John Jay Osborn Jr., whose bestselling 1971 novel about law-school life, The Paper Chase, was adapted into an acclaimed film and TV series, died Oct. 19, according to the New York Times. He was 77.
The cause of death was squamous cell cancer, his daughter told the Times.
The Paper Chase was inspired by Osborn’s own experience as a student at Harvard Law School in the late 1960s. He was the model for Hart, the novel’s eager first-year law student. But for many readers and viewers, the most memorable character was Charles Kingsfield, an imposing and demanding contracts professor. Kingsfield was played by John Houseman, who won an Oscar for his role in the 1973 film version of the book.
Houseman went on to play Kingsfield in the TV version of The Paper Chase, which ran for four seasons between 1978 and 1986.
In a preface to the 40th-anniversary edition of the novel, Osborn explained that he wrote the novel as “an attempt to create more options for myself, a new story with a new ending.” The novel became a success when it was published a year after he graduated from Harvard, and he continued writing fiction and screenplays (including for the “Paper Chase” TV series). And, like Kingsfield, he also spent time teaching contract law.
Osborn wrote five novels during his writing career. His final book, Listen to the Marriage, about a relationship counselor, was published in 2018.
Mark Athitakis is a regular Kirkus contributor who also writes about books for the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and other publications.
