Peter B. Germano

Peter Baptisto Germano (May 17, 1913 – September 20, 1983) was an American author of short stories, novels, and television scripts. He began his career with short stories. He wrote articles documenting the Marines in World War II as a combat correspondent. He wrote novels, most of which were westerns, but also wrote science fiction. And as television became ever-present in American culture, Germano wrote numerous television scripts for western, science fiction, drama, and cartoon series.

Biography Early life Germano was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, the eldest of six children. His parents, Italian immigrants from the town of Cigliano, gave him the name Pietro Baptisto Germano, which became Peter B. early in his life. As a young man, he worked several jobs, including as a clerk for the local railroad. It was during his employment at the local train station that he met his wife, Muriel Garant. She was an actress and model who worked in theater on Cape Cod but took a job at the railroad station in New Bedford, Massachusetts, during World War II. The couple married in February 1943, just before Germano left to serve in the Pacific Theater during World War II. He had a few short stories published in magazines before his tour of duty.

World War II As a war correspondent for the United States Marine Corps, Germano wrote numerous articles that appeared in various newspapers. After the war, Peter and Muriel lived in Chicago until he was called to serve in the Korean War in 1950. A few years later, the family settled in Anaheim, California (within walking distance to the newly opened Disneyland). Germano and his wife raised four children, while he began a successful writing career.

Education Throughout his military career and his work as a writer, Germano went to college and earned two degrees. With only two years of high school, he attended Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, from 1946 to 1950. After his service in the Korean War, Germano transferred to Chapman College in Orange, California, in 1956 and received a B. A. in 1959. In 1968, he attended Loyola Marymount University, where he earned his Master of Arts in 1970. From 1971 to 1973, Germano was a part-time lecturer at Loyola Marymount, where he taught Advanced Writing for Film and Television to graduate students.

Novels and television With his transition from military to civilian life complete, Germano worked tirelessly on the bulk of his fiction career. He wrote western novels under several pseudonyms and, in the 1950s and 1960s, wrote television scripts for several western and science fiction programs. With a steady career, the family moved in 1966 to a new suburban home in Thousand Oaks, California, located north of Los Angeles in Ventura County. By the 1970s, he had published a science fiction novel, mystery short stories, and western short stories for the Jim Hatfield series in "Texas Rangers".

Germano collaborated with his wife, Muriel, on several projects. In the 1970s, he became the associate editor of The Californian, the newspaper of the Golden State Mobilehome Owners League. When the newspaper's editor, Thomas Thompson, retired, Germano and his wife took over as editors, a position they held for eight years. During this same time period, with grandchildren visiting often, the couple wrote scripts for several animated cartoons televisions series, including The Little Prince.

Memberships A strong supporter of union labor, Germano was a member of the Writers Guild of America, West. He also held memberships in the Western Writers of America (which published "The Roundup" from the University of Texas at El Paso), the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and the Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Association.

Death Germano died in 1983. When not writing, he hiked the golden hills of California. His ashes were spread in the hills near Thousand Oaks. Memorials for both Peter and Muriel Germano are located in Simi Valley's Assumption Cemetery, the local Catholic cemetery.

Filmography

Television

Novels

+ pseudonym genre title year publisher comment Barry Cord WE Trail Boss From Texas 1948 Barry Cord WE The Gunsmoke Trail 1951 Barry Cord WE Shadow Valley 1951 Barry Cord WE Mesquite Johnny 1952 Barry Cord WE Savage Valley 1957 Ace Barry Cord WE Trail to Sundown 1953 Barry Cord WE Cain Basin 1954 Barry Cord WE The Sagebrush Kid 1954 Barry Cord WE Boss of Barbed Wire 1955 Barry Cord WE Dry Range 1955 UK: issued as The Rustlers of Dry Range (1956) Barry Cord WE The Guns of Hammer 1956 Barry Cord WE The Gun-Shy Kid 1957 Barry Cord WE The Prodigal Gun 1957 Ace Barry Cord WE Sheriff of Big Hat 1957 Ace Barry Cord WE Concho Valley 1958 Barry Cord WE Gun-Proddy Hombre 1958 Barry Cord WE The Iron Trail Killers 1959 Barry Cord WE Last Chance at Devil's Canyon 1959 Ace Barry Cord WE Maverick Gun 1959 Barry Cord WE The Third Rider 1959 Barry Cord WE Six Bullets Left 1959 Barry Cord WE Starlight Range 1959 reissued as Slade (1961) Barry Cord WE War in Peaceful Valley 1959 Ace Barry Cord WE Two Guns to Avalon 1962 Barry Cord WE The Masked Gun 1963 Barry Cord WE A Ranger Called Solitary 1966 Barry Cord WE Canyon Showdown 1967 Barry Cord WE Gallows Ghost 1967 Barry Cord WE Last Stage to Gomorrah 1967 Barry Cord WE The Long Wire 1968 Barry Cord WE Trouble in Peaceful Valley 1968 Barry Cord WE The Coffin Fillers 1972 Barry Cord WE Hell in Paradise Valley 1972 Barry Cord WE Desert Knights 1973 Barry Cord WE The Running Iron Samaritans 1973 Barry Cord WE Deadly Amigos: Two Graves For A Gunman 1979 Barry Cord WE Gun Junction 1979 Barry Cord WE Boss of the Tumbling H 1995 Black Horse Western first in the magazine West May 1948 James Kane WE Gunman's Choice 1960 James Kane WE Renegade Ranger 1963 Muller James Kane WE The Doublecross Gun 1970 James Kane WE Last Gun to Jericho 1970 rewrite of Texas Rangers' Riot at Hell's Bend December 1955 James Kane WE Four Graves West 1971 James Kane WE Texas Warrior 1971 James Kane WE Brassada Hill 1972 Jim Kane WE Renegade Rancher 1961 Jim Kane WE Gunman's Choice 1962 Jim Kane WE Spanish Gold 1963 Jim Kane WE Tangled Trails 1963 Jim Kane WE Lost Canyon 1964 Jim Kane WE Red River Sheriff 1965 Jim Kane WE Rendezvous at Bitter Wells 1966 Jack Slade WE A Hell of a Way to Die - Jack Slade WE The Man from Lordsburg 1970 Jack Slade WE Gunfight at Ringo Junction 1971 Jack Slade WE The Man from Tombstone 1971 Jack Slade WE Funeral Bend 1973 Jack Slade WE Sidewinder 1973 Jack Slade WE Five Graves for Lassiter 1979 Jack Slade WE The Man from Yuma 1982 Jack Bertin SF The Interplanetary Adventures 1970 Jack Bertin SF The Pyramids from Space 1977