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Dan Fante

1944 – 2015

American writer

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About Dan Fante

Lived 1944 – 2015 (aged 71). Dan Fante was an American writer, novelist and playwright.

Daniel Smart Fante (February 19, 1944 – November 23, 2015) was an American author and playwright. He was born in Los Angeles.

Biography Fante was the son of novelist John Fante whose writing came back into vogue after Charles Bukowski declared him "my God", and wrote the introduction to the reprint of Fante's seminal novel about life in Los Angeles, Ask the Dust.

Chump Change, Mooch, 86'd and Spitting Off Tall Buildings comprise a tetralogy about Fante's hard living alter-ego Bruno Dante. Chump Change found publication in France originally, before being published in the US by Sun Dog Press. All four of the books were eventually republished in America by Harper Perennial and by United Kingdom publisher Canongate. Short Dog is a collection of short stories about Fante's life as a cab driver in LA.

Besides novels and short stories, Fante also wrote plays – The Closer / The Boiler Room described by the Los Angeles Times as "ferociously profane", and Don Giovanni, about which 3:AM Magazine said: "For those who want to know what is REALLY going on in post-modern American literature right now, Don Giovanni should be essential reading". Both plays are published in book form by Long Beach publisher Burning Shore Press. He is also the author of A Gin-Pissing-Raw-Meat-Dual-Carburetor-V8-Son-Of-A-Bitch From Los Angeles, a volume of poetry on Wrecking Ball Press.

He died on November 23, 2015, in Los Angeles at the age of 71.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Also known as
Daniel Smart Fante

People in Dan Fante's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Dan Fante's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Dan Fante?

American writer (1944–2015)

When was Dan Fante born?

Dan Fante was born on 19 February 1944 in Los Angeles.

When did Dan Fante die?

Dan Fante died on 23 November 2015 in Los Angeles.

What was Dan Fante's occupation?

Dan Fante was a writer, novelist and playwright.

What nationality was Dan Fante?

Dan Fante was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Dan Fante

· Wikidata: Q1769247

· DBpedia: Dan Fante

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Dan Fante. https://biography.guide/dan-fante/

MLA: "Dan Fante." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/dan-fante/.

Chicago: "Dan Fante." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/dan-fante/.

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