Courtney Ryley Cooper

About

An American circus performer and author, he wrote such popular works as Here's to Crime and Ten-Thousand Public Enemies. The latter work celebrates the FBI.

Before Fame

He left home at age sixteen to join the circus and worked as a clown before becoming the circus's general manager.

Trivia

He wrote the screenplay for Wild Cargo.

Family Life

He committed suicide; the motivation for the act is still unclear.

Associated With

He was Annie Oakley's first biographer.