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Harold Robbins

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Harold Robbins was a highly successful American novelist. He became one of the best-selling authors in history. Robbins wrote more than 25 best-selling books. These stories reached a massive global audience. People purchased over 750 million copies of his work. His books were translated into 32 different languages. This immense popularity made him a major figure in 20th-century literature.

Robbins was born Harold Rubin in New York City in 1916. His parents were Jewish emigrants from the Russian Empire. His father, Charles Rubin, worked as a pharmacist. His mother, Frances Smith, came from Neshwies. Robbins grew up in Brooklyn with his father and stepmother, Blanche. At age 15, he left high school to enlist in the U.S. Navy. He later claimed to be the sole survivor of a torpedoed submarine. However, historical records show no U.S. submarines were torpedoed during the 1930s.

Before finding fame, Robbins held many different jobs. He worked as an errand boy and a bookies' runner. He also served as an inventory clerk in a grocery store. From 1940 to 1957, he worked at Universal Pictures. He began his career there as a clerk. Through his efforts, he rose to the position of an executive. This role gave him a deep understanding of the film industry.

Robbins used his life experiences to fuel his writing. His first book was titled Never Love a Stranger, published in 1948. In 1949, he wrote The Dream Merchants. This novel explored the American film industry. He blended history, melodrama, and high society into fast-moving plots. His 1952 novel, A Stone for Danny Fisher, was very influential. It was adapted into the 1958 motion picture King Creole, starring Elvis Presley.

Many of his books became major cinematic events. His 1961 novel, The Carpetbaggers, followed a character inspired by figures like Howard Hughes. The story moved from New York to California. It covered the aeronautical industry and the glamour of Hollywood. In 1962, producer Joseph E. Levine bought the rights to this book. Levine also acquired the rights to Where Love Has Gone. In 1963, Levine paid Robbins $1 million for the rights to The Adventurers. This book was based on Robbins's time in the mountains of Colombia.

Robbins was also involved in a literary controversy in 1989. A periodical called Publishers Weekly reported a dispute regarding his 1974 novel, The Pirate. It was revealed that author Kathy Acker used four pages from his book without permission. Acker used a technique called bricolage. Bricolage is a postmodern method of literary appropriation. It involves combining fragments of existing works with original writing. After an intervention by novelist William S. Burroughs, Robbins gave Acker retroactive permission. This allowed the situation to be resolved without legal action.

Robbins died in 1997 at the age of 81. He passed away from respiratory heart failure in Palm Springs, California. He had spent much of his later time in Monte Carlo and the French Riviera. Since his death, new books have appeared under his name. These are often written by ghostwriters using his notes and unfinished stories. Junius Podrug is a writer credited with helping to complete these works. These include titles like The Predators and The Secret. Robbins is honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

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