author
John Gilmore
Known for hard-boiled true crime and Hollywood memoirs, this Los Angeles writer explored the city's glamour and darkness with a sharp, rebellious voice. His books often mix insider memory, crime history, and the uneasy myths of old Hollywood.
1 Audiobook
Storm Warriors; or, Life-Boat Work on the Goodwin Sands
by John Gilmore
About the author
Born in Los Angeles on July 5, 1935, John Gilmore was an American author and journalist whose work was closely tied to Southern California and the darker edges of Hollywood history. Before focusing on writing, he worked as a film, television, and stage actor in the 1950s.
He became best known for iconoclastic Hollywood memoirs, true crime books, and noir-leaning fiction. His writing was often described as gonzo in spirit, blending reporting, personal experience, and a fascination with notorious real-life cases and the hidden side of Los Angeles.
Gilmore died on October 13, 2016. He remains remembered as a distinctive L.A. voice whose work appealed to readers drawn to true crime, old Hollywood, and stories where legend and reality blur together.