Collection

Lone Wolf Collection

Louis Joseph Vance's MICHAEL LANYARD, better known as THE LONE WOLF, didn't start out as a private eye, but as a criminal. However, like Jack Boyle's Boston Blackie, thanks to his numerous re-creations in film, radio and television, The Lone Wolf is now best remembered these days, if at all, chiefly as a sort of gentleman thief turned private eye.

21 titles 1917–1949

All Titles in Order

The Lone Wolf
The Lone Wolf
Title 1

The Lone Wolf

1917

When Marcel, a waif, saves master crook Burke from the police, Burke adopts the youngster and teaches him his profession. Years later, Marcel has become a master crook himself, working under the name of Michael Lanyard. His clever work baffles the Paris police, who dub him "The Lone Wolf". The Pack, a gang of criminals, notifies The Wolf that unless he joins them, he is marked for destruction. Lucy, an undercover agent masquerading as a crook to expose the gang, helps The Wolf escape. This inaugurates a series of adventures in which Lucy and The Wolf are pursued by the gang, finally making their escape to England by plane. The Pack follows, only to meet their death in a plane crash. Liberated from his tormentors, The Wolf vows to go straight and marries Lucy.

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The False Faces
Title 2

The False Faces

1919 ★ 5.3

During World War I, a professional thief known as The Lone Wolf is assigned to steal a cylinder with important information from behind the German lines and bring it to Allied intelligence headquarters. However, German agents set out to stop him, headed by the man who was responsible for the death of the thief's sister.

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The Lone Wolf
Title 3

The Lone Wolf

1924 ★ 9.0

A silent film Directed by Stanner E.V. Taylor.

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The Lone Wolf Returns
Title 4

The Lone Wolf Returns

1926 ★ 7.0

The Lone Wolf, an international thief who is expert in dodging the police, is rifling a wall safe when he senses the approach of detectives. Secreting a necklace in a cigarette case, he makes a hasty retreat. In disguise, he climbs to the balcony of another house where a bal masque is in progress and conceals himself in Marcia Mayfair's boudoir. Later he mingles with the guests and dances with Marcia. Lanyard is disclosed as a stranger when detectives force the guests to unmask, but Marcia remains silent while Lanyard replaces the jewels lifted from her bedroom. Lanyard is warned by Detective Crane, who suspects him but has no evidence. A visit to a bohemian resort owned by Morphew, leader of a band of thieves, provokes a heated argument in which Lanyard is threatened; and Marcia and Lanyard barely escape being caught in a raid. Their romance is threatened when Marcia's jewels are again stolen, but Lanyard traps Morphew and his gang and brings them to justice.

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Alias the Lone Wolf
Title 5

Alias the Lone Wolf

1927 ★ 10.0

Michael Lanyard, aka the Lone Wolf, is sailing to America when he meets pretty Eve de Montalais. Eve wants to sneak her valuable necklace through U.S. customs so that she can use the money from its sale to help straighten out her brother. The only problem is that there is a gang of jewel thieves on board who are just as determined to steal the necklace.

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The Last of the Lone Wolf
Title 6

The Last of the Lone Wolf

1930 ★ 7.5

In this entry in the Lone Wolf series, the first to have a soundtrack, the jealousies of the King and the coquettish Queen are chronicled. When His Majesty learns that his wife has given the ring he gave to her to her lover, the King plans a large ball and demands the she wear the token. As her lover is a military attache, he is not in the palace, and the queen must send her lady-in-waiting to bring it back. En route, the lady meets a thief and they team up. She does not know that he has been dispatched by the King to steal ring from the attache.

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The Lone Wolf Returns
Title 7

The Lone Wolf Returns

1935 ★ 6.1

Once a jewel thief always a jewel thief? Yes and no. Yes if you consider the fact that Michael Lanyard also known as the Lone Wolf once retired from the "trade" but relapses back into his old habits when he is tempted by the emerald pendant of beautiful socialite Marcia Stewart. The trouble (?) is that he falls for the belle and he soon gets more interested in getting the girl than the jewels that adorn her. What he wants now is to return the pendant but a rival gang interfere and force him to take part in a big-time caper.

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The Lone Wolf in Paris
Title 8

The Lone Wolf in Paris

1938 ★ 6.5

Former jewel thief Michael Lanyard toys with a princess and a grand duke.

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The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt
Title 9

The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt

1939 ★ 6.6

Spies force former jewel thief Michael Lanyard to steal defense secrets in Washington.

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The Lone Wolf Strikes
Title 10

The Lone Wolf Strikes

1940 ★ 6.8

Delia Jordan's father is murdered and some very valuable jewelry stolen. She hires The Lone Wolf.

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The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady
Title 11

The Lone Wolf Meets a Lady

1940 ★ 6.4

A hardworking secretary for a rich woman finds herself engaged to the woman's son and accused of a murder she didn't commit.

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The Lone Wolf Keeps a Date
Title 12

The Lone Wolf Keeps a Date

1940 ★ 6.2

Complicated plot involving missing stamp collection and kidnapped businessman, with the Lone Wolf keeping one step ahead of the police in Havana trying to solve the crime and make a profit.

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The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance
Title 13

The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance

1941 ★ 6.1

A reformed jewel thief fights to clear his name when he's framed for murder.

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Secrets of the Lone Wolf
Title 14

Secrets of the Lone Wolf

1941 ★ 7.0

Michael Lanyard's faithful butler Jamison is mistaken for his boss by a gang of jewel robbers.

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Counter-Espionage
Title 15

Counter-Espionage

1942 ★ 6.7

The Lone Wolf tracks down Nazi spies in London during the German bombing.

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One Dangerous Night
Title 16

One Dangerous Night

1943 ★ 5.1

Reformed jewel thief the Lone Wolf investigates the murder of a playboy who was blackmailing three socialites.

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Passport to Suez
Title 17

Passport to Suez

1943 ★ 6.3

The Lone Wolf goes undercover in Egypt to foil a Nazi plot to bomb and disable the Suez canal, which is vital to England's war effort.

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The Notorious Lone Wolf
Title 18

The Notorious Lone Wolf

1946 ★ 6.0

Ex-thief Lone Wolf and his valet don turbans to solve a museum jewel theft.

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The Lone Wolf in Mexico
Title 19

The Lone Wolf in Mexico

1947 ★ 6.0

In this entry in the enduring series, the suave jewel thief finds himself helping the police break up a ring of diamond smugglers. Along the way, he winds up accused of both robbery and murder.

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The Lone Wolf in London
Title 20

The Lone Wolf in London

1947 ★ 6.3

Michael Lanyard is suspected of stealing two fabulous diamonds from a vault in Scotland Yard, where they were being held for safekeeping, but the Yard can't prove he did it. Later, Lanyard is summoned by a member of the nobility to help the latter raise money to pay a blackmailer. Lanyard later finds evidence to reveal the diamonds as having been stolen by a famous stage star.

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The Lone Wolf and His Lady
Title 21

The Lone Wolf and His Lady

1949 ★ 6.0

A newspaper man, and former jewel thief, is accused of gem theft.

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