Daniel Lewis James

Daniel Lewis James, (1911 – May 18, 1988), was an American author, best known for his novel, Famous All Over Town, about Mexican-Americans in Los Angeles. He published the novel under his pseudonym, Danny Santiago, and during most of his professional career, he kept his identity a secret. James's own agent Carl Brandt did not know his real name until it was revealed by fellow author and friend, John Gregory Dunne. Some critics call this use of a Latino pseudonym a literary fraud, while others appreciate his contributions to literature, regardless of his race. Although he was white, he was able to convey an accurate portrait of the Chicano culture.

The son of a wealthy Kansas City businessman, James grew up in Kansas City, Missouri and graduated from Andover Academy and Yale. He majored in classical Greek and was the only one to do so from the Yale Class of 1933. He was a co-director of the Movie the Great Dictator with Charlie Chaplin in 1940. It was his association with Chaplin as well as his time in Hollywood that brought him to the attention Of the House Un-American Activities Committee. Both he and his wife Lilith were called to testify, and refused to self-incriminate under their Fifth Amendment rights.

In 1942 he released Winter Soldiers, a play presented at the New School of Social Research on the efforts of the underground to impede the Nazi advance toward Moscow

He and his wife, Lilith, wrote the book for Bloomer Girl, a successful 1944 Broadway musical. Then he kept out of sight as an author for some time. For the next 20 years, he and his wife worked as volunteers in Hispanic neighborhoods in East Los Angeles .

During the 1950s he continued to work under the name Daniel Hyatt. "The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms" was released in 1953. It was listed as one of the primary inspirations for "Godzilla". "The Giant Behemoth" was released in 1959, and "Gorgo" was released in 1961.

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