Elmore Leonard's Career in Pictures

Elmore Leonard

The great crime writer wrote 45 novels, many of which were adapted for film and TV shows. On Aug. 20, Leonard passed away due to complications from a stroke.

'Hombre'

Leonard's 1961 novel, adapted as a Western film in 1967, told the story of an Apache man named John Russell who led passengers safely through the desert. The Martin Ritt-directed film starred Paul Newman, Fredric March and Richard Boone. 

'The Big Bounce'

The 1969 film directed by Alex March was based on the novel of the same name by Leonard. The movie followed the life of Vietnam veteran Jack Ryan (played by Ryan O'Neal), who is persuaded by a woman (Leigh Taylor-Young) to rob a California farm. In 2004, The Big Bounce was remade as a comedy starring Owen Wilson, Charlie Sheen, Sara Foster and Morgan Freeman.

'52 Pick-Up'

The 1986 crime thriller, adapted from Leonard's novel of the same name, stars Roy Scheider and Ann-Margret. Scheider plays a philanderer who becomes a target for blackmail after his wife (Margret) decides to run for city council.

'Get Shorty'

The 1990 novel was adapted as a 1995 movie directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and starred John Travolta, Gene Hackman and Rene Russo. The comedy thriller followed Travolta as a Miami-based mobster who travels to Hollywood to collect a gambling debt.

'Jackie Brown'

Adapted from Leonard's novel Rum Punch, the 1997 crime drama, written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, followed the life of a flight attendant named Jackie Brown (Pam Grier) who helps smuggle money for a gun dealer (Samuel L. Jackson). The movie also starred Robert De Niro, Robert Forster and Michael Keaton.

'Out of Sight'

The 1998 crime comedy featured George Clooney as a bank robber who ends up in the trunk of a car with Jennifer Lopez, who plays a U.S. Marshal named Karen Sisco. The film, which was adapted from Lenoard's novel of the same name, was directed by Steven Soderbergh.

'Killshot'

The John Madden-directed movie stars Thomas Jane and Diane Lane as a couple named Wayne and Carmen Colson. When the Colsons are placed into a Federal Witness Protection program, they soon discover that they are being targeted by a veteran hitman (Mickey Rourke) as well as a psychopathic killer. The thriller was adapted from Leonard's 1989 novel.

FX's 'Justified'

Based on Leonard's Pronto, Riding the Rap and his short story "Fire in the Hole," FX's Justified follows Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) as an old-school lawman who is reassigned from Miami to rural Eastern Kentucky. The TV series debuted in 2010, with its fifth season scheduled to premiere in January 2014.

'Life of Crime'

The 2013 film, based on Leonard's novel The Switch, stars Jennifer Aniston, Isla Fisher, Tim Robbins and Will Forte. The Daniel Schechter-directed movie will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.