Jack Sharkey

Born in Chicago on May 6, 1931, John Michael Sharkey wrote under the name Jack Sharkey and worked across several forms, including science fiction short stories, novels, magazine writing, and theater. Reliable reference sources describe him as an American writer and playwright whose career ranged from magazine work in the 1960s to a long run of published plays.

Sharkey became especially known for his productivity. He published science fiction in magazines beginning in the late 1950s, and theater sources credit him with more than eighty plays, many issued under pen names such as Rick Abbot, Monk Ferris, and Mike Johnson. His work earned a reputation for lively, accessible entertainment, which helps explain why his stage comedies remained popular with performing groups.

He died on September 28, 1992, in Laguna Hills, California. For listeners and readers today, his appeal lies in that unusual mix of imagination and theatrical know-how: a writer comfortable with futuristic jokes, sharp dialogue, and stories built to keep an audience engaged.