (?)

“No man can afford to be completely honest until he is financially independent.”
― James Holding, James Holding’s Conmen & Cutthroats MEGAPACK ™: 25 Classic Mystery Stories

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“Some days later, the Thracian goat rhyton rested regally atop a glass table beside the swimming pool of Hugh Bascomb’s home in Coral Gables. Hugh Bascomb himself lounged in a chair nearby, sipping a dry martini and gazing with unrestrained admiration and”
― James Holding, James Holding’s Murder & Mayhem MEGAPACK ™: 24 Classic Mystery Stories and a Poem

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“But as British soldiers they should have died under torture rather than be guilty of treachery.”
― James Holding, The Third Mystery MEGAPACK®: 26 Modern and Classic Mysteries

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James Holding’s Followers (4)

James Holding

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James Holding’s books