Bestselling thriller author Tom Clancy has died at age 66. According to New ¥ork Times reporter Julie Bosman, Clancy passed last night in a hospital in Baltimore.
Clancy, full name Thomas Leo Clancy Jr., was a Baltimore native. He was known for such blockbusters as The Hunt for Red October and Clear and Present Danger.
Here’s what you should know about the legend and his passing.
1. Tom Clancy’s Publisher Has Confirmed His Death
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Bestselling author Tom Clancy was confirmed to have passed on last night after a brief illness at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. He was 66.
Bestselling author Tom Clancy has died.
— Publishers Weekly (@PublishersWkly) October 2, 2013
"He was a thrill to work with," said Ivan Held, the president of Putnam.
— Julie Bosman (@juliebosman) October 2, 2013
2. Clancy Was A Prolific And Legendary Spy Novelist
If you’ve read a book, played a video game, or watched a movie in the military or espionage genre, you’ve probably picked up something with Tom Clancy’s name on it. Clancy released his first book in 1984. That book was widely renouned, even getting a thumbs up from President Ronald Reagan. That story was called The Hunt For Red October and was later made into a movie in 1990. Here are a list of some of his printed hits that were later made into films:
The Hunt for Red October (1984)
Red Storm Rising (1986)
Patriot Games (1987)
Clear and Present Danger (1989)
Debt of Honor (1994)
Clancy’s name has continued on as a brand ever since, creating a group of Tom Clancy novels actually written by other authors or in tandem with Clancy. Some of these include the NetForce universe series, the NetForce Explorers universe series, and the PowerPlays series.
3. Clancy’s Work Spawned Several Blockbuster Video Games
If you’re a video game fan, you’ve at least heard of a game with Tom Clancy’s name on it. Since 1996, over two dozen video games over multiple series’ have been released under his branding. That year, game publisher Ubisoft bought the rights to the author’s name for an undisclosed sum and have since released some of the world’s most loved military-themed games.
The list includes the Rainbow Six series (18 games), the Ghost Recon series (13 games), the Splinter Cell series (7 games so far), the H.A.W.K.S. series (2 games), the EndWar series (2 games). This continues as the new generation of gaming consoles come out this fall. Tom Clancy’s The Division is the newest franchise to bare his name and looks to be a potential huge hit for the brand.
4. Clancy Was An Outspoken Conservative Republican
Aside from his writing, Tom Clancy was also known for his conservative republican views. Throughout his novels, he alluded to directly wrote about Ronald Reagan, whom he was a fan of politically.
Following 9/11, Clancy went on TV and blamed the Democrats for weakening the CIA, which he believed was how the 2011 attacks were allowed to be carried out.
Additionally, Clancy was a registered member of the National Rifle Association since 1978.
5. Clancy Was A Part Owner Of The Baltimore Orioles
(Twitter)
A not widely known fact is that Tom Clancy is a part owner of the Baltimore Orioles and held a senior position within the organization. According to the major league ball club’s website, Clancy was the Vice Chairman of Community Projects & Public Affairs. Clancy joined a group of investors in 1993 that ended up buying the team from Eli Jacobs, according to the Tom Clancy wiki.
Among Clancy’s notable possessions, he also owned a tank. He was quite a badass.