William Murray
William Murray was an American writer and translator, born on April 8, 1926, in New York City, to an Italian heritage family. Although details about his early life are limited, Murray became known for his literary contributions, particularly in the realm of Italian culture and theater. He authored two notable books about Italy, with "Italy: The Fatal Gift" (1982) receiving recognition from The New York Times and the American Library Association. Murray had a passion for theater, light opera, and horseracing, and he translated the works of playwright Luigi Pirandello into English.
In addition to his writing career, which included a long-running column titled "Letters from Italy" for The New Yorker, Murray immersed himself in the world of horse racing. He moved to San Diego in 1966, where he wrote a series of racetrack mysteries featuring the character Shifty Lou Anderson, earning him the nickname "The American Dick Francis." An accomplished opera singer, Murray was actively involved in the local opera scene, particularly with the San Diego Gilbert and Sullivan Company. He passed away from a heart attack on March 9, 2005, at the age of seventy-eight, leaving behind his wife and three children.
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William Murray
- Born: April 8, 1926
- Birthplace: New York, New York
- Died: March 9, 2005
- Place of death: New York, New York
Biography
William Murray was born in New York City on April 8, 1926. Not much is known about his early life. His family was of Italian heritage, and Murray produced two books on Italy; one of the books, Italy: The Fatal Gift (1982) was honored as a notable book of the year by both The New York Times and the American Library Association. Murray also was highly interested in theater, light opera, and horseracing. He translated the plays of Luigi Pirandello from Italian to English.
Murray worked as a staff writer, writing a column, “Letters from Italy,” for The New Yorker for more than 30 years. He moved to San Diego in 1966, settling in Del Mar, close to the race track. It was here that he began writing his series of racetrack mysteries featuring Shifty Lou Anderson. The books all dealt with the backstretch life of horse racetracks, and Murray was dubbed “The American Dick Francis.”
In addition to being a writer, Murray also was an opera singer. He was an active member of the San Diego opera scene and participated frequently in the San Diego Gilbert and Sullivan Company. Murray had returned to New York City to meet with his agent and work on a book about opera and a new mystery when he died of a heart attack on March 9, 2005. He was seventy-eight years old survived by his wife and three children.