Black Cat Thrillogy #6: Thomas Thursday

Thomas Thursday (1894–1974) was a lesser-known pulp writer who ended up having one of the longest careers writing for the pulp magazines. His first published short story, “A Stroke of Genius,” appeared in Top-Notch (April 1, 1918 issue). He submitted the story to them after finding an old issue in the subway.<P> He used the penname “Thursday” after glancing at a calendar. His real name remains a mystery. He was still appearing in the pulps in the late 1950s, after which the magazine format all but disappeared from the newsstands.<P> Thursday was primarily a humorist, one of the few in the pulps. He appeared regularly in Top-Notch through the mid-20s, then transitioned to Argosy. Many of his story titles featured wordplay, e.g. “Illiterature” (People’s Favorite Magazine, April 10, 1919), “Young Mild West” (Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 28, 1925), or “Of Lice and Men” (The Phantom Detective, September 1940). Many of his stories centered on circuses and sideshows. <P>Thursday had worked for numerous circuses in his youth. Swindles and scams were a frequent theme.<P> This volume includes 3 classic stories:<P> “Dead Men Don’t Move”<P> “License for Theft”<P> “Attention to Trifles”<P>