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Elaine Astor, David Goodis (center), and unidentified friend., Los Angeles, about 1943 (Photo courtesy of Larry Withers).

"I have this belief that most women from the forties on back could be attractive but not standouts.  Marilyn Monroe and Rita Hayworth are about the only two exceptions that spring immediately to mind.  I don't know if it's what passed for beauty back then, or the hairstyles, or the fashions, but I found it decidedly difficult to get a hormonal rise out of the alleged desirables of that era.  The gal with Goodis in that one photo is a veritable babe though, and I found myself getting jealous of him."---Brian K. Mitchell.

Elaine Astor.

By Larry Withers

She could be Cassidy's Girl. I've heard tell she's the Blonde on the Street Corner. Behold, Clara Ervin is another possible incarnation. She's the mysterious Elaine, Mrs. David Goodis, my mother. There's speculation whether she was an inspiration for Goodis' more domineering female characters, or did he seek her out to fulfill his vision of womanhood? I recognize this woman, but what the truth is, we'll never know. Still, even at her worst, David treats this archetype with a certain reverence and humanity, as with all his characters.

The above essay appeared in the GoodisCON program book.

David Goodis' most brilliant works are the Philadelphia novels, written after his return from Hollywood.  They are marked by buxom, sexy and abusive wives and girlfriends.  They mirror Elaine Astor with whom David Goodis' shared a brief and legendary marrriage.   Goodis biographer Lou Boxer describes "Behold this Woman" as "revenge." 

The David Goodis of the 1950's and 1960's was a man of mystery. He was holed up in his parents' home, churning out bleak, brilliant novels, entertaining friends and family with outrageous humor, and caring for his mentally ill brother. Behind it all, was buried another secret---his marriage.

Goodis pool room pal, Harold "Dutch" Silver said that Goodis had never mentioned a wife. No wife was mentioned in his obituary. Correspondence by attorneys from the Goodis law firm to the New York lawyers consistently state that David had never married and that David's brother Herb had been confined to Norristown State Hospital since November 1963.

At the Temple University library, I found an article by Laurence Withers (Philadelphia Inquirer Sunday Magazine, dated September 21, 2001) entitled "The Mysterious Elaine." 

Withers wrote that his mother, Elaine Astor, had been married to David Goodis. The article contains a photograph of Elaine and David. According to Withers, Elaine like David was descended from Jews from Russia. She grew up in a similar neighborhood. She married Goodis in California in 1943 and they divorced in 1946. She died in 1986. Goodis' biographer, Philippe Garnier, in Goodis La Vie en Noir et Blanc (Editions du Seuil, Paris, 1984), says that Goodis and Astor married in 1942 and separated in 1943. Garnier could locate neither marriage nor divorce records.

Did the lawyers lie?

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David Goodis Is Dead: Author, Screenwriter From Philadelphia Inquirer, undated, contributed by Louis Boxer 

David Goodis, an author and screenwriter, whose most memorable creation was "Dark Passage," a novel which he turned into a movie starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, died Saturday in Einstein Medical Center, Northern Division. He was 49 and lived at 6305 N. 11th Street..  
Born in Philadelphia, Mr. Goodis attended Simon Gratz High School and then went to Temple University, where he received a degree in journalism in 1938.  

FAVORABLE REVIEWS  
That same year his first novel, "Retreat From Oblivion," was published. It received favorable reviews and Mr. Goodis quit his job at a local advertising agency and moved to New York, where he concentrated on magazine fiction.  
Three years later, he went to Hollywood to work as a screenwriter at Warner Brothers. Besides movies, he turned out a number of novels, including "Nightfall" and "Behold This Woman."  

WROTE 'THE BURGLAR'  
In 1956, Mr. Goodis wrote the script for "The Burglar," the first big movie to be filmed in Philadelphia in half a century. The movie starred Dan Duryea and Jayne Mansfield.

  
Mr. Goodis' last firm was "Please Don't Shoot the Piano Player," which was filmed in France in 1962.  

He is survived by a brother, Herbert. Services will be at 1 P.M. Tuesday at Rosenberg's and Raphael Sacks, 4720 N. Broad st. Burial will be in Roosevelt Memorial Park.

-------------

David Goodis/Dark Passage

By William David Sherman, from Sight and Sound (1968), page 41.  Courtesy:  Louis Boxer

On January 7, 1967, David Goodis died in Philadelphia where he had lived most of his life.  Only one source bothered to print more than a cursory obituary.  The Philadelphia  Inquirer, in a one-column notice, said that Goodis had directed a film titled ‘Please Don’t Shoot the Piano Player’.  

The newspaper went on to say that “best-selling novel, Cassidy’s Girl, sold over one million copies.”  But Cassidy’s Girl, like so much of Goodis’ work, was a semi-hack job sold in New York’s 42 Street book stores specializing in hard-core pornography.  In a letter to me dated August 16, 1966, David Goodis wrote:

“At first, I wanted to write very solemnly and handle only the important issues. But of course the most important issue of all is putting food in one's belly and in order to do, that I deviated from the track most of the time and complied with the wishes of various editors and publishers. I admit this was weakness. I should have taken a job digging ditches, and because I was too lazy to do that, I threw away a lot of valuable time, especially in Hollywood, although I must say I had a lot of fun in Hollywood.”

Before he died, Goodis wrote sixteen published novels, some short fiction, and several screenplays[*].  All of his work, including DOWN THERE which Truffant filmed as Tirez sur le Pianiste, is now out of print.  There are only two changes which Truffant made from the novel.  The first is the invention of the pianist’s younger brother.  

In the film it is the act of kidnapping the boy which leads to the final act of commitment.  The second is that at the end of the film, there is a new waitress at the club, a surrogate for the girl killed by the gangsters.  The implication of course is that the pianist may yet again be drawn into a love-relationship.  The greatness of the Truffant film is questionable, but DOWN THERE offers the same shifting blend of comedy, pathos, and tragedy.  The book, like the film, bursts through the conventions of the genre.

Goodis’s first novel, RETREAT FROM OBLIVION, was published in 1939 when the author was twenty-two years old, a recent graduate of Temple University in Philadelphia.  In each work since that time, even in his worst hack jobs, there are moments when his great talent struggles to break through.  

All of Goodis’ novels are set in cities, and his heroes all possess the wiles and cunning a man of the city needs to survive.  All of his major characters are drop-outs, either by choice or circumstance, from society.  

They are criminals, petty thieves, ghetto dwellers, winos, meth-freaks bums, addicts, whores.  Whether they live in San Francisco, New York, Kingston, or (as must often they do) in Philadelphia, Goodis pays strict attention to topography.  He roots the movements of his characters in a ruthless exactitude in place. 

The only glimmer of hope in the lives of his characters is the possibility of love.  All of his heroes, no matter how degenerate, are blessed (or cursed) with women who try to redeem their lives,  

Sometimes the attempt at redemption fails (as in DOWN THERE), and leads instead to a kind of madness.  Sometimes (as in CASSIDY’S GIRL), it leads to a renewed opportunity.  Most often, it is left ambiguous whether or not the love affair will be consummated for more than a transient moment. 

In DARK PASSAGE, a novel which is typical in that it fails midway between the high level of accomplishment of DOWN THERE and the hack-work of CASSIDY’S GIRL, the hero, on the run from the police, asks his lover to meet him in Peru.  Whether she will or not is problematical.  But always, Goodis asserts where comedy intrudes in moments of tragedy and disaster lurks beneath the surface in the happiest of times. 

Goodis’ work anticipated the current vogue for black humour, but there was a touch of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler in him, and a bit of the ‘proletarian writer’ of the 1930s.  Yet his novels confound classification, which is how it should be.  The point is, quite simply, that in a time when a writer’s literary stock in the United States seem often to depend on a literary agent and a public relations officer, there was an unheralded artist living alone in Philadelphia.  His works gave me pleasure.

---William David Sherman

 [* ] His credits: 1947 THE UNFAITHFUL (Directed by Vincent Sherman; script by DG and James Gunn); 1947 DARK PASSAGE (Directed and scripted by Delmer Daves from the novel by D.G.); 1956 NIGHTFALL (Directed by Jacques Tourneur; scripted by Stirling Silliphant from D.G.’s novel.); 1957 THE BURGLAR (Directed by Paul Wendkos; scripted by D.G. from his own novel.) 

Peter Rozovski reads Black Pudding. YouTube by Duane Swierczynski

David Goodis died at 11:30 p.m. on January 7, 1967, at Albert Einstein Medical Center, Northern Division, about a mile from his house. The death certificate listed the cause of death as a "cerebral vascular accident" meaning a stroke. According to legend, David had been beaten while resisting a robbery. A few days later he died and his death has been attributed to his injuries.

David's cousin, Paul Halpern related how David's humor got him in trouble. David was of slight build. A small man approached David and demanded his wallet and money. David looked at the little guy and the little guy looked back. David said that there was no way that this little guy was going to rob him. David refused to give over his wallet. Out of the shadows, appeared a big man, who beat up David. Paul Halpern saw the bruises. His cousins told Paul Halpern about the details. Was this beating the cause of death?

Another theory. David Goodis' friend Len Cobrin heard that David had keeled over while shoveling snow. Weather records from Philadelphia International Airport show that there had been 12.4 inches of snow on December 24, 1966, .3 inches of snow on December 25, 1966, and .3 inches on December 28, 1966. There was no additional snowfall through January 7, 1967, when David Goodis died.

The death by shoveling theory is supported by informed hearsay from writer and educator Bill Sherman. During 1966, Sherman had corresponded with Goodis, hoping to arrange for an interview. Sherman recalled a telephone conversation with his father, attorney and Pennsylvania State Representative Louis Sherman. 

"This in fact is what my father had told me when I spoke with him from [the University of] Buffalo (where I was doing my Ph.D.), so I reckon it is accurate since my father must have heard it from some member of the Goodis family who was also practicing law in Philadelphia at the time."

Which story is true? Philadelphia's Doctor Noir, Louis Boxer (his day job is physician) had this to say:

"Unlikely about shoveling causing his death. Shoveling would have caused a cardiovascular incident (heart attack). He had a stroke. I like to believe that it came from a beating after going to Linton’s and he did not want to give up his wallet. Maybe a police report was filed. Look at the death certificate, the only place I know of that indicates that he was divorced. Nothing in the income tax reports from the 40s.

"Shoveling can cause any number of insults to the heart, brain, muscles and electrolytes of an individual. But DG was 49 years old! Myocardial infarction or cerebral vascular insult could easily result. It was also very cold those days. So, yes, one could suffer a stroke shoveling snow. Remember his house did not have a drive way to shovel. Only a sidewalk and a walkway to the house. Although the idea is very romantic that he succumbed to shoveling, I don’t believe it. I like the assault scenario better."

Bill Sherman responded:

"I too prefer the not giving up the wallet theory since, as you might say to Lou Boxer, THAT is more 'romantic' than shoveling snow. I suppose both could be true: i.e. he was beaten and a few days later exacerbated it by the shoveling. I only ASSUMED my father heard the story from a legal aquaintence, I really don't know. He would have appreciated the reference though, I am sure. I used to eat at Linton's on North Broad, and even went there with my father late at night once or twice."

The Petition for Letters Testamentary listed no wife. His executors filed an Inventory listing assets of $221,271.49. Included in this figure was about $18,000 in bank accounts, about $10,000 in shares of National Securities and Research Corporation, about $4750 in shares in the Putnam Fund, about $82,000 in shares of AT&T, and about $1400 in Series E U.S. Savings bonds purchased during World War II. The Inventory listed $437.50 in death benefits payable from the Producers-Writers Guild of America and publication rights estimated at $5000. His estate owned a 70 per cent share in the Estate of Mollie Goodis valued at $98,222.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis publishes a "Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items." The index rates January 1, 1967 at 32.9, August 1, 1983 at 100, and February 1, 2006 at 198.7. Therefore, the value of the Goodis Estate in 1967 should be approximately six times greater in 2006 dollars. At the time of his death, David Goodis was worth about $1.3 million in 2006 dollars. Subtracting his share in his mother's estate, Goodis would have been worth about $700,000 in 2006 dollars.  

On September 14, 1966, David Goodis executed his will. He left all his personal items to his brother Herbert. He left $30,000 to "our family's faithful employee" Camelia Edmunds. The remainder was to be held in trust with the income going to Herbert. Upon Herbert's death, half of the trust fund would go to the "faithful family employee" or her heirs. Another $5,000 was to go to his cousin and best friend Edwin Sherman. The remainder was to go the United Fund of Philadelphia, now known as the United Way. 

The will was written by a cousin Samuel Goodis, Esquire. Samuel Goodis, Esquire, and Samuel's brother, William Goodis, Esquire, were named as executors. Girard Trust Bank was named as trustees.   

According to letters in the legal file of the Goodis Estate, Herb had been a patient at Norristown State Hospital since November 12, 1963. On February 27, 1968, Herb was adjudicated incompetent by the Philadelphia Orphans Court at No. 197 of 1968. Herb died in 1971. Samuel Goodis died on January 9, 1969. William Goodis died on December 15, 1976. After the death of Samuel and William, the Orphans Court removed Girard trust Bank as trustee, appointing Provident National Bank in its place.

Did the family write Elaine out of history so as to protect Herb? 

The bulk of David's estate was to go to a trust to provide for his mentally disabled brother Herb. The estate was worth some $200,000. Moreover, there was the open law suit claiming $500,000 over the Fugitive. 

Had the obituary and law suit papers reflected a divorce, an invitation would be raised for people to ask questions. The ex-wife could appear, claiming that the divorce was invalid. 

Under Pennsylvania law, a spouse can claim approximately a third of the estate, regardless of the terms of the will. She could claim that Dark Passage (published in 1946) was written during the marriage and therefore she had an equitable interest in the proceeds of the suit for copyright infringement. 

An alleged child of the marriage could come forward, challenging the will. 

Where there were no children, a 21 year old divorce decree and being never married are a distinction without a difference.

On January 29, 2006, Dutch and I visited the grave of David Goodis at Roosevelt Memorial Park, in Bucks County just over the Philadelphia border. The grave is located at Section B-3, Lot 324, Grave 3. A groundskeeper, named "Big Fred," and another groundskeeper who did not want us to use her name, helped us find the grave.

His grave is in the bronze memorial gardens. Instead of tombstones, there are bronze plaques in the ground. David is buried between his parents and his brother. His grave states "Beloved son and brother, David L. Goodis, 1917-1967." The marker shows in Hebrew/Yiddish letters, "David Leiv ben (son of ) Baruch Velvel." To the left is his brother's marker which says "Beloved son and brother, Herbert Goodis, 1923-1971." The marker shows in Hebrew/Yiddish letters, "Chayim ben (son of) Baruch Velvel.

To the left of David's grave is a joint plaque for his parents. It says "Goodis." The left side of the plaque says "William 1882-1963." In Hebrew/Yiddish letters it says "Baruch Velvel ben (son of) David Leiv." David was named after his paternal grandfather. The right side of the plaque says "Mollie 1895-1966." In Hebrew/Yiddish letters it says "Zelda Malka bat (daughter of) Moshe." 

Missing from the Goodis plot at Roosevelt Memorial Park is Jerome Goodis, David's younger brother.  Jerome died of encephalitis at the age of three in 1929.

Goodis biographer Louis Boxer located the the grave of Jerome Goodis at Har Nebo Cemetery, near the Oxford Circle on Roosevelt Boulevard.  Today, Har Nebo Cemetery could be a backdrop for a film noir shot on the night of Halloween.  Closely packed tombstones, many leaning over, uneven land.

William and Mollie Goodis were people of substance, if not wealth, as evidenced by their home on 11th Street in suburban-like Oak Lane.  Roosevelt Cemetery has always been upscale.  Not so with Har Nebo. 

It can be assumed that William and Mollie purchased the plot at Roosevelt Cemetery while William was alive.  It is likely four graves were purchased, one each for William and Mollie, one for Herb who with his problems was unlikely to be married, and one for David, who was coming off a disastrous marriage and was unlikely to want to be married.

Why no grave for Jerome?

David lived only a few months after Mollie died.  He could have been too busy taking care of Herb to consider moving Jerome's grave.  

Maybe, William and Mollie did not want to relive the loss of their baby son.  Maybe they did not want to trigger new trauma by opening Jerome's grave at Har Nebo and reburying him at Roosevelt?  

Another Goodis mystery.