Editing Robert Ludlum (section)

==Life and career==
===Early life and education===
Ludlum was born in [[New York City]], the son of Margaret (née Wadsworth) and George Hartford Ludlum. He was educated at the [[Rectory School]] then [[Cheshire Academy]] and [[Wesleyan University]] in [[Middletown, Connecticut]], where he earned a B.A. in [[Drama]] in 1951.<ref>Gina Macdonald, [https://books.google.com/books?id=iU9-UCNiiFkC&dq=Margaret+Wadsworth+George+Hartford+Ludlum&pg=PA1 "The Life of Robert Ludlum"], ''Robert Ludlum: A Critical Companion'', Greenwood Press, 1997, pp. 1-3.</ref> 

===Career===
Prior to becoming an author, he had been a [[United States Marine]],<ref>{{cite news|title=Obituary: Robert Ludlum  |first=Jack |last=Adrian |date=March 4, 2001 |work=[[The Independent]]}}</ref> a theatrical actor and producer. In the 1950s, he produced shows at the Grant Lee theater in [[Fort Lee, New Jersey]]. From 1960 to 1970, he managed and produced shows at the Playhouse on the Mall at [[The Outlets at Bergen Town Center|Bergen Mall]] in [[Paramus, New Jersey]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Garvie|first1=Glenn|title=Remembering Playhouse on the Mall|url=http://www.bergencounty.com/history-and-trivia/remembering-playhouse-on-the-mall-in-bergen-county-nj-1.1293172|website=www.bergencounty.com|publisher=(201) Magazine|access-date=25 March 2015}}</ref> His theatrical experience may have contributed to his understanding of the energy, escapism and action that the public wanted in a novel. He once remarked: "I equate suspense and good theater in a very similar way. I think it's all suspense and what-happens-next. From that point of view, yes, I guess, I am theatrical."<ref name=Kirjasto />

Many of Ludlum's novels have been made into films and mini-series, including ''[[The Osterman Weekend]]'', ''[[The Holcroft Covenant]]'', ''[[The Apocalypse Watch]]'', ''[[The Bourne Identity (2002 film)|The Bourne Identity]]'', ''[[The Bourne Supremacy (film)|The Bourne Supremacy]]'' and ''[[The Bourne Ultimatum (film)|The Bourne Ultimatum]]''. ''[[Covert One: The Hades Factor]]'', a book co-written with [[Gayle Lynds]], was originally conceived as a mini-series; the book evolved from a short treatment Ludlum wrote for [[NBC]]. The Bourne movies, starring [[Matt Damon]] in the title role, have been commercially and critically successful (''The Bourne Ultimatum'' won three [[Academy Award]]s in 2008), although the story lines depart significantly from the source material.

During the 1970s, Ludlum lived in [[Leonia, New Jersey]], where he spent hours each day writing at his home.<ref>{{cite news|author=Klemsrud, Judy|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1977/07/10/archives/behind-the-best-sellers-robert-ludlum.html |title=Behind the Best Sellers: Robert Ludlum|work=[[The New York Times]]|date= July 10, 1977|access-date= March 30, 2011|author-link=Judy Lee Klemesrud }} "He writes for six or seven hours in an office in his house in Leonia."</ref>

===Death===
Ludlum died of a heart attack on March 12, 2001, at his home in [[Naples, Florida]], while recovering from severe burns caused by a mysterious fire which occurred on February 10, 2001.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/the-times-obituary-robert-ludlum-hnrnp90q83v | location=London |work=[[The Times]] | title=The Times obituary: Robert Ludlum | date=August 15, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/the-robert-ludlum-controversy-nephew-raises-questions-about-top-thriller-writers-death/story-e6frg6so-1226009074660 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110408082327/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/the-robert-ludlum-controversy-nephew-raises-questions-about-top-thriller-writers-death/story-e6frg6so-1226009074660 | url-status=dead | archive-date=April 8, 2011 | work=The Australian | title=The Robert Ludlum controversy: nephew raises questions about top thriller writer's death | date=February 21, 2011}}</ref>

In 2005, the company which held all merchandising rights for Ludlum's works via his estate, Ludlum Entertainment, signed an agreement with [[Vivendi Games|Vivendi Universal Games]] to handle video game rights for ten years.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Fritz|first=Ben|date=2005-08-10|title=Gamer spies opportunity|url=https://variety.com/2005/digital/features/gamer-spies-opportunity-1117927241/|access-date=2022-01-05|website=Variety|language=en-US}}</ref> The license expired in 2008.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bourne license escapes from Activision|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/bourne-license-escapes-from-activision/1100-6195189/|access-date=2022-01-05|website=GameSpot|language=en-US}}</ref> On November 20, 2008, the Ludlum estate signed a deal with [[Universal Pictures]] to develop feature films based on the works of Robert Ludlum.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Fleming|first=Michael|date=2008-11-21|title=Ludlum 'Bourne' again at Universal|url=https://variety.com/2008/film/markets-festivals/ludlum-bourne-again-at-universal-1117996277/|access-date=2022-01-05|website=Variety|language=en-US}}</ref> On February 2, 2009, his estate transferred video game rights to Ludlum’s work to [[Electronic Arts]] after [[Activision]] took over [[Vivendi Games]]' assets.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Graser|first=Marc|date=2009-02-03|title=Electronic Arts pacts with Ludlum|url=https://variety.com/2009/digital/markets-festivals/electronic-arts-pacts-with-ludlum-1117999472/|access-date=2022-01-05|website=Variety|language=en-US}}</ref>