George C. Chesbro
George C. Chesbro is an American author born in 1940 in Delmar, New York. He attended Bethlehem High School, where he struggled academically and dealt with depression during his adolescence. After graduating, he went to Syracuse University, where he continued to face personal challenges but began writing as a therapeutic outlet. Following college, Chesbro worked for seventeen years as a special education teacher, focusing on developmentally disabled children, while dedicating his evenings to writing.
Chesbro is best known for creating the character Doctor Robert Frederickson, also known as Mongo the Magnificent, a dwarf detective who navigates various mysteries. His writing reflects a blend of mystery, science fiction, and fantasy, and he has published fourteen novels featuring Mongo. In the late 1970s, inspired by the portrayal of disabled detectives in media, Chesbro developed Mongo's character to embody dignity and a quest for respect. To ensure his works remained accessible, he and his wife established Apache Beach Publications. Currently, Chesbro resides in Nyack, New York, alongside his wife Robin.
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Subject Terms
George C. Chesbro
Fiction Writer
- Born: June 4, 1940
- Birthplace: Washington, D.C.
- Died: November 18, 2008
- Place of death: Albany, New York
Biography
George C. Chesbro was born in 1940 and grew up in Delmar, New York. He attended Bethlehem High School where he was a mediocre student by his own admission. Despite four years in sports and student council, Chesbro would later recount that he was depressed as an adolescent. After graduation, he went to Syracuse University, where he found himself to be average in every respect. By his junior year, the depression had returned and Chesbro began writing as a therapy for his moods.
He continued to write as a means of processing his own thoughts and centering himself. After graduation, Chesbro worked for seventeen years as a special education teacher, working with developmentally disabled children. He worked hard during class, but didn’t take work home. That left him time to write every evening. He continued to write and by 1979, he was able to support himself as a full-time writer.
Chesbro’s most famous character is Doctor Robert Frederickson, better known as Mongo the Magnificent, a dwarf detective. Chesbro said that in the 1970’s, a spate of disabled detectives appeared on television. Chesbro had been publishing mystery short stories, but hoped to develop a series character for his work. He came up with the idea of a dwarf detective. Chesbro was able to start writing about the character by imbuing the man with dignity and the desire for respect. Chesbro has since written fourteen novels about Mongo. The books have a unique blend of mystery, science fiction, and fantasy.
Chesbro and his wife set up a publishing company, Apache Beach Publications, in order to bring all of his works back into print. He lives with his wife Robin in Nyack, New York, on the Hudson River.