William Harrington
William Harrington, born on November 21, 1931, in Marietta, Ohio, was a multifaceted individual known for his contributions to both law and literature. He earned an A.B. from Marietta College, an M.A. from Duke University, and a J.D. from Ohio State University, leading a distinguished career in law between 1958 and 1980. Harrington held various legal roles, including private practice and counsel positions, before transitioning to a writing career, which he pursued passionately. He is particularly recognized for creating the "Columbo" series, which was adapted into a popular television mystery starring Peter Falk. The unique storytelling approach of this series involved revealing the perpetrator at the outset, captivating audiences as the detective, Columbo, unraveled the plot. Throughout his writing career, Harrington penned numerous crime novels often set in courtrooms and police stations, and incorporated explicit themes into his narratives. He was also known for ghostwriting several books for celebrities and writing under pseudonyms like Megan Marklin. Harrington's literary contributions earned him the Ohioana Book Award in 1967, reflecting his impact on the genre.
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William Harrington
Fiction Writer
- Born: November 21, 1931
- Birthplace: Marietta, Ohio
- Died: November 8, 2000
- Place of death: Greenwich, Connecticut
Biography
William Harrington was born on November 21, 1931, in Marietta, Ohio, the son of William K. Harrington, an oil producer, and Virginia Pickens, a housewife. His first marriage ended in divorce as did his second. He married Diana C. Fitch on April 26, 1972, and divorced in 1992. He has one son; he lives in Cos Cob, Connecticut.
He was awarded an A.B. from Marietta College in 1953, and an M.A. from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, in 1955. He earned a J.D. from Ohio State University in Columbus in 1958. He was also awarded a Phi Beta Kappa Key. He served in many legal capacities from 1958 to 1980: in private practice in Columbus; in the office of the Ohio Secretary of State, Columbus; as elections counsel; as Ohio State Bar Association counsel; and in the firm of Mead Data Central as the senior attorney. However, after 1980, Harrington made his living as a writer, an occupation that he loved best. He was also a member of the New York City Bar Association and the American Civil Liberties Union. In 1967, he won the Ohioana Book Award.
Perhaps his best-known series is Columbo, a series that became a hit television mystery starring Peter Falk as the scruffy-looking detective for the LAPD whose lackadaisical demeanor hid a sharp mind. The television series was unique because the villain was known at the beginning; readers and eventually viewers watched Columbo unravel what the perpetrator thought to be a perfect crime.
By the time that Harrington began the Columbo series in 1993, he had already been writing crime novels for twenty years. His stories are often set in courtrooms, where he was at home as a lawyer, and in police stations, where procedures often come under scrutiny. He also included in many of his crime novels explicit sex scenes among the clever plots. He has also ghostwritten more than ten books for celebrities. He has written under pseudonyms, including the name Megan Marklin.