Novelist.  The author of over 50 novels,  he is best known for “The Sundowners” (1952) and “Peter’s Pence” (1974). Born into a poverty-stricken family, he was the oldest of seven children. He dropped out of school at age 15 to work in order to provide income for his family, and toiled at many occupations including animated cartoonist and passport photographer. In 1942, he served with a military history unit in New Guinea and began his writing career, drawing from experiences of his life. In 1947, his first novel “You Can’t See Round Corners” was published, but it would be his work “The Sundowners” five years later, which earned him prominence. From that point on Cleary produced many memorable books, several made into motion picture adaptations including “The Sundowners” (1960), which starred Robert Mitchum and Deborah Kerr, “The Green Helmet” (1959), filmed in 1961, “The High Commissioner” (1966, which initiated the “Scobie Malone” series), filmed in 1968 and “High Road to China” (1977), filmed in 1983. His novel “You Can’t See Round Corners” was made into a TV series in 1967. Cleary was recipient of the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Novel in 1975 for “Peter’s Pence”. (bio by: C.S.)