Richard Thomas Condon was born in New York City on March 18, 1915. He served in the United States Merchant Navy. He worked in advertising and was a publicist for several film companies, including Twentieth Century Fox and Walt Disney Productions.
At the age of 42, he published his first novel, The Oldest Confession, in 1958. His second novel, The Manchurian Candidate, gained him international attention and was adapted as a film starring Frank Sinatra in 1962. His novels, A Talent for Loving, Winter Kill and Prizzi's Honor, were also adapted for films. His other works include An Infinity of Mirrors, The Vertical Smile, The Star Spangled Crunch, Prizzi's Family, Prizzi's Glory, and The Final Addiction. He died on April 9, 1996.
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